Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1910-03-03
AN EXTINCT SPECIES
is THE SEARCHER

''Do you know what a 'searcher' is,
and why there was ever such? Do
you recall the days when the search
err was real live thing and had a
place in society?"
The questions were asked by vet.
eran Des Moines newspaper man. He
had lived through the days of state
wide and constitutional prohibition jim
Iowa and had been in position to see
for himself what was going on.
'The 'searcher' is an extinct genus
in Iowa." continued the newspaper
man. HE had peculiar part to play
and he played it well. He was some
times picturesque and interesting, and
as newspaper man of course | real
lied that he was fruitful of copy for
the papers. He actually made news.
Not very many persons do this, but he
did it. He gave us something to write
about and his history filed many col
umns in the Des Moines papers.
1.-The 'searcher' was usually man
who had not lived very well. He was
generally uncouth and unkempt. But
he had official standing and by reason
of his calling he was able to make
more than he had ever made before.
Hence in his own estimation he was
nightly important. Many's the time
| have followed the 'searcher' down
through alleys and across lots at the
midnight hour to find out what was
going on. He usually rounded up at
restaurant or lunch counter or a
drug store, and then there were things
adding. He always carried big gun
which he fiourished freely. He prac
ticed the art of high jumping, for il
was part of his calling to jump over
object of his search by the most direct
route.
81 have seen in the little store room
back of justice shop in Des Moines
the most remarkable collection of bot
ties, jugs and other vessels, all result
ing from various and sundry raids, not
on the saloons, for the saloons were
banished, but raids upon all sorts oil
places. These trophies represented
the results of the 'searcher's' daily
labors And the vileness of the stuff
| that had been contained in these yes
sells was something astonishing. II
showed that where men are forced tC
go into the dark places to get theil
drinks they put up with connections
that would be Immediately rejected
over any respectable bar.
81 recall once following well known
'searcher' all over East Des Nome!
one afternoon, expecting to get goot
news story for the paper. Things hat
become very much strained. In hi!
extreme zeal to pile up fees and make
a small fortune this 'searcher' had in
Cured the enmity of large number
| of good people. But some who were
not good had sworn vengeance upor
| him. He had two or three big gun!
| about his person and there was a ru
NOR that in the hands of certain rough
persons there was a rope. Anyway
the 'searcher' believed he was marked
| for trouble that day. and | followed
him long time to be in at the troubl,
making. Luckily, it did not come off
Everybody concerned was cowardly
Nothing doing.
'"The motive back of the 'searcher
was always the same-money He wa
| in the business for the money. Prohi
bition gave him the opportunity. III,
| could sweep down upon an alley res
taurant and seize a bottle with just ;
| Emell of liquor in it and earn SO to s.
,or the job. 1t was easy money. Ant
| the taxpayer of the city footed tn,
bill. In the meantime drunkenness
| was ,on the increase and there wer,
more young men and boys lured int,
| the dark places than ever before.
| 1.-The race of 'searchers' became ex
tinct with the adoption of system
for the regulation of the traffic. I
was the sporadic attempt at enforcin,
| prohibition by a state wide law, rigi,
| In character, and not taking into &C
count local sentiment, that created tn,
breed. | hope that no new breed will
| ever be reared i'm Iowa."
| A Real Arounent