The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-24
KANSAS is NOT
SAHARAIT WAS
SUPPOSED TO Be
British Preacher Came to To-
peka to Avoid Liquor.
Now He Is Arranging To Go
Back to England.
HE ASKS TO BE DEPORTED
Applies to U. S. District At
tOrney Here for Action.
Declares Booze Is Plentiful in
SaIina and Topeka.
Applies to U. S. District At
tOrney Here for Action.

Because Kansas is not the Sahara
he and members of his family sup
posed when he was sent from Eng
land to this country to get away from
demon rum, last summer, Leopold
Garcia, 3S years old, polished gentle
man and preacher. has made applica-
ton to Al F. Williams, United States
district attorney to be deported back
home in order that he may live but
probably to die on English SOIL
Garcia's case has been before the
district attorneys office for several
weeks pending word from the immi-
grafton department and it was not I'M
til Monday afternoon, following a
complete investigation of the matter
by a government inspector. was it de-
cided that steps to meet Garcia's re-
quest be taken. Williams announced
today that the proceedings would be
started Immediately and made the
prediction that Garcia would be de-
ported within a short time
The proceedings will be based sole
ly upon the statements made by Gar
cia, who has confessed to having been
confined at one time IN a workhouse
asylum in England and that he made
false representations in order to OBJ
tain passport to this country. To
secure the passport, Garcia made
sworn statement to the effect that he
had never been confined in an insti-
tuition of that kind and that he was
physically and mentally in good
health.
Must Have Liquor.
According to Williams, Garcia not
only admits having served time in an
English Workhouse asylum and having
made Misrepresentation to obtain his
passport, but that he was at that time
and is yet a victim of chronic alcohol
ism which has affected his physical
and mental condition until he is now
mentally unbalanced, unab to work
and unable to refrain from the use of
Intoxicating drink and drugs.
1t was because of his addiction to
the alcohol habit and resultant men
tai condition, Garcia has told the dis
trict attorney, that members of his
family in their desperation to save
him, decided to send him to America
and Kansas, having heard that this
state was SO dry it was impossible for
human to obtain anything to drink
except water. Prior to that time he
had once been sent to Montreal, Can
ada, he says. but he was given to un-
derstand that Kansas was far more
dry than any part of Canada had ever
thought of being.
Hurried to Kansas.
Accordingly, the necessary funds
and a passport were obtained, ana
Garcia says he sailed from South
hampton for this country in the early
part of September, last year, on the
steamship "Berengeria," arriving at
New York September 12. He re-
manned in New York one day and
spent a few hours in Chicago, but he
was Kansas bound and lost little time
in getting here.
But standing before the United
States district attorney, Monday after
noon, Garcia in a sorrowfu1 manner
declared that the hope he had once en-
tertained that he might, because he
was told Kansas was completely islo-
lated from booze territory, be able to
regain his mind, has flickered out.
Not only had he found liquor plenti-
full in both Topeka and Salina, the two
towns he has visited, but he said the
kind was far worse than that of his
own country. Furthermore, he said
if there was difficulty in getting liquor
here, drugs were plentiful and ad-
mitted he had turned to the additional
habit.
Garcia spent only few days in
Salina and that was last fall shortly
after his arrival in Kansas. Practically
all of his time has been spent in To-
peka, where between drinks, he has
been able to win considerable admira-
ton as a refined English gentleman.
Several Topeka ministers have become
interested in his case and he has even
been preaching himself. He has ap-
peared in the pulpit at Carbondale for
several Sundays, it is said, and re-
Gently has been rooming at the 7. NJ.
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