Page:The War on the Webfoot Saloon.djvu/9

 tives of the arrested Leaguers descended on the municipal building in clouds ("In an excited state of mind," said the Oregonian reporter ), to offer bail. The ladies, who had spent the intervening time rendering such hymns as Fight the Good Fight and Blessed Are Thy Courts Above, steadfastly declined. And so they were carted off to the lock-up where they spent two or three refreshing hours in song and prayer while the authorities scurried about collecting the officers of the court in order that trial might be held. The cause was heard by Judge Denny and the complaint dismissed after defendants' counsel, C. W. Parrish, argued that the Crusaders were not disturbing the peace, but merely exercising freedom of worship.

The Leaguers did not visit the Webfoot again until April 14, and on that occasion for but half an hour, but there were rumours that the ladies were making big medicine. And reports were afoot that Moffett was not idle; that he had purchased larger gongs and a wheezy hand organ and had signed on three new recruits, two small boys and a fragrant character known as Tripe Fritz. By this time the Great Crusade had truly become "the theme of the newspapers," and was the principal topic of public discussion as well. There was a general feeling that a great battle was in the works, that the Crusaders would undertake one grand, final effort to sack the citadel which had till now defied them. And on the afternoon of the sixteenth of April, they did.

Fifteen Leaguers arrived in front of the Webfoot a little after two. Moffett was prepared for them. Even before devotions were begun the defenders set up a hideous din that brought spectators on the gallop. Each of the two small boys pounded a large Chinese gong, Tripe Fritz ground at the organ, and Moffett himself shrilled away on the whistle. This hideous clamour continued for an hour, the Crusaders mean while calmly saying prayers and singing songs which not even those closest to them could hear. Fritz grew arm-weary. The two boys, despite the encouraging shouts of their commander, were perceptibly weakening. Moffett's face had acquired a purplish cast. It was then that J. F. Good, one of the