The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-12
A SATURDAY NIGHT RAID
ON THE LEAvENW0RTH JOINTS

|
| town Sunday as result of the raid
| which the attorney generals force
made on the JOINTS of that town Satur-
| day night But it is very, very doubt
| full. For LeaVenwort is one of those
| few Kansas towns that has weathered
| 80 years of the prohibitory liquor law
without suffering from single pro-
| tracted drouth. And now that the law
| is strengthened by a federal Webb law
| and the new Mahin act in Kansas,
! Leavenwor continues to quench her
thirst over the bar.
Fifteen raids have been made by
| the attorney generals office in Leav-
enworth and Atchison county in
week. Yet when the officers walked
| into Leavenworth's joints Saturday
night the men behind the counters
were working the pumps and Siding
glasses of nice, cold beer over the
counter with reckless abandon and no
thought that the law was enacted with
a serious thought on the part OF the
Kansas legislature to in any manner
interfere with the rights and privi-
lodges of Leavenworth people to drink
and make merry whenever they felt
like it. For, it is argued in LeaVen-
worth, isn't Drydale just beyond the
river and five minute drive from the
main part of town? And DrydaIe, be
ing a part and under the jurisdiction
of Missouri, is allowed to sell liquor.
And why should Leavenworth suffer
from thirst because of a legislative en-
actment that Disseminated in favor of
a municipality of another state?
That is the belief and general theory
in I,eavenworth among the jOintists.
So, when W.JP. Montgomery, Pres
ton B. Coleman and James gibbs, OF
the attorney generals office, went to
Leavenworth Saturday night and en-
deavored to put the local liquor mer-
chants out of business, they were not
met by the band nor given reception
in the public park. Far from 1t. In
fact if any of the three men who went
from Topeka to conduct the rala,
should ever run for state office, their
vote N certain portions of LeaVen-
worth city would be only scattering.
1t was $50 when the Topeka cru
saders walked UP the steps or the
Leayenworth court house and were
met by Sheriff Tom Larkin and his
assistants Ten minutes later the men
who were to conduct the raids, had re-
ceived their instructions and We're on
their way up town. A State journal
how things are done in Leavenworth- !
In the sheriff's office, Montgomery
slipped the news chaser a big gun with
the friendly tip that it might be need
ed OF course the reporter didn't ad-
nit that he was almost scared to death. |
But he was.
Tom Larkin strapped on gun that
looked as big as the cannon In the
state house park. Then Larkin led the
way to the Owls lodge rooms The
reporter followed Montgomery and the |
sheriff and wondered why he left home |
without buying more life insurance. |
Larkin stopped at an alley at the rear
of the National hotel
"You and that other fellow take
those back stairs" said Larkin to
MONTGOMERY ''I'll look after the front |
entrance
1t was a mile up those alley stairs
They wound and twisted their way to
the second floor of a brick building |
and the reporters knees were shaking
when Montgomery stopped to look in a |
window. And this is what Montgom- !
cry saw as he waited on the stars. ,
Twenty men were drinking at bar
and a perspiring bar-keep was work ,
ing the faucet that connected with the
cool brew and was raking in big per |
cent of the weekly pay check of his
score of customers.
SIontgomery's Little Way.
Montgomery walked right in. NO
one paid the least attention to him
just then. But eight seconds later
Montgomery was performing under |
the spotlight and twenty pairs of eyes
We're nervously watching his every &C
ton.
This place is pinched." politely |
stated Montgomery as manner of
formal introduction. Then he walked
behind the bar with Tom Larkin by his
side and they showed Keeper Brown a
state warrant
That's Montgomery from Dawson's
Office whispered one of Browns 20
customers.
Good Lord" groaned the listener,
who looked wildly toward the door
and displayed much the same inter-
est in Montgomerys presence as
would be expected when some one
that ton of dynamite is
about to be exploded
What the -' said an eXcita BILE
little man who had dropped his beer
mug when Montgomery announced
the arrest of the bar keeper And
while Montgomery and Larkin were
showing Brown the warrant. 10 men
Joined the first man in crowding to-
ward the door.
Going down the stairs-most of
them chose the rear exit-these 90
customers met a half dozen others
who were coming to the club to
quench their thirst. But the new
customers never reached the CLUB
rooms. While Larkin and Montgom-
cry and the reporter were invoicing
Browns stock OF refreshments and
bar room equipments, the customers
we're hurriedIy calling their friends
10 tell them that Montgomery was in
-own. And the customers friends
with beer and whisky to sell We're