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Show "Outlaws" Make Mistake in Arousing Ire of American Legion Members BY JESSE F. O EIiDERS X. E. A. Staff Correspondent DESDEMONA, Texas. April 25. The click on poker chips and the sharp command, "Hands up!" American Legion men pitted against the men and women who took their Illicit share of oil boom property under glaring lights to the tune of mechanical pianos ! The dawn of victory for home-loving citizens, after a bitter fight in which death threats have flown thick and fast This is the? story of a town's regeneration, regen-eration, after the breath of the bad old west threatened to Set back moral progress for a generation or more. With its rush of wealth, gusing up from subterranean rcrjorvoire, evil days fell on the law-abiding community commun-ity of Desdemona. Two hundred and I fifty of the original 300 townspeople left, declaring that "it ws no fit place to bring up a family." And, whllo no one disagreed with them, no one cttompted to better conditions until a Purity League was I formed, to clean out the crooks. Reign of Vice Back of the ganr was a suave, well-groomed well-groomed person who would have been hailed as a typical tenderfoot in the days when the west was wild. He was graduated from an nriotocratic eastern college: then he came to Desdemona Des-demona and began the organization of n vice machine. J. S. Sanders. secretary of the league, said: "Lots of us were even sorry that oil had been found. It brought money, but it's cost us something some-thing money couldn't buy." The leaguo paid two deputy sheriffs But open gambling continued, the painted women swarmod the main streets by day and night, moonshine whisky flowed in without restraint. Governor Hobby was appealed to. Sanders wrote the governor: "There are seven gambling houses I running wide open under the direct protection of the sheriff's and tho county attorney's departments. "Every officer in this county. Including In-cluding the justice of the peace. Is believed to bo getting his share of the rake-off. If any one tries to get one of these hounes raided, while the warrants aro being sworn out one of the local officers will notify the house to close. If you will go into one of these houses for a few hours at night you will see from one to three local officers. "More than 100 immoral women are paying for protection. Desdemona I !s in disgrace today. "I taught school In Texas for nine vonrs. I have a wifa, three little girls and two bevs. I have one of the beat homes In Desdemona. "7-r.avc I. any protection under the law?" The pnslor of the Raot'st church and the Purity Lciguo chairman were ; pelted with beer bottle as they shadowed shad-owed a dive. Peacock Forced Out A grand jury wna called. Deputy Sheriff Peacock was ordered din-:mlf.sed din-:mlf.sed and George "Bit" -Bedford, an-' an-' other deputy, resigned. ' But the Purity League was still on the defensive. Peacock circulated a petition and had himself appointed constable. Bedford wan reappointed deputy sheriff and the opponents of the league were more strongly entrenched en-trenched than ever. Penoock charged that Sanders and Contain IIou.ice Soule had hired the prudent of the league to kill him. ' "Peacock challenged any represen- tail vp of the league to a gun duel, 'jsaid Soule, an attorney. The next turn of the battle came with the incorporation of the town of Desdemona and its first election. Purity League Bealcn Tho Purify League placed a ticket , In tho field, which was unonnosed until two days before election, when another set of candidates was announced.' an-nounced.' with Peacock seeking the office of town marshal. Then came the rangers. They rode Into town under the governor's orders or-ders and burned six wagonloads of gambling equipment on election day! But the Purity League vras beaten. Many voters appeared with affidavits permitting them to vote. It Is charged charg-ed that these wore issued In wholesale whole-sale lot. In blanket form. The gans was In power. The women, wom-en, who had left town in fear of the Purity League's success, flocked back with reinforcements. I New gambling outfits were hastily erected and the to.wn again wa3 wide open. Once more tho rival gambling joints competed for trade. Cards i wore distributed Infltlng persons to "Monte Carlo" and similar resorts. Then It waM that the gang, grown arrogant, overstoppod Itself and kindled tho wrath of the legion men, which meant the finish of free-and-easy vlco In Desdemona. Goes on Wnrpath Bob Peacock, accompanied by his wife and sister in law. Invaded tho headquarters of the legion. Peacock covered threo men with a gun while the women tore down postora and ollppings from tho walla. They destroyed de-stroyed a banquet announcement, bearing the portrait of Captain A. t Bates, post comander. whom all the service men knew as "Pa." Aa a member of the Purity League, Bates had attacked corruption. The state legion hcadquartors was notified. Where tho torn poster clung to the wall, newspaper clippings describing de-scribing the affair were pasted, and a new poster displayed. Peacock, confident con-fident of his pull and power, was In a rage. Again he tore down the poster Then the state officials were arous-?d. arous-?d. Plainclothes men arrived and the painted women began to steal away. Gambling halls are dark In Desde-J mona; tho law has arrived; the Purity League, coming into power, has wiped out organized crookedness. oo |