The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Compiled and Edited by Virginia Ross
Stronghurst Graphic Sept. 14, 1923
Sin in the Magic City (Stronghurst): (Prohibition was the law of the Land) The people of this community who believe in the enforcement of our laws concerning the manufacture of and traffic in hootch have determined to see if something cannot be done toward freeing the village from the stigma of being known as a place where violation of the liquor laws are of an especially flagrant character and carried on in almost open defiance of law and of the sentiment of the decent and law and order element of the population. This determination has resulted largely from the visit here last Sunday of C. E. Dowdell, who is one of the field workers of the Illinois Anti-Saloon League and who gave special attention to the law enforcement department of the league s work.
Mr. Dowdell spoke before a large audience at the U.P. Church Sabbath morning and in the evening addressed a union meeting of all the congregations of the village at the M. E. Church. The address at the latter meeting was illustrated with lantern slides showing workhouses and other penal institutions which have been closed since prohibition went into effect, breweries and distilleries which have been converted into plants for the manufacture of food and other useful products, and other views of various character which went to prove that prohibition instead of being the failure its enemies would have us believe it to be was proving a grand success.
Mr. Dowdell is an ex-saloon keeper and prize fighter, and he knows from experience what the evils resulting from the traffic in liquor are. He hit the outlawed traffic straight from the shoulder and says that he enjoys nothing better than helping to raid joints where liquor is manufactured or dispensed in violation of the law. Some of the views he showed depicted raids in which he had taken part. He read and explained several sections of the anti-liquor laws and gave some suggestions as to how these laws could be made effective in Stronghurst.
The most important thing he said was to have the better class of citizens get behind the movements for law enforcement as a unit and to present a solid front against the organized rum forces. Toward the close of the Sunday evening service, a call was made for those who were willing to stand together in an effort to clean up the village to stand up and practically the entire audience arose to their feet.
One of the practical results of this arousing of public sentiment against local hootch joints was a raid made last Tuesday night by Marshal Putney and some assistants on a place in the east part of the village which has long been notorious as a hootch joint. A keg containing a quantity of mash and a small amount of liquor was obtained together with some other evidence to show that the place was a rendezvous for a certain element of our population who are often seen on our streets in a more or less intoxicated condition. While the raiding party was surrounding the place, several men made a quick get-away and are supposed to have carried away a good share of the evidence with them. However, the evidence obtained was considered sufficient to warrant the arrest of the man who lives on the premises, and on Wednesday afternoon he was turned over to States attorney Nolan and a deputy from Oquawka. We understand that in default of $500 bail, he will be sent to the county jail to await the action of county court in November.
In the arrest of this man the surface has only been touched and it is hoped that all violators will be brought to justice and no partiality shown by those who are vested with the power of enforcing the law. If it is to be a clean-up campaign make it a fair one. There is no argument in favor of hootch and the sooner it is done away with, the better. A curse that separates families, breaks up homes and causes untold misery of every description should be banished from a community which will be far better off without it, and everybody concerned will enjoy life much better.
MEDIA MEANDERINGS: Ward Gibson is working in Fort Madison. County Supt. A. L. Beall had the misfortune to slip and fall upon a door step at his home a week ago and suffered a couple of broken ribs and severe bruises which laid him up for a few days. Mr. Samuel Lant and family of the Olena neighborhood moved from their farm to our city for the winter in order that their children might attend grade and high school. Miss Jean Mekemson is again at her desk in the office of the E. G. Lewis Seed Co. after a months vacation spent with relatives at Xenia, Ohio and Biggsville, Ill. Cecil Sutton has gone to Hammond Ind. where he has employment. Miss Verna Rankin is a student in the Burlington College of Commerce. W.A. Spears unloaded three loads of cattle which he received from Kansas City. The high school had a display of work done by the Manual Training and Domestic Science classes last year at the LaHarpe fair and brought home the blue ribbons. C. G. Richey is in Canada on business. James Callof was in Knoxville demonstrating for the Copper-Clad Stove Co. The fried chicken supper was well attended and proceeds amounted to almost $39.
BIGGSVILLE BRIEFS: The following young people entered Monmouth College: The Misses Lucile and Jean Lormier, Pauline Whiteman, Ruth Lant, James Sterrett, and Keith Stratton. Miss Edith Lormier will attend high school in Monmouth. Mrs. Alma Taylor of Buffalo, N.Y. returned home in company with her mother, Mrs. Ericson, who will spend several weeks there. Mr. and Mrs. Marion Cleek of South Henderson are the parents of a 12 ½ lb. boy at the home of the lady s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Steven Graham. The Rankin brothers have taken charge of the garage recently purchased from Walter Hazen. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence McCormick drove to Illinois City to visit his parents. Miss Jean Stewart left for Macomb and Miss Helen for Monmouth where they will attend school.
GLADSTONE GLEANINGS: Rev. D. K. Sailor left for Rock Island to attend the M. E. Conference. Edward Galbraith and George Lewis left to attend high school in Galesburg this winter. Miss Elizabeth Galbraith is attending high school in Monmouth this term. There was a social at the Albert Sweedland home Monday evening. Ice cream and cake was served and a general good time was had by all present. A profit of $20 ($274+ in today's values) was made which goes to the M. E. Church. Mr. and Mrs. Marion Cleek are rejoicing over the arrival of a fine 12 lb. boy born to them Tuesday morning.
LOCAL AND AREA NEWS: Mrs. C. A. Kurrle of Dallas City spent the day with her daughter, Mrs. Russell Brooks. A new dressmaking parlor is at Wax's store under the management of Mrs. George Wax, a graduate of dressmaking and tailoring.
A VERSION FROM THE BLEACHERS: La Harpe's alibi for loosing the ball game to Stronghurst on Sept. 3rd is that "the umpire and Stronghurst defeated La Harpe 5 to 4." It is hard to steal when there isn't anything to steal. While all of La Harpe rooters and ball players (2 from La Harpe) are expert umpires and it is much easier to umpire from the bleachers than on the diamond, it was a shame to let them go home holding the sack. If they had invested their money in ball players instead of waving it in the air, they would have probably interested the local team. La Harpe never looses a game; they always have it stolen. If crabbing was money, they could hire the best players in the country.
Their own umpire, Dr. Myers, got so tired and disgusted with their crabbing and howling on decisions that he quit the job. Our sympathy goes out to Dr. Myers. In regard to pitcher Lynn, La Harpe surely had him over estimated and chances are that he has pitched his last game for La Harpe. The Stronghurst umpire made a decision at second that was all in La Harpe's favor, a man stealing from first slid past second and was tagged out but called safe. This man scored but you heard no crabbing from the Stronghurst players or rooters. Stronghurst has played Peoria and Bushnell without controversy. Some day La Harpe might have a ball team---A fan.
(A huge publication notice is in this issue for the lawsuit concerning the estate of Oscar H. Schroeder; if one was doing family history, he should definitely plow through the lists.)
THEY TRY TO HELP: Henderson County teachers who met recently for their annual institute passed a resolution endorsing the Near East Relief. Many volunteered to aid in spreading the message of the orphans and the work now being accomplished by the Near East Relief in an effort to save the oldest Christian race from extermination. (Aftermath of World War I)