The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-16
Booze Offered Him With No So.
licitatiOn on His Part.
NOT 4 POLICEMAN IN SleHT
One Negro Wanted to Start q
Gambling Game.

How long do you think 1t would take
Won to buy a bottle of whiskey In To-
peka?
u Is is really a fact that Intoxicating
liquors are being sold mere ano o:,. u ma
bootlexgers are allowed to ply their ne
farious trade and grow rich thereby
right under the noses Of the members
of the iowa police force. as many
citizens have charged?
After hearing numerous stories reia
tive to the almost open sale OF phno
tiger and bootleg whiskey In town. q
State Journal reporter accompanied ny
a friend took a little ten minutes walk
in an easterly direction from NORM
Kansas avenue Friday afternoon In
broad daylight, and here is what ne
saw:
Leaving Kansas avenue only a Few
blocks west of the river he walked east
two blocks and then turned nortn.
reaching street that IS notorious III
it's underworld and law breaking repu-
tation.
The first thing that made itself prom
jnent on the street was woman OF
decidedly black complexion VINO was
sitting in the door Of a house wearing
some kind Of loose fitting garment
and a sweater that resembles the OIL
cial sweater of the Topeka high schooi.
The collar of the sweater was OF
bright loud color and in contrast with
the woman's ultra black face 1t was
well calculated to attract the atten-
ton of any passer-by.
The First Experience.
Upon seeing the reporter and his COM
panion looking in her direction. the
woman beckoned to them to come over
and get acquainted. She kept up these
beckonings until the two men were
well past the house.
- md h fo
reached the corner. a young negro wear
ing a black derby hat passed by and
said in passing:
What will you have to drink. boys!
Not being able to make a sale. the
negro walked on up the street short
way. then turned and came back again
Scramble Over Cigarette.
After walking less than half block
further. the reporter and his com
panion stopped to witness a rathe1
unusual street performance. Two
negro women and a negro man were
standing on the porch of rather re-
spectacle looking house. The owner
dispute among the three and a righ
lively tussle was made for 1t, tho
women trying to win it from the maj
by bestowing their affections on him
While the reporter and his cornpan
ion were watching this performance, {
young mulatto negro sidled up t.
them, shaking pair of bones" II
his hand and grinning. Again, thu
question: "a.
what do you want. boys?"
Anything to Drink:
Nothing" the reporters compan
ion replied.
"Ah, come on" retorted the mulat
to; you know you want something t.
drink. or you wouldn't be down here.
The negro vigorously cracked thu
dice in his hand and intimated that {
little game of "seben come leben'
might be arranged.
No Sign of Police.
In all parts Of this district 1ittl,
white children were playing about Oh
the street-most Of them thinly clat
and some Of them not more thar
three or four years old.
From house next door to q negr,
dwelling. a little girl with a very pref
ty face came to join some companion
down the street. She was eating 81
orange.
II wonder what growing up in sucl
surroundings will do to herr" the re
porter's companion remarked
In all the trip the reporter and hi
companion were not away from Kan
sas avenue more than half an hour
Not policeman was seen-not
hand Of the law seemed to have eve
reached into the district in an effor
to bring it around to respectabil;t
and decency!