USA > Ohio > Memories of the crusade a thrilling account of the great uprising of the women of Ohio in 1873, against the liquor crime > Part 22
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33
344
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
Urbana, our neighbor, fourteen miles north of us, a pretty, flourishing town of five or six thousand inhabitants, and enough praying women to make a strong Crusade force, early opened the work with the enthusiasm and zeal that conquers.
Mrs. Sallie Hitt, a host in herself, was made leader, and with Mrs. Smith-who has passed over to her inheritance,-Mrs. Shiras, Mrs. Beal, and a host of such Christian matrons, with a goodly number of enthusiastic young ladies, a vigorous warfare was waged and a glorious victory gained. Sister Hitt holds among her chief treasures, sixteen licenses, "scalps," as she calls them, and with commendable pride exhibits them as taken from the enemy, that many having surrendered to her their authority, granted by the United States, to kill their fellow men.
The sisters gave me this, from the many incidents that occurred in their work, as every- where, which, if they could only be gath ered up, would make a book of themselves, and of deepest interest : "A young man of a town in Indiana had married and started in life, full of hope for bright years to come. But like so many another, he had for years indulged in the fatal glass, and even after marrying, though devotedly attached to his wife, it had not occurred to him that there was any danger ahead, or that for her sake it would be well to stop. It was not long, however, till he found himself in
345
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
the embrace of the deadly serpent and power- less to extricate himself. In despair he bade his wife good-bye, saying, if he could not break the chain that bound him he should never return. He went out an aimless wanderer. Providence, however, had not forsaken him, and his steps were turned to Ohio ; but on, aimlessly he went, till one day he found himself in the vicinity of Urbana, at the parting of two ways. He sat down to rest and reflect. When he arose he pondered for a while, which of the two ways that lay before him he should take, but without any reason clear to himself, took the one leading into Urbana. The Crusade was in a blaze, the Crusaders were on the streets, meetings were being held morning and night. He made his way, with everybody else, to these meetings, and some of the sisters found him and induced him to sign the pledge. Then he told it all; his ruin through the drink, his despair and his deserting his wife. Those ladies went to work, procured him employment, some better cloth- ing, and wrote to the wife, sending her money with which to come, rented a house, and it was not many days till those two, parted by the drink fiend, were re-united by the blessed Crusaders, and started once more with much better assurance of success in life, because the husband was now a sober man.
ALL ABOUT THE LAGONDA HOUSE.
A very perplexing case was early presented to the Crusaders of our city. It might, indeed, be called very complex.
346
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
Our new Lagonda House, at which we made our first call, was owned by a joint stock com- pany, composed of some of our most respected citizens, a goodly number of them church mem- bers. The inevitable saloon, with card and billiard attachment in the construction of the house, was of course known and assented to by the stock-holders. It was rented to a very fine gentleman, who sub-rented the basement to another very clever man, he to a third, and he to yet another the billiard department. This hotel was directly across the street from our headquarters, and we found our neighbor, the proprietor, a very affable and obliging gentle- man. He frequently called over at headquarters and offered any assistance from the hotel in his power, and very generously furnished a dinner for the ladies, of which we partook with thank- fulness, not forgetting the usual ceremony of a vote of thanks, nor to offer our prayers in his behalf, before we departed. But we could not shut our eyes to the fact that the saloon under the hotel was doing its deadly work, as the rest were. A committee was sent to some of the stock-holders, but they responded that they had, in renting the house, relinquished all control to the lessee. A committee called on that gentle- man, but he assured the ladies that he had no con- trol whatever over the basement ; it was leased to another gentleman, and it would be the proper thing to call on him. They called on him, but while he seemed quite disposed to oblige the
.
1
347
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
ladies, it was out of his power; Mr. - had taken the premises for a certain time, and he was powerless. He was bound by the terms of his lease, as the proprietor of the hotel was to the directors, to use said premises for such pur- poses and no other. The closing up would be a great loss to the share-holders, as well as lessees, etc. But if they would see the stock- holders and get them to release him ---. It seemed a sort of apparatus very like the crooked hollow log in the fence, through which the historic pig made such fruitless attempts to reach the coveted corn on the other side of the fence. Somehow the ladies always found themselves on the same side of the fence they started from. Then we attempted guarding the door, but the business did not seem to be in the least damaged.
This claiming to be a high-toned concern, was patronized by a large class of young men that would not be seen in the ordinary drinking places ; here clerks and others crowded to spend their evenings. At length a gentleman quietly informed me that the customers passed down through the office, and not only set the picket guard at naught, but made merry at their futile attempts to prevent their sinful indulgence. I accordingly-upon a conference with the guard -took two of the ladies into the office and asked the clerk if he would oblige me by furnishing the ladies with chairs. "Oh, certainly!" and they took up their position at the head of the stairs. Their experience, they reported, was
348
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
full of novel and rather exciting interest, and not less so seemed that of the young gents who hoped to indulge their appetites without the knowledge of the Crusaders, of whom they had come to entertain not a little fear, mingled with profound respect. But they could not forego their accustomed indulgence, especially when such a convenient arrangement offered. The ladies said they often had all they could do to preserve their gravity, as one and another would come springing along, perhaps whistling some cheerful air, just taking the first step down, when they would find themselves face to face with those quiet ladies. The sudden check in step and whistle, the look of blank astonish- ment, the guilty blush, the embarrassed bow and sudden retreat were really funny.
Then there came a time upon my return from work elsewhere, when some of the Crusaders asked me to try to infuse a little new enthusiasm into the work. Some were growing discouraged, and there was an impression among many that the Lagonda, or any of the more stylish saloons, should receive the same attention as the lowest. I sent a card to the evening paper, requesting a full attendance of the Crusaders the next morn- ing. The next morning we came together in force and marched out, making our first halt in front of the hotel. It was rather a trying time for the gallant proprietor, as there was a medical association in session in the city, and many of the delegates, as well as other travelers, were
349
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
stopping with him, and of course their sympa- thies were with the Crusaders. But I fear the proprietor never quite forgave me afterwards. The suspicion had crept into my brain that our affable landlord was coquetting with the inno- cent and unsuspecting ladies in order to avert the odium that would attach to his house if the Crusaders should visit it as they did other low doggeries.
By this time it had been discovered by gentle- men looking after such matters, that this un come- at-able saloon had, like all others, been guilty of illegal selling, and prosecutions were iminent. Now overtures were made to the Crusaders that a surrender would be made to them of the drink- ing department if they would interfere to arrest the prosecution, and consent to the billiard department remaining. They would fix it up ever so nice! and it would be innocent amuse- ment ! and the ladies could come in any time, day or evening, and witness the games.
A committee was appointed to act in the case, but one of the ladies thought it best to counsel with me before they should decide. I told them it would only be justice to the Crusaders who had worked so hard and endured so much, to let them, by vote, decide the question. I had a pretty strong impression that many of those sisters, if they understood the case clearly, -especially the old- time Methodists-would hardly see their way to indorsing billiard halls and billiard playing. I did not, however, give any opinion of my own,
350
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
but told the committee I would go up and learn what I could of the matter. The fact was, I did not approve of the Crusaders interfering to arrest the course of the law in such cases-though I did not say this either. We were professing not to meddle with the law, and I felt that we had no more right to meddle with the just en- forcement of the law in the proper hands than we had to take it into our own. A good many of those law-breakers over the country, when they found themselves in danger of prosecution, with heavy fines and costs, suddenly became very penitent, and appealed to the ladies to stand between them and justice. But somehow, before I reached headquarters, the word had gone out (how strangely things will go!) that " Mother Stewart opposed the measure, was opposed to billiards," and all the rest of it. And so Mother Stewart again became the one to be sent to the wilderness, as she had often been before, and was many times after. Who- ever thinks the path of a reformer is all strewn with roses has little knowledge of the facts. However, the little scheme came to naught. I
am happy to record that the proprietor of the saloon soon severed all connection with the business, and has for years been a member of the church and an active Prohibitionist.
BUCYRUS-SECOND VISIT.
I have mentioned the fact of my first visit to Bucyrus. It was not long after this-the 5th of
35I
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
May-that the ladies had a serious trouble. Bucyrus has a large population of the lower class of foreigners. Ignorant, beer-drinking, they were willing tools of the saloon-keepers, to do their bidding when told they were in danger of being deprived of their swill. Of course, in such a community, the liquor men had mayor and police of their own electing.
A proclamation was, on the above date, issued by the mayor, notifying the women-these were native-born Christian ladies-to refrain from their praying on the streets. This brave mayor, the more effectually to enforce his proclamation, swore in some fifty low, drunken ruffians, and armed them with hickory bludgeons, bought with the people's money, with which to make war on those praying women. The President of the League, Mrs. O'Fling, was a frail little body at least seventy years old, and so small that an ordinary man could pick her up in his arms and carry her as a child.
This old saint was set upon as she led her band, by those ruffians, pushed into a cellar-way and her arm lacerated to the bone, and dragged by one of them a square or more, till she appealed to a barber, and he came to her rescue. He ordered the fellow to desist, saying that was his premises, and she had a right to pray there if she pleased.
Another of the same gentlemen (?) assaulted a lady while on her knees, praying, and dragged her quite a distance from her comrades, order-
352
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
ing her to remain there. But she answered, "My mother is there, and I will go to her." Three dif- ferent times he thus dragged her away, till at length she dropped on her knees and cried to God in his behalf, when he walked way, saying he would have nothing more to do with the matter. This lady, also a very little mite of a woman, was Mrs. Robinson, daughter of the President, and has since become known as among the most powerful revivalists in the United States. The ladies insisted upon being arrested if they were guilty of any offense, but protested against being set upon and pushed and dragged as if they were riotous, drunken men. Most of these special police were drunk at the time. The editor of the Bucyrus Journal says:
They experienced every indignity but a square blow; such cowardly blows as could be secretly given, seizures, and violent pushes, amounting in effect to blows, were given continually. But the brave band held its ground, retired from the pave- ment to the curb in front, stood at bay and defied the cowards, who, if they had had any manhood whatever, would have suffered themselves blows and kicks without number rather than thus to have out- raged manhood by such treatment of women.
The writer was present and only writes what he saw and heard. One miserable dog, who has not done an honest day's work for years, approached two ladies, and standing opposite them, after they had brought the specials to bay and defied them, cursed and blasphemed in vindication of his man- hood. ( Utterances I omit. )
Such outrageous conduct from a miserable coward, sworn in to preserve order, was intolerable, and we went immediately to the mayor's office. Here the mayor was engaged in assessing a fine of five dollars, with a dollar for costs, on a stranger by the name of
353
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
Ferguson, a gentleman from Delaware, who had committed the heinous enormity of saving a lady from falling into a cellar into which she had been pushed by one of the mayor's pets.
If, now that the excitement has passed, the fine remains unremitted, it is downright robbery. We are sorry that this is not actionable. If the mayor be an honorable gentleman he will refund it; if it stands unrefunded it stands a ruffianly outrage upon a citizen's liberties and rights, without any excuse or palliation whatever. A more damnable, iniquitous series of infernal outrages were never offered to ladies, and these the wives, daughters and mothers of the best men in this community, suffering these infamous outrages because they dared to sing and pray on the streets against drunkenness.
The editor again appealed to the mayor and obtained this much : " My instructions to the special police are, to use no violence, either to the women or to the men. And if any such violence has been used, I shall instruct the police immediately to desist from it." This, the editor, Mr. Hopley, immediately caused to be printed on hand-bills and freely circulated. This in- formed the citizens of what rights they had remaining, and several warrants were sworn out against these policemen for assault and battery, which intimidated the ruffians so the ladies were not molested when they next went out.
But you are impatiently waiting an oppor- tunity to ask, where were the husbands, fathers and sons of these women? Simply out of sight, or under solemn promise to their wives and mothers, under whatever circumstances might befall, not to interfere or lift hand or voice in their defence. The liquor men would have
(23)
354
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
delighted in such opportunity - would have liked nothing so well. The result would have been a general riot and bloodshed. Gen- tlemen told me they stood with clenched fists and grinding teeth, looking on, exerting the utmost self-control to restrain themselves from rushing into that drunken mob and protecting their defenseless wives. One man who loved his wife most tenderly, when he found the threatening storm was gathering, told her he could not let her go out and expose herself to the fury of those wretches. So she acquiesced and remained at home till the husband came in for dinner, when he exclaimed: "Wife, it is wrong for me to detain you from joining your sisters. I tell you how we will fix it. We will send the older children to school and I will remain with the baby, -and do you go and join your companions. If there is no one else to take care of the baby, I will be obliged to stay with it, and shall not see the wretches if they do insult you." And so the dear, little woman hied away to join her comrades, while the husband remained at home enduring intense solicitude for his beloved wife.
The news of the outrages upon the Crusaders at Bucyrus flashed over the country, creating great excitement and indignation.
Just at this time I was on my way to Upper Sandusky, and I sent a telegram to the Bucyrus friends to meet me at the station. When I arrived they were waiting for me; I spoke what
355
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
words of cheer I could, and sped on, promising to come to them as soon as possible. Friday, the 8th, I telegraphed them I was coming with a large delegation of ladies and gentlemen.
They met us at the train and escorted us to the church where they held their morning meet- ings. The poor ladies were very much depressed and discouraged, and Sister O'Fling explained that she feared I would be disappointed, but by- advice of the brethren they had declared a truce for a time, and would not go out that day. The brethren had said they would prosecute some of those ruffians who had so maltreated the women. I said I would like a little information ; a truce was an agreement between two hostile forces to cease hostilities for a specified time. If, now, the other party-the liquor men-had agreed also to cease their selling for the given time, it was a proper compact, and it would be all right
to keep it. "Oh!" said the President, "I see !" ( I saw they were in danger of letting the saloon-keepers claim a triumph over them.)
Just then Col. Butterfield, brother-in-law of the world-renowned Pere Hyacinth, arose and remarked that he had always been a conserva- tive, but when he, yesterday, in the justice's court, saw a venerable lady bare her arm to the elbow, and expose it, all lacerated to the bone by one of the cowardly ruffians hired by the mayor to abuse those defenseless women, he became a radical, and he was a radical hence- forth forever. "Now," he added, "I do not
356
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
propose to offer any advice, but I will express a hope, which is made up of desire and expecta- tion : I hope the ladies will move out." Accord- ingly the procession was formed and the ladies took up their line of march.
As I was too weary to join them in the march, Col. B. procured a carriage and I was driven after, and came up with the band as they were singing in front of Shaw's saloon. This man had been very rough and insulting to the ladies, but it was said of him, when not under the influence of liquor, he was a decently behaved man. He stood on his step, leaning against the door, and there was quite a crowd around, but they were orderly and respectful. I studied the man while the ladies were praying, and when they arose to sing I stepped out of the carriage and approached him, introducing myself and shook hands with him. "Oh," he said, "I am a pretty clever fellow, if people treat me right." I told him I meant to treat him right, and talked with him a few minutes as well as I knew how. When the sisters had finished their song, I knelt and offered up a prayer with such utterance as came to me. I do not know what I did say, except that we did not come to set up our own righteousness above others; we were all sinners, only saved by grace. When I arose he stepped down to me, saying. " Mother Stewart, I want to take you by the hand again ; that was a first-rate prayer; you can pray at my place any time." Then he corrected himself, -" Not
357
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
here, but at my house ; come and pray at my house with my wife and family any time." I thanked him and said, "I would be most happy to do so when I came again," and I intended to remember the invitation and promise, but it turned out that I did not visit Bucyrus again.
After the Crusaders had made their visits to the several places, no molestation being offered, they escorted me to the public square, where a large crowd had collected, and I stood in the carriage and addressed them, then knelt and prayed with and for them. A photographer, I learned afterwards, taking advantage of the strange scene, turned his camera upon and caught it.
I have given this, as other similar cases, not simply to narrate the facts, but for a double purpose, and while I propose to avoid all prosy moralizing, I write with the hope that the thoughtful reader will see and lay to heart the moral for every loyal citizen who loves his country and the liberties our fathers shed their blood to bequeath to us. Oh, why is it that men cannot learn the lessons these scenes were calculated to teach ? These poor, frail women, wherever insulted and abused, or imprisoned, were doing greatly more than they knew or thought of, in proving to the better portion of the men of the nation that our liberties have already passed into the hands of the lowest, most dangerous classes, and these are swayed by the liquor power as they will. The lesson was
358
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
not heeded ; our men, for the sake of the politi- cal influence of that power, have not only per- mitted such outrages in silence, but have bowed and cringed to those miscreants till all our holy institutions are jeopardized, and it is only a question of time when anarchy and misrule shall triumph. Is not this the case in every city in our land to-day ? Oh! would that I could utter some word that men would hear and heed !
WHITELEY'S SPEECH-A FIELD NIGHT IN THE SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER.
Though the petition of the 600 ladies of Springfield to the City Council, praying that honorable body to pass the McConnelsville Ordinance, had so signally failed, the women were by no means disposed to give the matter up. A few weeks later, another appeal was prepared by our very efficient Secretary, Mrs. Guy, and duly presented to the Council by a committee of gentlemen appointed for the pur- pose, and-laid on the table. But the ladies of the Executive Committee kept the matter in mind, and frequently urged the brethren to insist upon its being brought forward and acted upon. They were very much surprised, and not a little indignant, at length, to find that the gentlemen were not disposed to urge the matter till after election. But after a good deal of animated discussion, it being put to vote, the gentlemen carried their point, and it was permitted to lie in peace till after election.
359
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
At length, on the night of the 19th of May, in the course of deliberative legislation, the time for action on the long pending petition came up. One member was absent, and the friends of the petition, seeing defeat if brought to a vote under the circumstances, moved to lay it on the table for one week. This the opponents voted down. There was nothing for it now but the final vote and certain defeat. At this juncture Mr. Wm. N. Whiteley, who had not spoken before, arose, saying he had a few remarks to make on the subject under discussion.
It was now 9:45 P. M. He proceeded with the most remarkable temperance speech in all this remarkable campaign, or any other, I pre- sume. It must be stated here that Mr. Whiteley is not a public speaker in any sense of the word. But I had long before this discovered, in conver- sation with him, that he held strong common- sense views, and was well posted as to the evils that result from tolerating the liquor traffic. Says the reporter :
It was emphatically the champion temperance speech of the Crusade, and one of the sort sometimes heard that are not reportable. An hour passed ; another, and still another, with Mr. Whiteley still in the midst of his review of the ordinance as it stood, clause by clause, and section by section, together with eloquent allusions to the temperance cause here, and the work of the women, to the surprise of the audience, who knew the speaker's resemblance to General Grant, in that he never makes speeches. The hours passed till long after midnight, the lobby thinned down to three persons, and some of the members retired to the ante-room to talk of the
360
MEMORIES OF THE CRUSADE.
prospect of a short nap before morning, or to while away the time with a cigar. About three o'clock an ample lunch was brought in from the adjacent restaurant, and through all, the speaking went on without a pause, except once, and only once, for a drink of water which the speaker took.
Mr. Whiteley declined to yield the floor except for an adjournment. He made some splendid points, proof against argument or sneers, saying that the people demanded something of the kind, and a majority had so expressed themselves at the recent election. The day dawned, the sun arose, gas was turned off in the chamber, but there was no sign of weariness on Mr. Whiteley's part. He stood as steadily and spoke his words as plainly and glibly as at the beginning.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.