The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [48]
door. Another customer came in, a nice looking young
man with a good suit, a white collar, and looking as if he had plenty
of money, The smiling bar tender mixed a drink and was handing it to
him. The poor vagabond from the door called out. "Oh, don't begin on
him. Five years ago, I came into your place, looking just like that
young man. You have made me what you see me now. Give that drink
to me and finish your work. Don't begin on him."
I went back to the hotel and bound the rod and cane together, then
wrapped paper around the top of it. I slept but little that night, spending
most of the night in prayer. I wore a large cape. I took the cane
and walked down the back stairs the next morning, and out in the alley
I picked up as many rocks as I could carry under my cape. I walked into
the Carey Bar-room, and threw two rocks at the picture; then turned
and smashed the mirror that covered almost the entire side of the large
room. Some men drinking at the bar ran at break-neck speed; the bartender
was wiping a glass and he seemed transfixed to the spot and
never moved. I took the cane and broke up the sideboard, which had on
it all kinds of intoxicating drinks. Then I ran out across the street
to destroy another one. I was arrested at 8:30 A. M., my rocks and
cane taken from me, and I was taken to the police headquarters, where
I was treated very nicely by the Chief of Police, Mr. Cubbin, who
seemed to be amused at what I had done. This man was not very
popular with the administration, and was soon put out. I was kept
in the office until 6:30 P. M. Gov. Stanley was in town at that time,
and I telephoned to several places for him. I saw that he was dodging
me, so. I called a messenger boy and sent a note to Gov. Stanley,
telling him that I was unlawfully restrained of my liberty; that I wished
him to call and see me, or try to relieve me in some way. The messenger
told me, when he came back, that he caught him at his home, that he
read the message over three times, then said: "I have nothing to say,"
and went in, and closed the door. This is the man who taught Sunday
School in Wichita for twenty years, where they were letting these murder
shops run in violation of the law. Strange that this man should pull
wool over the eyes of the voters of Kansas. I never did have any
confidence in him. When he came to Medicine Lodge to lecture a few
months before this, I would not go to hear him, telling the people that
he was an enemy.
Kansas has learned some dear lessons, and she will be wise indeed
when she learns that only Prohibitionists will enforce prohibition laws.
That republicans and democrats are traitors, and no one belonging to
these parties should ever hold office, especially in Kansas.
At 6:30 P. M., I was tried and taken to Wichita jail; found guilty of
malicious mischief, Sam Amidon being the prosecuting attorney, and
the friend of every joint keeper in the city. He called me a "spotter"
when I wanted to give evidence against the jointists.
The legislature was to convene in a few days and it was understood
that the question of resubmitting the Prohibition Amendment would come
up. Being a part of the constitution, the people had to vote on it, and it
was frustrating their plans to have such agitation at this time, and
these republican leaders were determined to make a quietus of
me, if possible. The scheme was to get me in an insane asylum,
and they wished to increase my insanity as they called my zeal, so as to
have me out of their way, for I was calling too much attention to their
lawlessness, at this time, when it might prove disastrous to their plots.
Two sheriffs conducted me to my cell. The sensation of being locked in
such a place for the first time is not like any other, and never occurs the
second time. These men watched me after the door was locked. I tried
to be brave, but the tears were running down my face. I took hold of
the iron bars of my door, and tried to shake them and said: "Never mind,
you put me in here a cub, but I will go out a roaring
man with a good suit, a white collar, and looking as if he had plenty
of money, The smiling bar tender mixed a drink and was handing it to
him. The poor vagabond from the door called out. "Oh, don't begin on
him. Five years ago, I came into your place, looking just like that
young man. You have made me what you see me now. Give that drink
to me and finish your work. Don't begin on him."
I went back to the hotel and bound the rod and cane together, then
wrapped paper around the top of it. I slept but little that night, spending
most of the night in prayer. I wore a large cape. I took the cane
and walked down the back stairs the next morning, and out in the alley
I picked up as many rocks as I could carry under my cape. I walked into
the Carey Bar-room, and threw two rocks at the picture; then turned
and smashed the mirror that covered almost the entire side of the large
room. Some men drinking at the bar ran at break-neck speed; the bartender
was wiping a glass and he seemed transfixed to the spot and
never moved. I took the cane and broke up the sideboard, which had on
it all kinds of intoxicating drinks. Then I ran out across the street
to destroy another one. I was arrested at 8:30 A. M., my rocks and
cane taken from me, and I was taken to the police headquarters, where
I was treated very nicely by the Chief of Police, Mr. Cubbin, who
seemed to be amused at what I had done. This man was not very
popular with the administration, and was soon put out. I was kept
in the office until 6:30 P. M. Gov. Stanley was in town at that time,
and I telephoned to several places for him. I saw that he was dodging
me, so. I called a messenger boy and sent a note to Gov. Stanley,
telling him that I was unlawfully restrained of my liberty; that I wished
him to call and see me, or try to relieve me in some way. The messenger
told me, when he came back, that he caught him at his home, that he
read the message over three times, then said: "I have nothing to say,"
and went in, and closed the door. This is the man who taught Sunday
School in Wichita for twenty years, where they were letting these murder
shops run in violation of the law. Strange that this man should pull
wool over the eyes of the voters of Kansas. I never did have any
confidence in him. When he came to Medicine Lodge to lecture a few
months before this, I would not go to hear him, telling the people that
he was an enemy.
Kansas has learned some dear lessons, and she will be wise indeed
when she learns that only Prohibitionists will enforce prohibition laws.
That republicans and democrats are traitors, and no one belonging to
these parties should ever hold office, especially in Kansas.
At 6:30 P. M., I was tried and taken to Wichita jail; found guilty of
malicious mischief, Sam Amidon being the prosecuting attorney, and
the friend of every joint keeper in the city. He called me a "spotter"
when I wanted to give evidence against the jointists.
The legislature was to convene in a few days and it was understood
that the question of resubmitting the Prohibition Amendment would come
up. Being a part of the constitution, the people had to vote on it, and it
was frustrating their plans to have such agitation at this time, and
these republican leaders were determined to make a quietus of
me, if possible. The scheme was to get me in an insane asylum,
and they wished to increase my insanity as they called my zeal, so as to
have me out of their way, for I was calling too much attention to their
lawlessness, at this time, when it might prove disastrous to their plots.
Two sheriffs conducted me to my cell. The sensation of being locked in
such a place for the first time is not like any other, and never occurs the
second time. These men watched me after the door was locked. I tried
to be brave, but the tears were running down my face. I took hold of
the iron bars of my door, and tried to shake them and said: "Never mind,
you put me in here a cub, but I will go out a roaring