The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-04
Percy, Ill, For q Short Time
Wet, Gives Majority
Against Saloons.
LEAGUE SUPERINTEND-
EMIT VICTIM OF ASSAULT
Petition Is Stolen, Fraudulent
Votes Cast and Other Wick
ed Schemes Tried, But Booze
Men Are Defeated.

Percy. Ill. May 3.--After two years
OF no saloons, Percy went wet, as a
precinct. again last November, and
opened up four saloons. But the wo-
men and the good men never quit;
30 they voted in the village again last
Tuesday, winning by sixty-two votes.
But 1t has been a battle all the way.
First. the petition was stolen. At
the next meeting of the board. the
Mayor demanded that It be brought
in for inspection otherwise the
proposition could not be placed on
the ballots But the clerk was wise.
He had obtained advice from the
Anti-saloon Leagues attorney. and
he simply stated that e proper petit
ton had been filed. but that he could
not produce II.
Then the board decided to prose-
cute him. This II did. through the
States attorney, under the statute
for failure to exhibit the petition as
ton.
The case went to the County Court
at Chester, whore F. B. Gilbert, of
Chicago, and w O. Edwards of
Pickneyville. defended the clerk
Here he testified to the above facts.
and the court found him not guilty
Later, his office was again broken
into, presumably with the intention
of stealing the ballots.
But Percy has. in Edward Kmucha,
clerk who is real man. the kind
that heroes are made Of He was a
candidate for reelection, too. and 1t
is a satisfaction to know that the
people elected him. He said the
proposition would be on the ballot,
and then proceeded to make good,
even having two sets of ballots print
ed each one stamped with his pri-
vate signature.
Finding themselves blocked at
every turn in their attempts to pre-
vent q vste on the question, the vets
prepared for their grand final per
sonal liberty stunt" stealing the cleo
, ton.
Drys Were Prepared
/ But again the drys showed their
preparedness" Rev w j. Moore,
superintendent of the Southern dis
trict of the Anti-Saloon League, and
! w. o. Edwards. attorney, were on
+ the ground election day.
| With all the judges ultra wet. and
/ the Mayor positively committed to
/ that side, nothing but the letter Of
/ the law. in the hands OF the fighting
: attorney saved the day An at
| tempt to GUST one of the dry chal-
| lengers was foiled, Mr.. Moore and
| Mr.. Edwards urging the dry people
! to stand for all their rights
t About 9 o'clock the fine work be-
gan. Illegal voters presented them
selves, were challenged. made affi-
/ davit, voted and were promptly ar
( rested together with those who had
witnessed the affidavits. After n
number OF such arrests. some who
I had come from other counties, being
assured that the drys were prepared
/ to keep up the same program all
day. left without attempting to vote.
! Bafned again. the vets became
! furious. But their final. argument
was yet to come. the muscular ar
gument. About o'clock. Mr.. Moore
went to the station to take the train
! home, and while giving attention TO
his baggage. was struck from behind
| by big burly roughneck who ap-
parently had been selected for this
work Quick as a flash. Mr.. Moore
was on his feet again and facing his
assailant But those people never
appear singly. and but for the timely
| interference OF friends he might have
been seriously hurt. As II was. with
black eye and other bruises about
| the head and face, he was able TO
appear a little later before the police
magistrate who fined the bully -
and costs. the least fine that could
be given him under the statute.
It seems that Percy saloonkeepers
NAV as we'll make up their minds to
20 to work or move to some other
climate.
While the self-respectins people
OF Percy are deeply chargrined that
such an exhibition of brute force
shoula have occurred In their little
city they rejoice in the fact that with
the passing of the saloon. the re-
currence OF such a disgraceful event