The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-03
CAUGHT WITH GOODS.
George Hackney Furnishes Officers
With Real Evidence.

To the Editor Of the State Journal:
Regarding the present enforcement
of the prohfbitory law in Topeka.
have noticed in the columns Of your
paper. Cor some time past, an ami
mated controversy between the county
attorney and the mayor of Topeka in
volving the county sheriff's force and
the city police force; the question at
issue being, who is to blame for there
not being more convictions OF jointists
and bootleggers in Topeka.
In the first place the time spent in
such controversy represents an added
increase in cost to the common ordin-
airy citizen who pays the taxes be-
cause the time spent in such argu-
ments certainly represents that much
less time spent in fulfilling the va
rious duties of the office for which
they were elected.
That there is a large amount of liquid
refreshment bought and sold in Topeka
is known to all but such Illegal bust
ness being carried on in the dark and
in the back alleys it is necessarily, in
many cases. difficult to produce suf-
ficient evidence for conviction.
have always felt that it is the duty
of the public officials to look after
these matters and where such violation
OF the law did not conflict with my
personal rights or with proper protec-
ton to the rights of our company, did
not consider it my duty to interfere.
All of the officials in question are
equally. 1 trust nv friends at least I
feel equally friendly to all of them and
this letter is not written with the de-
sire of criticizing any of the parties in
question, but to bring before the readers
of your paper a specific case and TO
call attention of all parties to the con-
troversy, that they have chance to
prove in short order who is. and who is
not properly handling the duties of
their respective offices.
On Thursday night, September 90.
| few of our transient mill laborers pro-
cured a quantity of whisky, about two
| quarts in all. Several of them became
! badly intoxicated, resulting in loss to
our company through improper loading
| of stuff, tearing of sacks, etc.
Our first thought was to simply dis
| charge the offenders and hire new men
in their places, but, after considering
| the matter it was decided to put this
| case up to the officials and see what
| they would do with it. The writer ac-
| cordingly notified the mayor, who sent
an officer down to the plant Immediate
| ly. To this officer we turned over the
| names of the parties who had been
| drinking, the names of the parties who
! had purchased the liquor and from
| them he learned where they had pur-
chased it and from who, in what guam
| tity, at what hour of what day. Arm
| ed with this information the jointist
in question was arrested and I under
stand theyq discovered Is pint bottles
of whisky in his place Of business, hid
den in a sofa.
Now, this is a case in which there is
! no lack of evidence. 1t remains to be
seen what the result of this case will
be- Will they fail of convictions; will
the law breaker be allowed to escape,
or will he be convicted and then let out
on parole to repeat the offense-
1t is my private opinion that this
! gives to all of the parties to the afore-
said controversy a first rate chance to
J show their colors and I imagine the
! readers of your paper will await with
| great interest the outcome.
/ AS regards the men who had been
drinking, it will be the policy of our
their old positions, provided, they fur
subject to forfeiture at the next SINH
lar offense, our company giving them
interest on the money and agreeing to
return it to them at any time they
should leave our employ, provided they
ahve not been under the influence OF
liquor while on duty in the meantime
We are taking this action for the
good of all the men individually, and
for the good of their families, as they
are not drunkards but simply allow
whisky to get the better of them on
rare occasions and we do not feel that
because a man has made one or two
mistakes he should be considered
worthless.
GEORGE w. HACKNEY,
4 Manager the Topeka Milling Company.