The Use and Need of the Life of Carrie A. Nation [56]
being treated so well, for after
she left things were very different.
That republican conspiracy in Topeka determined to put me in the
insane asylum. One of them, Judge Magaw, swore on the witness stand
that he believed me insane. His examination brought out the fact that I
compelled him to turn some obscene pictures to the wall once, when I
called to see him in his office.
I had received ever so many letters from all over the country justifying
smashing as being reasonable, right and legal. I also saw that the
republican newspapers of Kansas and other states were determined to
put me in a false light before the people. I conceived the idea of editing
a paper. I tried to get the Journal to edit the paper, but it seemed
that I could not get anyone to take hold of it. Some one suggested to
me Nick Chiles, a negro, who had a printing outfit. I knew but little of
this man. I sent for him to come and see me at my cell. All the money
I had in the world was from the sale of ten cows which was $240. This
negro, Chiles talked very fair and promised to print my paper in a
creditable way. I gave him the $240. I wrote the editorials while in
the jail, and also gave him bundles of letters which I had received and
a great many poems that had been written on Carry Nation and smashing.
This negro finally cheated me out of my money and papers also.
I closed with him after three weeks, he put the papers out, collected for
them and never paid me a cent. I believe he paid Mr. Nation some and
when I would have made him account for his wrong dealings, I found
that the contract between he and I, which was drawn up by Mr. Nation,
made this negro my partner. This, of course, was done to prevent me
from having any legal redress. My paper was called THE SMASHER'S
MAIL. I called it this for it was largely composed of letters which I
had received on the subject of smashing. I had no one to read the proofs
and was at the mercy of this negro, who was not in sympathy with my
cause, but to the reverse. I was often humiliated at the way my articles
were tortured. I afterwards got The Kansas Farmer to publish the paper
and I then bought a press of my own, but found that I could not conduct
a paper and lecture, so after the 13th edition, I closed. The paper
accomplished , this much, that the public could see by my editorials that
I was not insane.
THE SECOND TIME IN JAIL AT WICHITA.
I was in a meeting of the W. C. T. U. in Wichita, of which Mrs.
Summers was president. I wanted to have these women go with me and
destroy the places there that were murdering their sons. Many present
were in favor of it, but Mrs. Summers was bitterly opposed. Three
went out in the hall with me, Mrs. Lucy Wilhoit, Miss Muntz and Mrs.
Julia Evans. The husband of the latter was a great drunkard, otherwise
a capable physician. Those three women said they would go with me.
We went to Mrs. Evans' home and then, for the first time, I took a hatchet
and Mrs. Evans a piece of iron. We marched down to the first place,
kept by John Burns. We walked in and began to smash right and left.
With my hatchet I smashed in the large plate glass windows and also
the door. Sister Evans and I then attacked the show case, went behind
the bar and I smashed everything in sight. The bartender came running
up to me with his hands up, "Don't come near my hatchet, it might fall
on you and I will not be responsible for the results."
After we were through for no one resisted us, Mr. Burns was asked.
"Why did you not knock that woman down?" he replied, "God forbid
that I should strike a woman." ("a man's a man for a' that.")
I did not see what the other two women were doing, but heard Sister
Wilhoit talking to the crowd and telling why we had done this.
We were put in one cell, the one I occupied before and were given
a cot apiece. This was one of the glorious heavenly and refreshing
times. We sang hymns, repeated scripture, would often laugh and cry
by turns for joy to think we were worthy to suffer for His sake. "The
table was prepared
she left things were very different.
That republican conspiracy in Topeka determined to put me in the
insane asylum. One of them, Judge Magaw, swore on the witness stand
that he believed me insane. His examination brought out the fact that I
compelled him to turn some obscene pictures to the wall once, when I
called to see him in his office.
I had received ever so many letters from all over the country justifying
smashing as being reasonable, right and legal. I also saw that the
republican newspapers of Kansas and other states were determined to
put me in a false light before the people. I conceived the idea of editing
a paper. I tried to get the Journal to edit the paper, but it seemed
that I could not get anyone to take hold of it. Some one suggested to
me Nick Chiles, a negro, who had a printing outfit. I knew but little of
this man. I sent for him to come and see me at my cell. All the money
I had in the world was from the sale of ten cows which was $240. This
negro, Chiles talked very fair and promised to print my paper in a
creditable way. I gave him the $240. I wrote the editorials while in
the jail, and also gave him bundles of letters which I had received and
a great many poems that had been written on Carry Nation and smashing.
This negro finally cheated me out of my money and papers also.
I closed with him after three weeks, he put the papers out, collected for
them and never paid me a cent. I believe he paid Mr. Nation some and
when I would have made him account for his wrong dealings, I found
that the contract between he and I, which was drawn up by Mr. Nation,
made this negro my partner. This, of course, was done to prevent me
from having any legal redress. My paper was called THE SMASHER'S
MAIL. I called it this for it was largely composed of letters which I
had received on the subject of smashing. I had no one to read the proofs
and was at the mercy of this negro, who was not in sympathy with my
cause, but to the reverse. I was often humiliated at the way my articles
were tortured. I afterwards got The Kansas Farmer to publish the paper
and I then bought a press of my own, but found that I could not conduct
a paper and lecture, so after the 13th edition, I closed. The paper
accomplished , this much, that the public could see by my editorials that
I was not insane.
THE SECOND TIME IN JAIL AT WICHITA.
I was in a meeting of the W. C. T. U. in Wichita, of which Mrs.
Summers was president. I wanted to have these women go with me and
destroy the places there that were murdering their sons. Many present
were in favor of it, but Mrs. Summers was bitterly opposed. Three
went out in the hall with me, Mrs. Lucy Wilhoit, Miss Muntz and Mrs.
Julia Evans. The husband of the latter was a great drunkard, otherwise
a capable physician. Those three women said they would go with me.
We went to Mrs. Evans' home and then, for the first time, I took a hatchet
and Mrs. Evans a piece of iron. We marched down to the first place,
kept by John Burns. We walked in and began to smash right and left.
With my hatchet I smashed in the large plate glass windows and also
the door. Sister Evans and I then attacked the show case, went behind
the bar and I smashed everything in sight. The bartender came running
up to me with his hands up, "Don't come near my hatchet, it might fall
on you and I will not be responsible for the results."
After we were through for no one resisted us, Mr. Burns was asked.
"Why did you not knock that woman down?" he replied, "God forbid
that I should strike a woman." ("a man's a man for a' that.")
I did not see what the other two women were doing, but heard Sister
Wilhoit talking to the crowd and telling why we had done this.
We were put in one cell, the one I occupied before and were given
a cot apiece. This was one of the glorious heavenly and refreshing
times. We sang hymns, repeated scripture, would often laugh and cry
by turns for joy to think we were worthy to suffer for His sake. "The
table was prepared