7b1093.jpg A Confinscated Still from Cowley CountyArkansas City Traveler, TUESDAY, JULY 26, 1921
Bootleggers' Boycott In Oklahoma Does Not Affect Cowley County
The bootleggers' boycott in Oklahoma, announced in a Ponca City dispatch,
will not injure the trade of distillers in Cowley
county, in the opinion of officials here whose pursuit of the elusive moonshine
is making it harder and harder for men with
snakebite to get the time honored antidote, says the Courier. Cowley county
corn makers may benefit by the increase in
price, it is thought, the boycott being against the galvanized iron product,
while Cowley is making the copper distilled
beverage.
Raids by Sheriff Goldsmith since he has been in office, over six months,
have resulted in the capture of many stills. Only one
of these was of the G. I. type. It was taken early this year. Stills captured
by officers in the preceding year were mostly G. I.
The many poisonings resulting from drinking G. I. whiskey have led to the
demand for C-D whiskey all together, and that is
the reason given for the bootleggers' boycott.
Much difference of opinion is said to exist among those following the
moonshine business as to asking congress to put a tariff
on Canadian whiskey. With Canadian at thirty- five dollars a quart and moonshine
at the same price per gallon, some claim
there is no competition; others, however, claim that a good stiff tariff
on imported whiskey would make Canadian even
higher in price, and would cause a larger demand for domestic product, with
a raise in price as the consequence. The tariff is
needed, it is claimed, to offset the difference in quality of the two products.
Just how to go about getting congress to levy the tariff is what is puzzling
the producers. One suggestion is that congress not
be bothered with it, but that the National Association of Corn Liquor Producers
and Distributors put up underground
custom houses on the underground railroads by which the Canadian product
is imported into this country. A very nice bit of
revenue could be raised by this means, it is believed.
Meanwhile, Cowley county producers are making the copper-distilled variety,
whenever they can get a rest from the pursuit
of Cowley officials, which is not often.
Arkansas City Traveler, WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 1921
Sheriff Chas. Goldsmith and his deputy, Don Goldsmith, were in the city
this morning from Winfield. They had been over
east of town to serve a search and seizure warrant in a liquor case; but
at the place designated in the warrant, there were no
wet goods found and therefore no arrests were made, the sheriff reported
upon his return to the city. The sheriff and his
deputy returned to Winfield empty handed, except for the warrant which they
carried back to the county attorney.
Arkansas City Traveler, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10, 1921
Nothing new under the sun. Yes, there is. It's hooch ala melon. The bootlegger express has arrived and the shipment is beingdistributed in new form. For ways that are dark, devious, and ingenious, the Kansas bootlegger takes the ribbon.
It was just at dusk last evening. A man carrying under his arma large
green object, which bore every resemblance of a
watermelon. On each side of him walked two men with their tongues hanging
out. Passersby noted with a homey feeling that the man with the melon had
planned to give the family a treat in the way of the juicy garden article.
From a downtown business street, the men wandered on to the residence
districts of the city. Under the shade of a big elm
tree, the three men sat down upon the curbing, and although dusk was just
wandering into darkness, their operations could
fairly be seen. People in that part of the city were watching for the pulling
of a knife and the slicing of a melon.
The question of "is it ripe or isn't it?" was on the lips of
everybody, when lo, the man carrying the supposed-to-be-melon
pulled it apart. The contents therefrom were extracted and all of the parties
present quaffed deeplyof the anti-prohibition
liquid. One or two pint bottles were cast aside during the operations, both
of which were taken from the interior of the
"melon," when the man, carrying the melon as before, started on
to another part of the city, probably hunting other
customers.
The scene was differentit proved that the regular "hooch" shipment
had arrivedand it proved that something new under the
sun had been created since the Volstead act created such a disturbance.
According to people in that district of the city, the
melon was made of either steel or wood, and was a perfect replica of the
garden variety of melon which is juicybut not the
walloping kind of juice which last night's escapade disclosed.
Arkansas City Traveler, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1922
Destruction of the evidence of bootlegging, if evidence it was, was effected
by one of two men arrested last night by Sheriff
Goldsmith, the sheriff related this morning. All that was left of the alleged
evidence were some pieces of glass from a broken
fruit jar, and a strong and pervasive odor like unto that of corn whiskey.
The liquid from which came the odor was spilled on
the stairs of the Rex rooming house and on the clothes of the sheriff and
shoes of the man supposed to have been carrying
the jar.
The men gave their names as J. E. Bright and F. E. Sturm. They were well
dressed, and arrived a few minutes before the
arrest in a new Oakland car. They were taken up as a result of a watch which
has been kept by the officers for alleged
bootleggers said to make regular stops at the Rex rooms, coming twice a
week. The sheriff had a description of the alleged
bootleggers. When he saw the car stop at the Rex and one of the men get
out, carrying something, the sheriff believed the
trail was warm.
The man started up the stairs. "Hold on," called the sheriff.
"I want to see you." The man glanced around and then put on
speed up the stairs. The click of a pistol hammer brought the man to a halt
about halfway up, with the sheriff a few steps
below. Then the man dropped it, the sheriff states, and threw up his hands.
The jar struck the steps and broke. All the
contents were spilled, some of it going onto the sheriff.
The man in the car was detained by Undersheriff Don Goldsmith. Both men
were taken to jail and booked for investigation.
No liquor was found in the car, it is stated; but there were a number of
bottles of patent medicine for veneral diseases. It is
thought the men peddled these medicines.Courier.
Arkansas City Traveler, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1922 - FRONT PAGE
"The clean-up campaign in Arkansas City will not be halted by the
unfortunate death of Everett Snodgrass," Mayor
McIntosh declared today.
Snodgrass, aged 23, an overseas man, was shot through his right side
at Tom Adams' home, 22 North Eighth street, by
Policeman Ketch, about 11:30 o'clock Saturday night while a raid was being
staged by police. Snodgrass said he was shot
without warning before he died in a local hospital at 3:20 p.m. yesterday.
Ketch claimed he made a play for his hip pocket
when told to stick up his hands and be searched for whiskey. The policeman
said Snodgrass dropped two bottles of liquor
on a cement retaining wall and broke them after he was shot.
Ketch was arraigned before Justice Ham late yesterday on the charge of
murder, preferred by Deputy County Attorney
Quier, and arranged $3,000 bond for preliminary hearing May 3. He was suspended
from the force, after his arraignment,
pending the outcome of his preliminary.
Myron Bell, manager of the Merchants Delivery system, and the employer
of Snodgrass, said today that the dying youth
expressed the wish that Ketch not be prosecuted because he had a family
to support.
The mayor said: "Policeman Ketch was doing his duty as an officer
when he shot Snodgrass and the claim that he fired with
deliberate intent to kill a defenseless youth is absurd. No officer would
have shot under these conditions unless necessary.
When the police go after men who are violating the law, it is their duty
to get them, and if there is any sign of gun play, to get
their man first. Snodgrass was where he ought not to have been. He did not
obey the policeman's orders.
"The officer was expecting to meet more or less disreputable characters
in the raid at 222 North Eight street, and when
Snodgrass reached for his pocket, I have no doubt that Ketch, who had him
covered with a flashlight and gun, shot in self
protection. My sympathy is with the bereaved members of the family, and
it is extremely unfortunate that the shooting
occurred. It was a shock to the community; but the policeman is paid to
protect your property and my property and our
lives, and to seek out violators of the law. They are called to many places
of danger in the line of duty and they are
compelled to use measures of self protection for which an unthinking public
often condemns them."
"Efforts are being made by some people to discredit the new administration
as a result of the tragedy Saturday night, but I
warn the violators of the law in this community that the clean-up campaign
will be carried on until the city is rid of
bootleggers, gamblers, fallen women, and all disreputable characters so
far as it is within the power of the police department
to drive them out.
"Things have been running loosely in Arkansas City with respect
to bootlegging and other nuisances, until the city has got to
a point where conditions were leading young girls and young men to their
undoing. The law has been winked at, and in
fighting the lawbreakers we must expect opposition.
"As unfortunate as the shooting Saturday night was, I hope it will
have the effect of creating a more wholesome respect for
the law and the men who are paid to see that it is observed."
Arkansas City Traveler, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1922
The funeral of Everett Snodgrass will be held tomorrow afternoon at one
o'clock in the Christian church, with Rev. Garrett
W. McQuiddy, officiating. Burial will be in Parker cemetery. Relatives stated
today that there would be no arrangements
made for a military funeral. He was an ex-service man.
Everett Snodgrass leaves behind his mother, Mrs. Marguerite Snodgrass,
and his father, George Snodgrass, of this city. He
also leaves three brothers and five sisters: Ernest of Kaw City, Virgil
and Edward, Mrs. Nora Price, Mrs. Ed Hughes of
northeast of the city, Mrs. Allie Ferguson, and Miss Odessa Snodgrass. A
half-brother, Henry Allen, lives at Summerville,
Mo.
Arkansas City Traveler, TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 1922
Gossip is spreading over the city to the effect that Everett Snodgrass,
who died at the Arkansas City hospital yesterday as
the result of a bullet wound inflicted by Policeman Frank Ketch Saturday
night, had a bad character.
I want to vigorously deny this story as Everett has been in my employ
for three years, off and on, and at the time of his death
he was giving his mother the bulk of his salary toward her support. I made
the check out to his mother.
It is true that Everett had gotten into debt pretty deep before he went
overseas with the A. E. F. Those debts became
outlawed, but he refused to make a settlement at a discount and told me
he wanted to pay the full amount of all his
indebtedness. He was paying $5 a week from his wages on these debts. The
report has been circulated that he worked for
me because he couldn't get even with me. As a matter of fact, I owe him
a week's wages now.
Everett was living a clean, straight life and I have never had any more
faithful or loyal employee. Any of the merchants or
people to whom he delivered groceries will testify that he was always gentlemanly
and courteous and honest.
The boy was beating his way back to an honorable and upright life and
as "there is so much bad in the best of us and so
much good in the worst of us, it certainly behooves none of us to talk about
the rest of us," and especially when a young man
who was supporting his mother is dead. Let him who is without sin, cast
the first stone. Signed.Myron Bell, manager of
Merchants Delivery System.
Arkansas City Traveler, Friday, March 17, 1922.
City officers last night arrested a man by the name of Lewis, on West
Washington avenue, on the charge of being drunk and
disturbing the peace, also on the charge of abusing his wife. He was still
in the city jail at nine o'clock this morning and Judge
Harry Brown was making an investigation of his case.
Walter Fesler of the Dye drug store reported to the police last night
that he was the loser of one auto tire, which was stolen
from the rear of his car.
Chief Peek and Policeman Pauley late yesterday afternoon made the discovery
of a 16 gallon keg of "chock" which was
hidden in the brush east of the Santa Fe station. The chock was duly destroyed,
as the officers had no means of ascertaining
who the owner was. It was poured out on the ground and therefore will never
be sold or drank by anyone and the officers
are of the opinion that they accomplished a good deed, at that.
Arkansas City Traveler, Tuesday, April 18, 1922. Front Page.
Spowie' Spowie' Spowie' Three times the pistol of Policeman Jobe spat forth its fire at a fleeing alleged bootlegger in the alley at the rear of the city hall at 2 o'clock this morning.
The battle of the new administration was officially opened on bootleggers and all law breakers in the community. "Let's clean up, chief," said Mayor-elect McIntosh to the new head of the police department, C. S. Daily, last night. "Rearing' to go," responded the chief. The word was passed down the line of stalwart bluecoats.
The shooting occurred when "Red" Jones, arrested by Policeman
Jobe, on the charge of bootlegging, made a break for his
liberty when almost within the yawning doors of the jail. The shots did
not deter him in his flight and so far as known he is
still spreading his wings.
`Tis said someone heard him say as he sped along: "That cop sure pulls a wicked trigger."
Chief Daily and Policeman White swooped upon the residence at 1302 South
Third street this morning. They sniffed the air
suspiciously, for the ether contained more than one half of the one percent
allowed by Volstead. They captured a three
gallon jug of whiskey and arrested a man and woman. The pair were booked
at the police station as Mr. and Mrs. Dick
Speers. They will be arraigned in city court on the charge of having liquor
in their possession. The case may be taken to the
state court, when the city is through with them, an officer declared today.
They arranged $300 bonds for appearance in
court at 5 o'clock tomorrow afternoon.
Mayor Geo. H. McIntosh issued his orders last evening to the new chief
of police, C. S. Daily. These orders were, in effect,
to enforce the law when and wherever possible, and specific orders were
given to stop bootlegging and clean up any
immoral places in the city. Automobile speeding was another item that came
in for special mention. These orders are
designed to put into effect the "clean-up" policy announced in
the pre-election campaign, and the head of the police
department is charged with the responsibility of seeing that the clean-
up policy is carried out to the best of his ability.
Chief Daily said that it was his orders to enforce the law, to get the
bootleggers and places of immoral repute, and to see
that the city speed and traffic laws are obeyed.
New police force: Chester S. Daily, chief; Wm. Jobe, Robt. Atteberry,
G. W. Sims, and M. W. Charles, night force; J. W.
White, Frank Ketch, and Chas. Elliott, day force; merchant's police, Al.
Fox; motor police, Earl Chadwell; night desk man,
W. M. Charles.
Arkansas City Traveler, Wednesday, April 19, 1922.
Mayor George H. McIntosh this morning put two men to work in the two
principal parks of the city. Charlie Gilliland was
assigned to Wilson park, while Frank Hendryx is doing the work at Paris
park. The nature of the work at present is cleaning
up broken limbs, paper, tec., to get the ground in good shape for mowing
the grass later on. The mayor states that the
clean-up campaign of his administration is intended to be all-inclusive
and not confined to bootleggers and immoral places
alone.
Arkansas City Traveler, FRIDAY, AUGUST 11, 1922
Winfield, Aug. 11.Caught in the very act of drawing whiskey from a ten
gallon keg into a two gallon jug, transferring the jub
to a Ford car, and starting with the car towards Arkansas City were the
circumstances related against Dick Speer of
Arkansas City in his trial in Justice O. A. Hott's court yesterday. The
jury believed the story told by the officers, who were
the witnesses, and convicted Speer on two counts of having liquor in possession
and transporting liquor. The jail sentence
was 60 days; the fine $200.
Speer gave a bond of $500 for appeal to the district court. He hopes
to get conviction on only one count. Before trial in
justice court, he offered to plead guilty to one count; but as he had served
a sentence for a previous offense, County
Attorney Fink was unwilling to let him off with a thirty day sentence.
The day before the last circus in Arkansas City, someone in the county
sent a message to Deputy Sheriff Fred Eaton in
Arkansas City that a lonely, apparently ownerless keg or barrel was hidden
in a weed patch at a certain place. Eaton and
another officer went out and watched the keg from a place of concealment,
staying from middle of the afternoon until four
o'clock in the morning. They were then relieved by two other officers, who
continued the vigil.
About nine o'clock in the morning of circus day, it was related, Speer,
in a Ford car, appeared on the road. He had his little
daughter with him. First he drove past the place where the keg reposed.
Having decided that the coast was clear, he drove
back and stopped near the hiding place of the keg. With a two gallon jug
and a few feet of rubber tubing in his hands, Speer
entered the weed patch and moved toward the keg.
"Oh papa, here comes a car," cried the little girl.
Speer returned to the car, opened the hood, and began tinkering with
the engine. The "car" of the alarm turned out to be a
horse and buggy. The man in the buggy stopped and offered his help.
"It's all right now," said Speed. "I've got it about fixed
now." The buggy went on and Speer returned to the weed patch.
Presently he came back to the car with the jug and the tubing. The tubing
was wet at one end. Placing the jug in the car,
Speer entered and started the car toward Arkansas City, the circus, and
the thirsty crowd.
Then "the law" in the shape of two policemen raised its hand.
"You've got me," said Speer, turning pale.
The jug was found to be full of corn whiskey. The keg was found to be filled with corn whiskey, lacking about two gallons.
The links of the chain of evidence are all in place.
Arkansas City Traveler, THURSDAY, MAY 4, 1922 - FRONT PAGE.
Raid near old Cement plant Results in Arrest of Two Men.
Sheriff Charles Goldsmith and "his gang," swooped upon a whiskey
still in a draw on the cement plant farm east of
Arkansas City last night, capturing a 60 gallon a day capacity still and
two men.
Accompanying the sheriff were Undersheriff Don Goldsmith, Deputies Goforth and Eaton.
The officers crept up to the draw where the whiskey plant was located.
Smoke curled above the tree tops. Two men were
seen operating the still.
When they saw the officers, they broke into a run. Firing broke loose
and after several shots had been fired at the fleeing
men, they halted and surrendered. They were Ralph Tubbe, 24, married man
with a wife and two children, and Harvey
Easton. They were taken to Winfield along with the moonshine equipment for
arraignment on the charge of manufacturing
and possessing whiskey. Tubbe has the farm leased.
"Shucks," said one of the men, "we are not operating a
still for illicit purposes. We are just separating the alcohol from the
corn before we feed the corn to the hogs. The alcohol would make them drunk."
"That's right," said the sheriff. "I've heard that corn whiskey will also make human beings cut some wild capers."
Two barrels of mash were found in the vicinity of the still. The officers
also got three gallons of green corn whiskey. It is the
belief of the raiding squad from the sheriff's office that Arkansas City
has its main supply of bootleg booze cut off by the
capture of this still, which is said to be the largest one in operation
in the county. It was the wholesale plant which fed the
local bootleggers, the sheriff believes.
"We have been on the trail of this plant for a long time,"
said Goldsmith. "Easton is well known to us and we have been
trailing him since he came back to the county. Tubbe is a younger man and
we are sorry for his family, but we had to do our
duty. Too much booze has been circulating in Cowley county, and the bootleggers
have been reaping a rich harvest. I
believe there will be a drouth in Arkansas City, especially since we made
this raid."
Arkansas City Traveler, Saturday, May 6, 1922.
Amazing statements made by Dr. C. Khiro, psychologist, at the Fifth Avenue
theatre in this city, led the Traveler to
propound some questions of general interest, to the people of Arkansas City,
to him today.
Dr. Khiro said that he arrived at his conclusions by being a student of psychology and conditions.
One question he said that had been asked of him by many people through
the mail, was whether they should be benefitted
by moving away from Arkansas City. His answer is that "the people who
own property in and around Arkansas City should
hold onto that property as they will find unsettled conditions from one
end of the nation to the other. Unless in a case of a
panic, which does not exist in Arkansas City, they would be jumping out
of the frying pan into the fire, because property
sold at this time would be at a loss, while property held until the national
readjustment takes place, which is doing so, slow
but sure, added together with the local improvements which are coming slow
but sure, will give them a decided profit. If they
sell now, it will be with loss and regrets, while if they wait six months
or a year and then sell, it will give them a gain and
satisfaction. Discontent is not confined to this city. It has swept over
the country. I would advise the people now living in
Arkansas City not to move away unless conditions compelled them to do so.
The other questions and answers follow.
Q:What does Arkansas City need most?
AArkansas City needs greater harmony with conditions, with the citizens
at large, and above all to be a sticker, holding on.
It needs absolute confidence to the business element. Arkansas City needs
more industries because of its natural position
here in southwestern Kansas, between Kansas and Oklahoma oil fields, and
for which it is in a strategical position to handle.
There should be smelters because Colorado is going to open up as never before.
There should be tile and brick concerns
and larger jobbing houses and oil and gas supplies because of the new field
that will be opened north of Winfield, which will
effect this entire community from a gas and oil standpoint. Especially should
an effort be made to get oil manufacturing
supplies here. Arkansas City has exceptional railroad facilities to appeal
to jobbing interests and factories.
Q:Will Arkansas City ever be as large as Wichita or Oklahoma City and if so, why?
A:It will be as big as Wichita on account of its position and
the natural developments which will take place in its near vicinity,
in the next ten years, in development of oil and gas especially. Because
of its facilities itt will make it an acceptable market.
Q:When will the Milliken refinery be running full blast again?
A:Work will be done there within the next month. The main work
will be started in September or the early part of
October.
Q:Is Arkansas City a selfish town, and if so why?
A:I find that it has a tendency in that direction, too little
civic pride, and the citizens think more of individual selves and
personal gain instead of the community at large.
Q:Is Arkansas City doing all it can for the development of its rising generation, both mentally and spiritually.
A:No. They want a larger community work, they need it here. There
should be large community gatherings, a community
night. Entertainments should be given monthly by the combined efforts of
the lodges, women's clubs, churches, and all
organizations. They should work and pull together, find out what is needed
by the young people to keep them from the jazz
and dance. One thing the young people lack is the proper spirit of community
interest. There should be no denominational
lines; it should be absolutely for the community. Community interests should
be discussed together. Arkansas City lacks this.
Q:Has Arkansas City a live chamber of commerce?
AIts chamber of commerce is alive, but there are many features that they
can add which other cities have. Trade should be
brought in from other towns. There should be a trade day backed by the chamber
of commerce and backed by the
railroads. They should reach out and let Arkansas City be known not only
in Kansas, but in outlying states. People within a
radius of one hundred square miles should be brought here for trade day.
Arkansas City is losing trade out of Oklahoma and Texas. Let them know what
you have here, especially from a jobbing standpoint.
Q:What are the prospects for Arkansas City the remainder of 1922?
A:The prospects are good, slow but sure. By September 1st things
will begin to show up, and directly after the first of the
year 1923 business will be on the move.
Q:Would the cash soldier bonus be beneficial to industry?
A:Yes. The money would be and personal needs, where so many of
those out of work have nothing to spend and are going
in debt. The bonus would be very beneficial.
Q:When will this city have a population of 15,000?
A:The loss in population will come back. It will take to the first
of January 1925 to get back to where they were and to a
population of 15,000. It will possibly exceed that.
Q:What do you think of the bootleg whiskey situation in this city?
A:I find that it is bad. There seems to be an abundant supply
of liquor. I do not know from what source it comes, unless it is
from moonshine stills in the surrounding roads and hills. The county officers
are doing all they can to enforce the laws, and
make the town clean for the younger generation. I find a lack of cooperation
of the people with the officers in helping to
enforce the law.
Q:Would the city be benefitted by changing to the city manager form of government, and why?
AIt would, because the city manager is a specialist and he devotes his
time to the city's interests, if the proper man is picked.
The average mayor or city council have their own inter ests, which come
first, and the city follows second. El Dorado and
other nearby towns may be taken as an example to show how satisfactory it
has proved to be. A city manager is one who
devotes his entire time to the work. It would be useless to change to the
city manager form of government unless the entire
community as a whole, the business element, make up their mind to cooperate
with him. It is merely a business proposition
all the way through, to keep petty jealousies and local conditions out.
The only drawback to the city manager form has been
the community pulling against him. If a man is selected who has the confidence
of the people and is allowed to operate the
city's business, it will be successful.
Q:Does a city that gives practically all of its time to industrial
development instead of sandwiching in plans for beautifying the
city with more attractive homes, lawns, play grounds, and parks, lose or
gain in population?
AI find that it holds the industrial population only. Recreation and
community plans for cleanliness and healthfulness are as
necessary to the growth and prosperity of a community as its wheels of industry.
Arkansas City especially needs an
auditorium where conventions, lectures, etc., may be held. It lacks a commodious
hall for such purposes.
Arkansas City Traveler, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 1922
Winfield, Kan., Aug. 16.Playing a return engagement in booze selling
cost the liberty of three camp followers of the racing
game Friday night when they were caught in the act of dispensing liquor
to two young men of the country near Winfield.
Policemen George Nichols and W. C. Tucker, who were lying in wait close
to where the transaction was pulled off, made
the arrest shortly before midnight. The men gave their names as Ed Hadley,
Ernest Hanley, and Walter Jackson. The arrest
took place at the edge of the timber just to the west of the carnival at
the fair grounds.
Night before last the night policemen arrested two young men, who had
a quart of liquor in the car in which they were riding.
The officers recognized them as the men who are not suspected of being in
the business, merely customers of the
bootleggers. But the fact of liquor being in the car made the car liable
to seizure as a booze car. With this as a lever, the men
after some argument, agreed to help the officers to the arrest of the men
from whom they had bought the liquor.
Last night the young men came in from the country and got in touch with
the police. The bootleggers were seen and
arrangements made for a second purchase and sale. The bootleggers told the
customers that a quart could not be furnished,
but that as much as they had left would be brought to the place designated.
When the whiskey was delivered as agreed, it
was a little over a pint, which was all the bootleggers had at that time,
they said. The officers were hiding close enough to
see the transaction. The arrest was then made.
Hadley, it appears, is the financier of the trio. He has in his possession
a car from which he has been selling peaches. When
the officers picked up the car last night, it was full of peaches, large,
luscious Elbertas. This fact served to remind the police
of the reported robbing of a peach orchard near Arkansas City the first
of the week. The orchard was that of E. B. Barnes,
south of Arkansas City. In this orchard trees estimated to have contained
about twenty bushels of peaches were stripped a
few nights ago. Hadley, it is said, came here from Oklahoma, which would
have brought him past the Barnes orchard.
The Arkansas City police have been informed of the peaches in Hadley's car so they can investigate. The prisoners probably will be turned over to the county for prosecution.
Arkansas City Traveler, SATURDAY, AUGUST 26, 1922 - FRONT PAGE.
N. H. Hixon was sworn in at four o'clock yesterday afternoon as extra
policeman, and shortly after 11 o'clock last night had
"Choc" Collins, alleged bootlegger, in custody on the charge of
selling booze. The arrest was effected in the St. Charles
rooms, corner of Summit Street and Adams Avenue, which place is operated
as a rooming house by C. C. "Choc" Collins
and wife.
In the preliminary steps before the arrest was made, Hixon was assisted
by Officer Cox, another new policeman, who was
sworn in last Wednesday. When seen this afternoon, Hixon stated: "I
was the fellow who pinched the house. I was assisted
by Cox."
"I was tipped off," said Policeman Cox, "that Collins
was a bad character and that he had made threats that the police of the
city could not arrest him. Hixon and I then got together and planned for
the arrest of Collins on a liquor selling charge. Hixon
said he would go upstairs and pinch the house, and told me to wait at the
foot of the stairs; and if he needed me, he would
call for me Hixon then went upstairs while I waited below. He rang the house
bell, which is in the hallway, and Collins
appeared at the door of his room. It was dark in the room. Hixon then began
to negotiate for the purchase of some liquor. It
took him fifteen or twenty minutes before he succeeded in getting Collins
to bring forth the whiskey. As a ruse to effect the
purchase, Hixon put up the story that he had a couple of girls in a car
outside, and named two girls of the city who were
notorious characters. When Collins finally brought the whiskey, Hixon pulled
his gun and covered his man and at the same
time called for me. I went upstairs; and at about this time, Mrs. Collins
came from the other side of the hallway. I had heard
that she was also a bad character. She had both hands hanging down at her
side and I could see no firearms. But I took her
in charge to play safe.
"Collins was in his room with his hands thrown up, and I could see
he was trying to get to a dresser, at which instant Hixon
called out: 'Don't you make a move or I will kill you.'
"I then went downstairs and called the police station. Policemen
Charles and Chadwell answered the call. Charles was the
first to appear. When he arrived, Collins said, 'I would not go with these
strangers, but told them I would go if the city
policemen came after me.'
"When the first officer arrived, he did not know we were city policemen;
and we had to show him our stars and
commissions. While this was going on, Mrs. Collins stepped up behind Officer
Hixon and grabbed the bottle of whiskey out
of his pocket, breaking it against the wall. Both of us had drunk from the
bottle before this happened.
"Collins then went to the station with Officer Charles, where he gave bond."
After giving the above story to the Traveler reporter, Officer Cox stated:
"If there are any more bad men around this city
who think the police are afraid to arrest them, just let them speak up."
Collins gave a cash bond of $100 for his appearance in court and was
released. The warrant for his arrest was signed by N.
H. Hixon. Hixon is not new in police work, having had three years experience
in some of the larger cities, including Kansas
City, Kansas. Within several hours after he had received his commission,
he had "Choc" Collins, reputed booze king, under
arrest. The two special officers simply held their man until policeman Charles
arrived and made the arrest.
Collins is under $1,500 bond for his appearance in the district court
on a habeas corpus proceeding next Monday. This
action was the outgrowth of a gun battle in the vicinity of the St. Charles
rooms, with a man who has since been pretty well
identified as a bad fellow from Texas by the name of Bunch.
The Collins case on his arrest of last night will come up for hearing in the city court at 5 o'clock this evening.
Arkansas City Traveler, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1922
Winfield, Sept. 1.Bootleggers are laughing at Arkansas City today.
'Twas a strange paradox in the annals of police history when Deputy Fred
Eaton of Arkansas City arrived in Winfield this
morning with ex-Officer N. H. Hixon in custody and placed him in the county
jail on the charge of having liquor in his
possession. He was unable to put up the money for a $200 bond.
Since he joined the Arkansas City police force a week ago, Officer Hixon
had proved himself a veritable nightmare to the
booze venders. He started in by landing Choc Collins of the St. Charles
rooms, then nabbing Turner, who is said to be an
old offender, at 415 North E street, and has made every night count that
he has been on the job.
He made a third haul Sunday night when he found a lot of booze under
the floor of a barn at 317 North E street. He
reported to headquarters that he had destroyed over 20 gallons of choc beer
there, contained in jugs varying in size from
two to three gallons. He knocked the necks off and poured out the booze,
bringing one jug to the police station to show his
prow ess. This raid he made single handed. While he was hiding in the alley
near the barn, a colored man came running out.
Hixon says that he fired his gun and the colored man spread his wings and
flew. The officer stated that he broke 16 jugs of
booze in this raid.
Now the tables are turned and Hixon is in jail for identically the same
counts for which he raised havoc with the Arkansas
City bootleggers, that of having booze in his possession. Deputy Fred Eaton
says when he found the goods on Hixon, the
latter was armed but gave up his gun and club peaceably.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1922 - FRONT PAGE.
"Choc" Collins, in company with his attorney, H. S. Hines,
went to Winfield this after- noon to appear in Justice O'Hara's
court on a charge of attempting to have a witness withhold testimony. The
warrant was sworn out on complaint signed by
County Attorney Ellis Fink, and was served by Deputy Sheriff Fred Eaton.
Attorney Hines had information today from the county attorney's office,
stating that the case would be dismissed in the
justice court, and information filed in the district court. The offense
is classed as a misdemeanor, the defendant's attorney
stated, the maximum penalty upon conviction being a fine of $300 and a jail
sentence of six months; both the sentence and
the jail sentence to be imposed in such offenses.
The defendant and his attorney went to the county seat to appear in court
this afternoon and to give a bond of $300 for
appearance in the district court. The matter of Collin's arrest on the above
charge was kept quiet so as to keep the
knowledge of Collin's arrest from the jurors before whom he was being tried
in the state court of W. T. Ham on the charge
of selling liquor, having liquor in possession, and maintaining a nuisance.
During this trial Neil H. Hixon, the chief witness of the state, testified
tht he had been approached in the county jail by Jerry
Noonan in behalf of Collins, making threats to have Hixon prosecuted on
the charges of white slavery and perjury, and
offering to do the square thing by Hixon if he would forget his testimony
in police court against Collins on the liquor charges.
Noonan was also arrested on the same charge as Collins, viz., attempting
to withhold testimony from a witness, and held in
the county jail. He was brought to this city to testify in the Collins'
case, which trial was concluded last evening.
Attorney Hines stated that his mission to Winfield this afternoon also included the getting of a bond of $300 for Noonan.
"Choc" Collins, against whom the jury returned a verdict last
evening on the charge of selling liquor, having liquor in
possession, and maintaining a nuisance, in company with his attorney, H.
S. Hines, appeared before Justice Ham this
morning, at which time Collins was fined $100 on each count and sentenced
to 30 days in jail on each count, making a total
fine of $300 and 90 days in jail.
The court stated that this was the minimum penalty provided by law. The
case was appealed to the district court, the appeal
bond being fixed at $1,500.
"Guilty on all three counts," is the verdict returned in the
"Choc" Collins case last evening by a jury of twelve men after
being
out a very few minutes. Only one ballot was taken. The three counts on which
Collins was convicted were having liquor in
his possession, selling liquor, and maintaining a nuisance.
The case "blew up" late in the afternoon when the defense rested
after failing to get testimony from Police Judge Harry S.
Brown, who was acting as a witness, in regard to a question by Attorney
Hines; and the answer by the prosecuting witness,
N. H. Hixon, as recorded in the stenographic report of the "Choc"
Collins trial in the police court.
The matter was brought to a sudden climax in this manner.
Question by Attorney Hines: "Was this question and answer made in the police court?"
"I object," interrupted the county attorney.
The testimony in question was something that Hixon had testified to in
the police court with regard to his wife; and on the
stand in the present case, the attorney wished to show that he had testified
differently, contradicting his testimony in the
police court.
The county attorney argued that this was a collateral matter and had
no direct connection with the main issue; that the
question was being asked of the state's witness when the prosecution had
not brought in any testimony by Hixon on the
collateral matter involved, the purpose of the law being to put a limit
on the matter of impeaching a witness in order to
prevent a process of impeachment and counter impeachments, thus hindering
the proper functioning of justice.
When the court sustained the objection raised by the county attorney,
Attorney Hines, for the defense, arose and announced
that he would not attempt to introduce any more evidence in the case. The
defendant, Collins, gave his assent, and the
defense rested after having only called its second witness to be put on
the stand.
After the testimony of Harold Hughey, the last witness for the state,
had been taken, Attorney Hines, for the defense,
introduced a motion that the case be thrown out on the grounds that C. H.
Quier, the deputy county attorney, had no
personal knowledge of the offense alleged to have been committed by Collins
and cited law to show that the complaint must
be signed by a person "competent to testify" in the matter. To
make such person competent to testify, the support must be
more than hearsay or belief. It must be positive knowledge, the attorney
for the defense insisted.
County Attorney Fink then pointed out two forms of oaths, one being "Blank,
being duly sworn, deposes and says," then
follows with his positive knowledge. In the other form, the person who makes
the oath swears, according to his best
information and belief.
However, in the present case, the deputy county attorney testified on
the stand that he had signed the complaint in this case
on positive evidence, this evidence being sworn testimony when Collins was
tried in police court. He said it was his duty to
file such complaint when the positive information and knowledge is at hand.
The court overruled Attorney Hines' motion, and the defense then put
its first witness on the stand. The witness was Albert
Miller, boiler washer at the Santa Fe shops. He testified that he was at
the St. Charles rooms on the night of August 25. He
went there to meet a man by the name of Williamson from Hewins, who was
stopping in room 12 at the St. Charles
apartments. He went there to try to trade some horses for a car.
Miller heard the hall bell ring, he said, and looked out and saw a man
who pulled a gun about a foot long and throwed it on
Collins, exclaiming: "Throw up your hands, God d____ you." He
said the man was Hixon, whom he had seen at the
roundhouse. He said Hixon represented to Collins that he was a government
officer and that when Hixon told Cox that he
had purchased a bottle of whiskey from Collins, the latter said to Hixon,
"You're a G_________ liar."
Miller said the whiskey came out of the government man's pocket, and
testified that Collins had no chance to deliver the
whiskey or take the money before he (Miller) had opened his door and saw
what was going on. During the time that this
was going on, Miller testified that Collins was in his room.
On cross-examination Miller admitted that he had not seen Collins, that
he did not know him, that he didn't know his voice,
but that he knew he was in his room because he was told that it was Collins.
His testimony also showed that he was
considerable of a rover, and that he was now holding a non-union job with
the Santa Fe.
At this juncture Judge Harry S. Brown was put on the stand with results
as above recorded, bringing the trial to a sudden
close.
Instructions which had been prepared by attorneys for both the prosecution
and defense, were then read to the jurors by
Justice Ham.
Deputy County Attorney Quier, in his introductory argument for the state,
pointed out the direct testimony presented by the
prosecution. This consisted of the testimony of Officer Hixon, who made
the purchase of whiskey and effected the arrest of
the defendant, this testimony being corroborated by Officers Hixon and Charles.
These two points applied on the first count
in the complaint, that of selling whiskey.
Attorney Quier submitted to the jury several points of indirect evidence
in the case. They were, first: Hixon would not have
gone up there to make the arrest, taking the whiskey with him on his person,
but would only undergo the peril in the
transaction for the purpose of making a real case; second: the breaking
of the whiskey bottle by Mrs. Collins; third: the
unknown whereabouts of the $5.00 bill used in the purchase transaction;
fourth: Collins' tactics in refusing to go with the
officers in order to make a delay, giving Mrs. Collins a chance to get the
whiskey bottle.
The above evidence also applied to the second count in the complaint,
that of having liquor in his possession. The third count
was that of maintaining a nuisance, and the same evidence also applied to
this count.
When Attorney Hines got up to make his plea for the defendant, referring
to the prosecution, he said that he had been trying
Collins, now he was going to try Hixon (the state's star witness). The entire
case depended upon the testimony of Hixon,
who testified that he bought the whiskey of Collins and his testimony was
not corroborated on that point by a living person,
said the attorney. He charged that Hixon violated a federal law when he
marked that five dollar bill for purposes of
identification.
Continuing, the defendant's attorney stated:
"Hixon came here as a Santa Fe guard to shoot down strikers, with
murder in his heart, as shows by his testimony in police
court that he would have shot if Collins had moved. Under the cover of a
commission as an officer, he went to Collins' place
as a 'spotter.' He wanted to make a name for himself so he could hold an
official position. He went to the St. Charles rooms
with a falsehood on his lips."
Attorney Hines here recounted Hixon's story of how he had effected a
whiskey sale with Collins by representing that he was
from Sedan, and had a friend and two girls in a car outside, and registered
himself and friend together with the two girls as
man and wife, thus getting into the confidence of Collins. He told the jury
that the Noonan testimony did not show anything
wrong on the part of Collins.
He charged that the county attorney, with reference to Hixon, would not
be doing his duty if he did not cause his arrest on
the charge of perjury.
County Attorney Fink made the final plea for the state.
"Now there is a situation in every town. You have it here. I refer
to the bootleggernot the common garden variety, but the
smooth article."
The county attorney condoned the method employed to get Collins under
arrest. "I can't get preachers and Sunday school
teachers as prosecuting witnesses, because they can't get in, the bootlegger
will not sell them liquor."
Collins had tried to use a club on the prosecuting witness, the county
attorney told the jurors, by threatening to have him
prosecuted on the charges of white slavery and perjury, and had sent his
agent, Noonan, to try to make a deal with Hixon,
whereby he would not be prosecuted if he would treat him square, and asking
Hixon to forget his testimony in the police
court and not testify against Collins in the present case.
At 6:30 the case went to the jury and the verdict of guilty on all three
counts was reached in a very short time. The case was
not appealed last night.
7b1093.jpg A Confinscated Still from Cowley County
7b3926.jpg Sheriff Smashing Illegal Bottles of Booze