Carrie Nation, the temperance crusader famous for her hatchet, only had one scheduled visit to Nodaway County — to attend the Parnell Picnic on September 27, 1907. She was supposed to meet Homer Cook, president of the Maryville Normal School (Northwest Missouri). She was to talk about hatchets, and he was going to talk about hammers.
Carrie was a very colorful character with more than 30 arrests, and things seemed to happen when she appeared. Interesting things happened with this event.
Carrie has strong ties to the area. Her family lived in Belton, Missouri, where she is buried, and she died in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Here’s a sequence of events based on news articles.
Carrie was scheduled to attend King City’s first chataqua on September 1, where she was billed as “the Kansas Woman with the Hatchet.” King City Chronicle August 16, 1907
During her speech, the tent collapsed, and lightning struck a house in King City. Maryville Tribune, Sept 5, 1907
AFTER MRS. NATION. Wind Blew Down the Tent and Cut Other Capers.
Carrie Nation, the woman with a mouth, was at the Chautauqua at King City Sunday. A number of people from Maryville went to that town to see Carrie.
They saw her, and they also got the scare of their lives when, late in the afternoon, the wind blew down the tent and cut other capers that were not on the program. It is said that even the storm did not stop Carrie from talking and offering to sell her hatches over the management’s protests. During the storm, lightning struck the home of a brother of Walton Frank of this city and tore the chimney down.
On September 4, charges against St. Joseph news reporter Frank White, accused of hitting (or slapping) in the face, were dismissed by a judge. St. Joseph News-Press September 4, 1907
FRANK WRIGHT DISCHARGED. Man Arrested on Charge of Assaulting Carrie Nation Is Given a Vindication by Muir. Police Judge Muir this morning discharged Frank L. Wright, charged with having struck Carrie Nation one day last week. “When woman places herself in the position Carrie Nation does, she can expect those things,” said the court.
“I wouldn’t attach any significance to her testimony.”
On September 19, a report told about plans for her and President Cook to attend the Parnell Picnic. Maryville Forum September 19, 1907
HAMMERS AND HATCHETS. Carrie Nation Will Speak at the Picnic at Parnell Soon.
Carrie Nation, the woman with all the hallucinations and a wealth of jaw, will speak at the picnic at Parnell Friday, the 27th inst. While Carrie has an overdevelopment of gab, she is not at all dangerous. One of the peculiar things about this address at Parnell is the fact that President Cook of the Northwest Normal will speak at Parnell the same day that the notorious Carrie will be there.
President Cook will speak on “Hammers,” and, as a matter of course, Carrie will speak on “Hatchets.”
On September 18 Carrie was jailed in Washington, DC. and locked up 75 days because she wouldn’t pay a $25 fine. Los Angeles Times, September 19, 1907
CARRIE NATION IN JAIL. Notorious Leader of Hatchet Brigade Locked Up in Washington for Disorderly Conduct. [BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS-P.M.I WASHINGTON, Sept. 18.-Mrs. Carrie Nation was arrested and locked up today to appear in the Police Court tomorrow on the charge of disorderly conduct.
Mrs. Nation refused, when requested by an officer, to stop lecturing to 200 men from the steps of the post office
On September 26, she was released after somebody paid her fine. There is no record of her immediately going to Parnell at that point. Washington Evening Star, September 26, 1907.
CARRIE NATION FREE. Released From Workhouse on Payment of Fine by Friends. “*Carrie Nation is again at liberty,” a Police Court official remarked this afternoon. Then it was learned that early this morning a tall stranger called at the office of the financial clerk in the building and paid $22, due on account of the fine 1m- posed on Mrs. Nation recently.
He did not give his name, proceeding at once for the workhouse with the order for release. As the Police Court officials were speaking of the matter the door of the District branch of the court was opened and Mrs. Nation entered. Advancing to the desk where Clerk Lum Harper was sitting, she asked where she would be able to find Judge Kimball. She was told, and as she turned to leave.
Jokes About the King City Event
- Carrie Nation arrived to quiet the crowd — the weather took care of the rest with a tent collapse and a lightning mic drop.
- She always said she wanted to make a striking impression — the storm just took it literally.
- Carrie came to talk about temperance; the storm brought its own spirits — and they weren’t welcome either.
- The tent fell down mid-speech — finally, something in King City that listened to Carrie’s call to sober up.
- Lightning hit next door like an extra-ornery heckler: loud, electrifying, and impossible to shush.
- When Carrie raised her voice, even the weather tried to join the debate — with dramatic special effects.
- People came for a Chautauqua and left with a survival story — the only thing Carrie broke that day was the silence.
- The storm provided better timing than any orator — entrance, collapse, and a lightning encore.
- Carrie always aimed to break up rowdy places — this time, the storm volunteered.
- If speeches were measured by impact, Carrie’s that day got a ten — plus a lightning bonus.
- The tent collapse was the town’s way of applauding — a very aerodynamic ovation.
- Carrie’s sermon on reform got instant punctuation: one collapsing tent, one sizzling house, and a whole lot of wide eyes.
Jokes About the Parnell Picnic Event
- The program promised “Hatchets and Hammers” — Carrie got the hatchet, Homer got the hammer, and Washington got the cuffs.
- Parnell expected literal tools of reform; instead, they got one missing hatchet and a very punctual arrest.
- Carrie couldn’t make the picnic — apparently, D.C. needed a little temperance of its own.
- Homer showed up ready to build schools; Carrie was busy remodeling a jail cell.
- The picnic organizer: “Where’s Carrie?” Homer: “Last I heard, she was breaking up something… the law.”
- Ticket refund policy: full refund if Carrie’s in town; partial if she’s in cuffs.
- Carrie planned to split spirits with a hatchet; Washington split her schedule instead.
- Homer came to hammer home reform; Carrie hammered out an alibi in court.
- Parnell hoped for a demo of moral repair — they got a demonstration of federal hospitality.
- The picnic’s theme became “tools for civic improvement” — Carrie took that literally, and the judge took it personally.
- Carrie’s speech was canceled; the headline read: “Hatchet-free picnic, by order of the capital.”
- Homer: “I’ll lecture on hammers.” Organizer: “Please also lecture on bail.”
- Carrie wanted to break up saloons; D.C. broke up her itinerary.
- The picnic had a hardware metaphor — only one of the tools showed up unhandcuffed.
- Carrie sent a postcard: “Sorry I can’t attend — the law insists I stay for my own reformation.”