The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-02-12
LOSES LAST FIGHT
John WaIruff Dies an Exile
From Kansas.
Rich Brewer Who Tried to
Overthrow Prohibition.
CAME HERE IN AN EARLY DAY
Was First Governor Elders
Partner in Banking.
Owned One of Finest Homes in
State at Lawrence.

Driven, as he believed. from the state
in which he had spent the best years
If his lie. by the court decisions
against him in his fight on the prohibi-
tory law, Jonn Walruf. brewer, and
formerly one of the wealthy and well
Known men of Kansas. is dead 3 { Kan
sas City His death closes the list OF
wealthy men who conscientiously op
posed The law and losing il their fisht.
left The state forever. lie died sunday
an the city - which he Inoved and went
into the brewing business after his dis
aStrous eaort TO nave the Kansas pro-
hibitoIy law knocked out
In 1869 John Walruff. a German, was
one OF the leading men of the state
DE was. with former Lieutenant GOV
eruor 2. P Elder, one of the owners
of the bInking firm of Elder < Co. o.
Ottaw1- Their institution has since
become the First National bank
Na riff vas public spirited. husihns,
and honest He contributed literally 10
anything which seemed 10 need nesp i
that project was worthy. He executed
large business deals. He was one OF
the really big men Of that section Oh
Kansas.
In either 1870 or 1871 he erected
what was then one of the fine homes
in Kansas 1t cost $4,000. Remark
able in light of his death Sunday Is
the fact that the residence was ue-
stroyed by fire just two weeks ago
In the late seventies Walruf1 moved
TO Lawrence and esta blished a large
brewery He ran this business untu
the prohibitory law went into effect
in 1881. Even then he did not be-
Iieve prohibition was legal " mere
he was born and grew to manhoou
there was nothing wrong about Ine
manufacture of beer. He persisted IN
the manufacture of the mated pro
duct and his case resulting thereIroln
was one OF the early contests IN
which the law was upheld. A case
carried to the supreme court rom
Atchison is said TO have been declueu
first and the judgment in the airhIl /
case was formal.
The nr0hibitory law much OF the eN-
penSe fell on Walruff- He spent MS
money literally and when the various
cases We're finally decided against nun
he was much poorer than when ne
began the litigation. He did not give
M until all hope was gone Ihen ne
removed to Kansas City. declaring ne
had been driven from the stale.
Justice A W Benson OF the SUI
Qrene court was Judge of this district
court in Douglas county when TINS
Iitisation was in court. He decide
AGAINST Walrum-
TIdee Benson said today when IN
formed of Walruff's death he
fought the law as long as he could anc
when he learned that he could NOT
legally manufacture beer in Kansas ne
moved to Missouri. / am sorry
learn of his death
Mr.. Walruff was born i'm Cologne, Ger
rnsnx- eirhtv-two years ago He came
10 the United states in 1850 and settled
in Kansas in 1886. He had lived in kan
sas City twenty-three years lie IS sur
vived by his wife, Mrs. Anne Walruff'
four daughters. Mrs. z Frey OF Chicago
Mrs. George Beal Of i.eavenworth, kan
Mrs. A. A Prier of EngleW oou station
and Mrs. William Gnefkow and one son.
A F. Walrun of Kansas City The fun
eraI services viii be in charge OF the
Afasons.