The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [54]
an address, and we organized a society to smash saloons, if they did
not close. Next morning we went down the street in a body, Mrs. Hoffman
and other women, and the other dive keeper talked to us and promised
to go out of business. This Stillings came to me again cursing and
threatening, saying: "His wife would fix me." Although this man was
disturbing the peace, disorderly and dangerous, no one offered to arrest
him. He held me, while four women ran from some place with whips
and sticks. One beat me with her fist, another with a whip, one with a
raw-hide, while one pulled my hair and kicked me into the gutter, nearly
killing me.
I said: "Women, will you let me be murdered." For although there
were men and women present, not one did a thing, until at last, an old
lady, the mother of the saloon-keeper's wife, picked up a brick and said:
"If anyone strikes that woman again I will hit them with this." Then all
rushed to defend me.
I was almost breathless. My hair was down, much of it being pulled
out. I went home with my friend, Mrs. Hoffman. These parties were
arrested. The trial brought out the fact that this dive-keeper, Stillings,
had hired these women. To the gambler's wife he was to give twenty-
five dollars, to use the raw-hide. Two women were prostitutes, whom
this Stillings had brought to town for this purpose. They were fined a
small sum, and the whole of them given a few hours to leave town.
My body was bruised and sore. My limbs were striped with bruises;
but I was only disabled two days.
While in Enterprise I got a telegram from Holt, signed by the "Temperance
Committee," it read: "Come here and help us break up dives."
This little town was only twelve miles from Enterprise. In going to
the train that night there seemed to have been some one hiding on every
corner throwing eggs. My dress was covered with them. I got to Holt
at midnight. When I got off the train, I then knew it was a plot to
injure me for no one was there to meet me, and I saw some suspicious
men keeping in the dark. I got in a hack and went to a hotel.
I asked for the women but all had retired. I went up to my room,
which was very small. It had one window which was raised an inch
with a lath under it, and I thought it strange at the time that the landlord
should have let the window down, but I was very tired and dropped
asleep almost as soon as I touched the bed. About two o'clock I was
awakened with a smothered feeling, struggling for breath. I jumped for
the window, which I threw up, for the room was full of the most poisonous
odor, as of cigarettes, and other smells. I knew that there were persons
at the door puffing the poison in. I sat at the window and listened
and in about fifteen minutes I heard some one whistling and saw
through the transom that a light was coming. A man stopped at my
door and knocked.
"What do you want?"
"I want to speak to you," he replied.
"What is it?"
"I want to speak to you."
God showed me in a vision two men crouched on each side of the
door ready to either catch or slug me, if the door was opened.
"I see you sluggers on each side of the door. You villain, you have
tried to murder me by throwing poison in my room and now you are
trying something else."
"There is a mob here after you."
"You are a liar," I answered.
"There is a committee wants to speak to you."
"You are telling lies in order to have me open my door."
He left and went down below, and for ten minutes there was a
great tramping of feet and I could hear the landlord making out as
if he was dispersing a crowd. I watched from my window and saw two
men walking away. I certainly was thankful for a lock on my door.
Next morning when ready to leave my room, I looked up and down the
passages well; then I hurried and did not feel safe, until I got on the
outside. I asked a little boy if there were any Christians in Holt.
"No, but there are some in the country."
I got my breakfast at a restaurant, and I called out on the streets
that I would hold a meeting in front
not close. Next morning we went down the street in a body, Mrs. Hoffman
and other women, and the other dive keeper talked to us and promised
to go out of business. This Stillings came to me again cursing and
threatening, saying: "His wife would fix me." Although this man was
disturbing the peace, disorderly and dangerous, no one offered to arrest
him. He held me, while four women ran from some place with whips
and sticks. One beat me with her fist, another with a whip, one with a
raw-hide, while one pulled my hair and kicked me into the gutter, nearly
killing me.
I said: "Women, will you let me be murdered." For although there
were men and women present, not one did a thing, until at last, an old
lady, the mother of the saloon-keeper's wife, picked up a brick and said:
"If anyone strikes that woman again I will hit them with this." Then all
rushed to defend me.
I was almost breathless. My hair was down, much of it being pulled
out. I went home with my friend, Mrs. Hoffman. These parties were
arrested. The trial brought out the fact that this dive-keeper, Stillings,
had hired these women. To the gambler's wife he was to give twenty-
five dollars, to use the raw-hide. Two women were prostitutes, whom
this Stillings had brought to town for this purpose. They were fined a
small sum, and the whole of them given a few hours to leave town.
My body was bruised and sore. My limbs were striped with bruises;
but I was only disabled two days.
While in Enterprise I got a telegram from Holt, signed by the "Temperance
Committee," it read: "Come here and help us break up dives."
This little town was only twelve miles from Enterprise. In going to
the train that night there seemed to have been some one hiding on every
corner throwing eggs. My dress was covered with them. I got to Holt
at midnight. When I got off the train, I then knew it was a plot to
injure me for no one was there to meet me, and I saw some suspicious
men keeping in the dark. I got in a hack and went to a hotel.
I asked for the women but all had retired. I went up to my room,
which was very small. It had one window which was raised an inch
with a lath under it, and I thought it strange at the time that the landlord
should have let the window down, but I was very tired and dropped
asleep almost as soon as I touched the bed. About two o'clock I was
awakened with a smothered feeling, struggling for breath. I jumped for
the window, which I threw up, for the room was full of the most poisonous
odor, as of cigarettes, and other smells. I knew that there were persons
at the door puffing the poison in. I sat at the window and listened
and in about fifteen minutes I heard some one whistling and saw
through the transom that a light was coming. A man stopped at my
door and knocked.
"What do you want?"
"I want to speak to you," he replied.
"What is it?"
"I want to speak to you."
God showed me in a vision two men crouched on each side of the
door ready to either catch or slug me, if the door was opened.
"I see you sluggers on each side of the door. You villain, you have
tried to murder me by throwing poison in my room and now you are
trying something else."
"There is a mob here after you."
"You are a liar," I answered.
"There is a committee wants to speak to you."
"You are telling lies in order to have me open my door."
He left and went down below, and for ten minutes there was a
great tramping of feet and I could hear the landlord making out as
if he was dispersing a crowd. I watched from my window and saw two
men walking away. I certainly was thankful for a lock on my door.
Next morning when ready to leave my room, I looked up and down the
passages well; then I hurried and did not feel safe, until I got on the
outside. I asked a little boy if there were any Christians in Holt.
"No, but there are some in the country."
I got my breakfast at a restaurant, and I called out on the streets
that I would hold a meeting in front