The Free Methodists, although few in number, and considered a church of but small influence, have been a great power in reform.  They were the abolitionists of negro slavery to a man, and now they are the abolitionists of the liquor curse to a man.  They were also my friends in this smashing.  Father Wright and Bro.  Atwood were at the convention I speak of.  Father Wright, who has been an old soldier for the defence of Truth for many years said to me:  “Never mind, Sister Nation, when they see the way the cat jumps, you will have plenty of friends.”  The ministers were also my friends and approved of the smashing.  Bro.  McClain, of the Christian church, was at the convention, and he was trying to apologize for the smashing and defend me at the same time, he said:  “We all make mistakes and crooked paths, and Sister Nation we all know, tries to do right, and even if she did some crooked things, all the rest of us do the same thing.”

I appreciated his motive, but for the sake of others, I replied:  “I could not see that the term ‘crooked’ should be used.  I rolled up the rocks as straight as I could, I placed them straight in the box, hitched up my horse straight, drove straight to Kiowa, walked straight in the saloon, threw straight and broke them up in the straightest manner, drove home straight and I did not make a crooked step in smashing.”  This of course was pleasantry, but it was the way I took to justify myself, as but few seemed to see the merit or result of this crusade.

I never explained to the people that God told me to do this for some months, for I tried to shield myself from the almost universal opinion that I was partially insane.

I will now speak of my persecution for so-called slandering the prosecuting attorney.  As I said, no one mentioned such a thing until the dives were closed.  Closing the joints, called attention to the perjury of the county officials, for it was proven to be their fault, that we have dives in Kansas.  In order to direct the attention from themselves, as perjurers, and to me as insane, and to be avenged, they put their heads together to bring this suit against me.  Mr. Griffin was no more to blame in this matter than the rest of the republicans.  A. L. Noble, Polly Tincher, Edd Sample, and Mr. Herr, the city attorney of Kiowa, were all employed by Sam Griffin.  This practically took all the legal ability, leaving one, G. A. Martin, whom I retained.  I had witnesses enough to prove gambling and drinking in these dives by Sam, and the sheriff; had sufficient testimony to justify me in saying what I did.  The republican judge of Kingman, Gillette, ruled out my testimony right through.  If my case had been conducted properly by my lawyer, and proper exceptions taken, I could have taken the case to the supreme court, and had it reversed on several rulings.  Judge Stevens and Judge Lacey, who were at the trial, told me they never saw such determination on the part of any judge to cut out