The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1913-02-06
MIR. Kennedy Makes Statement
About Walton Matter

width view OF giving the general
public a better understanding OF the
conditions and circumstances culmi-
mating in the destruction OF Joe Wal
City Labor club, the following state
ment has been prepared for publica-
ton in the newspapers of Canon City:
In the election Of April. 1905. Canon
City was voted dry At that time
there were six saloons. Four OF them
promptly closed their doors and quit
business. Two of them, one owned
by Joe Walton and the other by NJ. T.
McCuniff. continued. despite the YER
dict OF the people and the plain let
ter OF the law. Mccunin. however.
soon yielded and left town.
Walton organized what he called a
labor club. which was located where
his old saloon had been and was con-
Quoted by tie same barkeepers and
used the same fixtures that were in
walton's place. There was no change
except In name. walton's so-called
labor club was chartered by the state
OF Colorado.
The city Instituted suit to annul the
charter. the hearing coming before
Judge NJ. s. Bailey. who annuiled the
charter and assessed n fine Of 500
and costs against Walton. The case
was appealed to the supreme court.
which tribunal sustained the lower
court. holding that the charter had
been produced through fraud and mis-
representation.
The decision OF the highest court
In Colorado had no deterrent effect
upon Joe Walton. and he continued his
illegal business despite decisions and
officers OF the law. He was arrested
repeatedly. convicted on each occa-
sion. ard nine cases against him went
on appeal TO the supreme court. the
city winning every one of them.
The circumstances leading directly
to the arrest OF Walton and the DC
struction OF his whiskies. beer. wines.
bar fixtures and gambling parapher-
MALTA. briefly stated. are as follows:
In June. 1906. the city council
passed resolution directing the mar
shal to abate the labor club or Wal
toms saloon as a nuisance. This ac-
ton was taken under the authority
given In ordinance No sos. page io5.
OF the revised ordinances OF Canon
City which ordinance. In part. reads
as follows.
Sec. IL. II shall be unlawful Tor
any person to sell, offer or keep for
sale. TO give away. offer to give away
or keep for the purpose OF giving
away In any building within the corpo-
rate limits OF the city OF Canon City.
with one mile Of the outer iimits OF
said city. any Intoxicating. malt. vim
Gus. mixed OF fermcnted liquors. and
the sale. offer or keeping for the pur-
pose Of giving away OF any such H.
quors within auy building as afore-
said Is hereby declared to be NUS
anoe and may be abated as any other
nuisance
waltons friends had intimated to
tho officers that there would be scri-
GUS trouble II further attempts were
made to arrest him some OF them de-
clnring tina. arms and dynamite we're
kept by Walton for use In resisting
the officers. In view OF these repeat
ed warnings and Implied threats. Mr..
ID. ]. Houston. then city marshal.
deemed Il advisable TO 20 with force
OF deputies when he undertook to en-
force the city councils resolution or
dering him to abate the Walton dive
as a nuisance.
Accordingly. he eeputized chas. W.
Van Patter. J. y. Wright. g. s. wor-
reli. a. ID. Morrison. X. ID. Thompson.
q. w. Orme. A. |. Taylor and u. s. !
okey. who. with the marshal. are the
defendants against whom n judgment
for damages and costs. aggregating
50 3.53s.s0. has just been rendered. The |
Judgment carries interest that will
swell II to s5.s700O by the time the
settlement must be made.
On Sunday morning. July list, 1906.
the marshal and the deputy above
named proceeded 10 waltons place
with the Intention OF arresting him
and taking official charge OF his H.
quors. Walton resisted arrest AMI
fought the marshalso d: was necessary
for three deputies to 30 TO his assist
ance.
While the officers were en-
gagged in taking Walton to Jail by