The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-08-16
1t DeScends on the Holy Rollers
at Garfield Park.
SpeciaI Ordinance Passed to Fit
Their Case.
THEY APPEAL TO GOVERNOR
Leaders of Meeting Ask Capper
to Intercede Here.
State Executive Referred Them
On to Mayor House.

An emergency was declared to exist
and an ordinance was passed by tne
CITY commission today to stop the HOY
Roller meetings which are being helo
in Garfield park. Both county ana
CITY officials are of the opinion that
the meetings should be stopped Hugh
mcfarland, judge of the JuVenlle
court, recently caused the arrest OF
Darent alleging miStreatment OF
child.
The leaders of the sect were ordered
Saturday to cease holding meetings IN
the park Several hundred tents are
pitched in the park and the PaVll-
lion there is being used for the meet
ings.
When the ordinance was presented
today Mayor House said:
Il attended the meeting Friday night
| saw several things there when were
objectionable. 1 talked to the leaders
and they promised to eliminate these
Objectionable features They talled TO
keep these promises and saturday
night attempted to put something over
on the police department and were
ordered to cease holding the meetings
Sunday they employed an attorney by
adopting this ordinance they viii nave
no grounds upon which to make a de-
Tense"
The ordinance which was adopted
today and becomes effective with its
publication in this issue of the Topeka
State Journal, makes it a misdemeanor
speech or Grafton on public street or
alley or in a city park, or on other
city property without first securing
permit from the mayor. The OrdIn-
ance is identical in its wording with
one which has stood the test of the
courts. Mayor House says there will
be no more meetings of the sect in
Garfield park.
Judge MacFarIand Takes Hand.
1t is probable that the meetings will
be held on a vacant lot just across
Kansas avenue from Garfield park. If
children engage in these meetings they
will be removed.
1--WE cannot prevent grown persons
from making fools of themselves,
said Judge mcfarland, but 1 have
the authority to keep children away
from such places, and if one deputy
sheriff is not enough to enforce my
orders, l will have fifty there. l took
one little girl, nine years old, away
from the place last night. She was
released on parole and turned over to
her father, a man named Turner, who
comes from Kiefer, Okla, and who is
preaching there. The father prom
ised to keep her away. If he breaks
this promise he will be prosecuted I'M
der contempt of court proceedings.
Call on Capper.
Several leaders of the meetings
called upon Governor Capper today
seeking to have the governor intercede
to prevent the officers of the law from
interfering. He referred them to
Mayor House. They were waiting to
see Mayor House when the mayor was
attending a meeting of the city COM
mission at which the ordinance to stop
the meetings was passed.
w. L. Porter, city commissioner of
parks, from whom permission to hold
the meetings was secured, said today
that he did not realize the extent or
nature of meetings when he granted
permission.
They told me they wished to pitch
just few tents as had been done each
year for two three years. 1 had no
idea they intended to use half the
park. The leaders have lied to me
three different times and l think they
should get out