The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-11-01
ACTION is REGRETTED
Commercial Club OF City Goes on
Record as Opposed to Action
Which Would Destroy An
nual Revenue.

the petitions formally asking for in
functions against the defendants were
filed with County Clerk Demling. In
addition to the filing of the petitions
Sheriff Williams received twenty-four
more original notices to serve, the de
PENDANTS in sixteen of the cases being
saloonkeepers and in eight. drug store
proprietors. This includes all the
drug stores in the city excepting three.
The petitions are signed by Preacher
Reusch and M. S. Odle
The fling Of the. petitions was
awaited with considerable curiosity, as
1t was generally supposed that set
out therein would be specific charges
as to the manner in which the defend
ants had violated the law Such is not
the case. The petitions are all the
same and are brought under the old
prohibitory statute of the state and
allege that the defendants have been
guilty of selling intoxicating liquors
contrary to the law and that property
owners have been maintaining NUS
ances in permitting such places to be
kept on their premises. Temporary
and perpetual injunctions are sought
in each and every case.
There are only ten saloonkeepers
left in the city who have not been
made defendants In these actions and
there is possibility that they will
figure in the proceedings before to-
morrow. In fact, the movement may
be one to proceed against the entire
saloon business of the city.
The defendants are preparing for q
vigorous defense and will give Mr..
ode and his gang stiff battle in the
district court when the time comes for
trial. AS there have been no specific
charge made and the victims Of the
prosecution are in the dark as to the
manner in which they have violated
the law, they have endeavorcd to live
up to every punctuation mark in the
statute and are now awaiting the next
move of the prosecution
The latitude of the courts in decid-
ing saloon cases has been greatly cir
cumscribed by the supreme court. The
TACT of the matter is, if the Anti
Saloon league can prove to the court
beyond doubt that any of the defend
ants have violated the law in the
slightest particular, the court no mat
ter how unjust he may regard the pro.
ceeding, is compelled to make de-
cision accordingly and grant the in
junction. the court has no power to
tell any of the defendants to go and
sin no more. He must either grant
the injunctions or refuse them, is the
opinion of Burlington attorneys.
The cases are set down for hearing
on November IA, the opening day of
| the November term of the district
court. Odle Will no doubt be present
upon that occasion.
An attorney who has watched the
| Anti-Saloon league operations adj.
vances the opinion that the present
prosecution is nothing more or less
than four-fushing graft He says
/ that the leaders OF the Anti-Saloon
league in Iowa are counselled to make
some kind of showing for their follow
ers. They simply start these prosecu-
! tons in different cities In the state,
regardless of whether they have or
/ have not any grounds for action and
I then report that they have closed up
SO many saloons in the aforesaid
| cities.
/ When the cases come up for trial,
the plaintiff, Reusch and his attorney,
/ Odle. will have to show the judges Of
! the district court in no uncertain
manner that there has been the whole
/ sale violation of the law stated in
their petitions.
Citizens generally are UP in arms
| over the action of Odle and Reusch.
/ On every hand is heard severe con-
demnation of these busybodies. They
realize that the success of these pros
! ecutions will mean loss to the city
| and county of revenue of $4,000
! per year. which means increased tax
alton, in addition to paralyzing bust
ness conditions.