The Greeley tribune., 1910-03-17
THE PIEL HANGING AND iHf'
EVANS LIQUOR PROBLEM

state within the next few days r ripu
piel. convicted OF the MURDER oi
George kerber, must atone loi
ruthlessly taking life by the loss
of his own. Piel is the first man to
be sent from Weld county TO be
hanged for murder.
Piel was drunk at the time lie
himself says that that had II not
been for the fact that liquor had
fred his brain he would not have
stabbed Kerber.
IL the sad effects Of that single
drunken brawl were TO end with
the elimination of Piels own Ille'
then the dictates OF justice WouIu
have been satisfied. But the loss OF
the life OF Piel is but the least OF
the effects of the crime The tras-
edy was not in the death OF keroer'
nor will it be in the death OF flei'
hut in the lives of those dependent
on these men for support Flel
must leave behind him wife win
his children. who must face a "orid
of poverty, to earn as best she may
a livelihood for all of them, or ialL-
ing this, die and leave her children
as wards OF the state.
Drunkenness was the cause OF
the murder of George Kerber and
drunkenness must be the cause OF
the hanging of Fred Piel and Of the
tragedy in the lives Of his wife and
children.
Within a comparatively few days
the election will be on at Evans DO
the people of Evans wish to make
possible such crimes as that OF Fred
Piel by the establishment of saloons
IN that town?
Those fayoring the bringing back
OF saloons to Evans have advanced
but one argument They state that
taxes have been higher and the
city treasury impoverished since
the departure or saloons. Despite
the fact that the anti-saloon element
deny this statement and give Stats
tics to prove their claim let us ad-
NIT mat it is true. this argument
that has been made.
You men OF families in Evans.
In dollars and cents how much to
YOU value the future OF your sons
and daughters Do you wish them
TO be reared where they may, in
tender years, be awakened in the
night by maudlin songs Of drunken
men and women gathered about the
wine tables which you are consider
ing bringing back?
u.iSb fhan1 whln ThA
years of childhood are gone, to con-
gregate in these saloons which yon
are thinking of establishing. by the
side OF which they will have been
reared. with which they will be IA
miliar and which therefor. will be
the natural place for them to drift?
DO you wish them to spend the
years of manhood and womanhood
years which should be dedicated 20
the attainment of high ideals, in
the dives which wish to be brought
back to your now peaceful town?
Are these questions which may be
answered by the eternal considera'
ton of dollars and cents?
The saloon interests ask why
Greeley and other towns surround
ing Evans have any right to inter
fere''
To protect the weak ones of ou
own communities. To do away viii
the temptation which your saloon
will offer to that large percentag
of young and OLD who are too wea
TO resist, despite good intention, an
to that other class which thonghi
lessly mistakes good fellowship
for drunken carousal.
We remember the midnights mad
hideous by the return to this cit
from Evans of young men and youn
women. shouting profanely and hur
ing obscene songs out upon II
night. This abuse has now nee
done away with because the salcoi
in Evans have been put ou. OF bus
ness.
And II is very probable thar eve
ley and Kersey and LaSalle, and
the rest have as great an intere
rom every standpoint, cXc2p, Il
pocketbook. as those representariv
OF the Neef Brewing company al
similar institutions of Denver VI
were IN Evans last week. The
brewing interests are losing
chance to bring Evans within Lh'
clutches.
They have money. They ha
spent a good deal and they "
spend more in an effort to cree
saloons in Evans. That the ilqu
they manufacture is the cause
murder, of crime and vice OF eve
Ioathsome description, of the ruiz
ton of the lives of these veal
among the race, is or no conside
ton. They are rich, and they
content.
They carelessly assert the ii
worn platitude of saloon interes
that the saloons are there but
man don't have to drink If he d.
not wish to-.
Unfortunately there is la