The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-05-09
Attempts to Stop Meeting Held
BY Mrs. Clara Aiken
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From Thursdays Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
Police Officer. Alfred Johnson is a
modest man and as mildmannered
"a patrolman as ever. .jugged'' fell
low who had been >wOrshipping at
the shrine of Bacchus. There is
nothing pugracious about Alfred. He
does not below forth his command
or yell his request in a voice that
can be heard a block away. On the
contrary he speaks softly speech
that tends to turn away wrath. SO
when he approached Mrs. Clara Ait
ken. street preacheress, last night and
requested her to cease sermoniZing
he spoke gently and more in an
appealing tone of voice than other
wise Mrs. Aiken needed him not,
but kept right on talking, never at
loss for a word and making gestures
that Daniel Webster would envy.
She also gave the policeman look
| that would do credit to society
! face" 3
Officer Johnson stood by for
few minutes and then slowly backed
! away. ~ All IlllS lllIlC MIo ktllhCh
was doing a rapid fire verbal stunt
/ which held spellbound the large au-
| dience at the corner of Front and
! Main streets. After few minutes
the preacheress knelt in prayer.
She prayed for everybody not ex-
cepting the officer who had attemp-
ted to stop her in the }exercise of her
vocabulary organs. She prayed for
1.-The mayor, all others in authority
and the citizens of Mankato in gener-
all In. this prayer Mrs. Aitken want
ed to know why the Salvation Army
was not stopped from occupying the
streets.
Complaint Is Entered.
Last night II. F. Hildenbrand, pro-
prietor of the Saulpaugh, complained
to Desk Sergeant Thomas Foley that
he and his family and guests at his
hotel were disturbed by Mrs. Athens
street talks and he requested that
an officer be sent to her with the
word that she cease speaking This
was long after "The cerfew had toll
ed the knell of parting day" and the
herd was winding slowly DER the
lee" Officer Johnson was deputized
to notify Mrs. Aitken to bring her
meeting to a close. The patrolman
:, approached the lady in the same
! hesitating manner as a London cop
per would meet a suffraget 81 asked
her to STOP" said the officer to a
group of gentlemen, land she did not
answer me- ! could not use force to
stop her from talking" and Johnson
smiled family. He appeared to rea.
lie that he was confronted with
about as difficult a proposition as
trying to suppress band of English
suffragets.
Basis of the Complaint.
J Mr. HiIdenbrand stated to The
} Free Press that if necessary he
would appeal to the court for an
Injunction to restrain Mrs. Aitker
from holding her meetings near his
hotel, claiming that she not only dis
: turbs members of the family, bu
! guests who retire in the evening
with desire to sleep so that the.
can catch outgoing trains early il
the morning.
When interviewed today. Mrs Ait
ken said she did not know what thu
officer said, and that just as h,
spoke to her she started to pray ant
:, when she got through he had gone
away When asked whether sh,
> held the meetings on the streets
every evening, she replied 1--WE e.
only when the Lord calls. If h,
leads us out every night we go
otherwise we don't" Mrs. Aitkei
> was told that there was some tall
) of an injunction being gotten out t,
: restrain her from holding these meet
/ ings and she said that she had heart
:. nothing about it and that the mayo
e had told her she might hold thu
e meetings when and where she caret
!. Ito.
Talks Too Late.
Mr.. Hildenbrand said that on Tues
day night Mrs. Aitken held forth OF
the corner until 9:45 and last nigh
n it was $50 when she quit She hell
/ meeting on the some corner Sun
t. day night.
l Today Mr.. Hildenbrand had a con
:, ference with Chief of Police Klugher.
n in regard to rs. Athens case, will
: the result that the chief put it III
e to City Attorney Schaub for action
; This afternoon Chief of Police
d Klugherz made application to Cit,
. Attorney Schaub for a warrant fol
+ the arrest of Mrs. Aitken charging
r her with disturbing the peace.