The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-23
DOWN COMES AXE.
County Attorney j. j. Schenck
Opens the War.
Raids Some of the Really Large
Joints.
FINDS MUCH LIQUOR.
=" Central Club" In National
Taken by Surprise.
Chesterfield Proprietors We're
Ready for the Officers.

Inc expected, or unexpected accord
ing to the thinking of those concerned,
occurred last night when the Central
club, one of the largest and best equip
ped joints in the city, located in the
National hotel, and two smaller ones
were raided by Sheriff John Wilkerson
and his deputies who were armed with
warrants issued by County Attorney
John Schenck. During his campaign
for county attorney in which he de-
feated Frank Foster, the avowed law
and order candidate, Mr. Schenck re-
fused to make a statement as to wha :
his policy would be in case of his cleo
ton. Since he was successful at the
polls he has maintained the same le-
gree of secrecy.
Many of the jointists accepted his
non-committal attitude as a friendly sign
and have kept their places open as in
the past and have done an unusually
large business since the legislature has
been in session and the city filled with
strangers. Others on the other hand
have closed their places and stored
their stock of liquors and fixtures and
hung out For rent sign.
OF the places raided last night the
Central club which occupied rooms in
front of the north half of the National
hotel was by far the most pretentious
and one whose proprietor is said to
have frequently boosted that he had
protection and would not be disturbed.
The proprietor of the place is E. z.
Shoaf who is also proprietor of the
Holiday hotel which has bar attach
ment which has not been disturbed
often and this has led some to believe
that there might be something in the
claim of the proprietor that he has
been receiving protection of some kind.
The warrants for the places were is
sued after office hours last night by
County Attorney Schenck and placed in
the hands of the sheriff and his depu-
ties few moments before the raids
took place. Sheriff Wilkerson Deputy
Sheriff Henry Monroe and a special
officer by the name of Lewis made the
raid on the National hotel joint as it is
more often called than by the name of
the Central as it is advertised.
They were armed with search and
seizure warrants and were prepared to
break into the place in case they
should encounter opposition from the
lookoutS or proprietor. They ascend
ed the stairway to the north of the Ma
tional hotel and passing through two
doors were at the bar behind which
E. r.. Barbour was drawing the fiery
liquor or the foanling beer as the or
ders of his customers dictated. E. E.
Shoaf was arrested as we'll as the bar
tender and Will Jefferies whose iden-
tity as far as the place is concerned
has not been Established.
The place which was QUILTED about
a month ago is one of the most pre-
tentious in the city and when it was
opened was connected with the Ma
tional hotel through a hallway which
was afterwards boarded up by the
trustees of the knights and Ladies of
Security which owns the property.
Since then the front entrance to the
place has been used principally,
though not exclusively. Besides the
bar and tables where liquor of all
kinds were served it is said that there
has been poker game in progress for
the past two weeks which has had
1.-The ceiling for a limit and where
large sums have been won and lost.
When the place was raided last