The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1911-06-15

Worry oye the lawsuits which
she had brought against a lecture
bureau for alleged failure to pay foE
services on the platform is said to
have caused her breakdown. While
Mrs. Nation was in the sanitarium,
none but relatives were allowed to
visit her. She was not permitted to
read letters, as the doctors feared
they might contain some hint as to
the pending suits.
The last five months Of Mrs. Ma
TONS life was in marked contrast to
her former activities. Once she saw
a physician at the santarium smok-
ing a cigarette. She made no re-
monstrance, merely saying that she
had done all she could to eradicate
the evil"
The body will be sem to Kansas
City, Kan. where a nephew lives,
tomorrow morning.
Mrs. Nations Career.
By throwing q Ratchet across the
mahogany bar Of the senate saloon
i'll Topeka, Kas, and smashing the
plate glass mirror, in March, 1901.
Carrie Nation became a national fig
ure. Up to that time she was known
only in a few Kansas towns that she
had visited as merely an ardent tenn
perance advocate.
But the hatchet throwing episode
| plunged her into newspaper fame.
She liked the notoriety her act
brought her and decided to repeat
the performance in other towns. It
went along until the name Of Carrie
Nation was a household word in this
country and Eve in the foreign press
became greatly interested in such a
display of feminine aggressiveness.
Carrie (Moore) Nation was born
near Versailles. KY. nearly IS years
ago. In 1875 she was married to a
DR.. Lloyd with whom she lived for
one year at Holden. Mo-. when he
died in delirium tremens.
After ten years of widowhood she
married David Nation. For a time
the couple lived at Warrensburg,
Mo-, where Nation was the editor Of
a newspaper. They removed to Rich
mond. Texas. but politics there be-
came too turbulent for Nation and
they removed to Medicine Lodge,
Kas.
Mrs. Nations married life, with
both Lloyd and Nation proved un-
happy, the latter alliance finally Gull
minating in her husband divorcing
Mrs. Nation.
1t was this fact, coupled with an
inherent dislike of the saloon that
led Mrs. Nation to adopt her temper
ance crusades as a means of employ
ing her time and energies. These
crusades begain in 1901 in Kiowa,
Kas. Wichita next claimed her at
tention and then came her sensation
al appearance in Topeka and the
hatchet throwing.
Later Mrs. Nation visited many
cities in Kansas and each in action
and word preached the doctrine
Down with rum"
Next came a trip drought Ne
braska, Iowa and Illinois, Mrs. Ma
ton featuring, %crusading and "wield-
ing the axe"
By the sale of souvenirs and by
her lectures and other profitable ex-
hibitions of herself Mrs. Nation is
said to have accumulated 5000, 900.
In neary every city in which she
letters awaited her, the ma
of which contained contribu-
tions to her cause, ranging from one
dollar to fifty.
Many melodramatic and farcicial
incidents occurred during her various
Misunderstanding tours. but the most
tragic happened in Chicago. 1t was
midnight in one of the lowest
dives of the city.
A young man "a carrying drinks
human wrecks-men and women
seated about the tables. He greet
ed her with a grin and the words: !
How are you grandma Nation?" !
Mrs. Nation had been called
and mother many times
before and she talked to the youth
as she would have spoken to any 9TH
er bartender o. saloon waiter. She
asked him If he had a mother and If
she knew he had fallen so low.
"Why don't you know me, grand
ma?" asked the youth.
Mrs. Nation said she did not.
Don't you remember Riley-Ri-l
ley White, your little grandson"
the waiter.
why. yes replied the crusader,
but I haven't seer him since he was
years old. don't know where
lie is now"
well, here he is; I am Riley
your grandson"
Mrs. Nation gazed at the man. ev-
IN then little more than a mere boy.
She gazed dizzily for a moment, then
hhir m tho fnr1 cowd,,% 1850