had omitted the name. He's just that!

"Shirley Wells is not under indictment, and when he returns the
general public will give him a hearty welcome. In fact, had he stayed
here for a day or two after the incident he would have been a hero.
Would have been carried at the head of the mob of women that paraded
the streets of our city in protest of conditions. He would have been a
part of the orderly crowd of men that went out to the old farm to
destroy the offending distillery. Shirley Wells started the clean-up
here, and it spread to all affected localities. This is the story."

Then Fred Townsend told the story, to include the history of the Wells
bank, of Shirley's army service, of Carson's banking relations with
the Chicago mobsters. "For nearly a decade this Shirley Wells was a
silent do-nothing. He seemingly hesitated to claim his property rights
and yet had nerve to invade the stronghold of these gangsters and tell
'em the truth. He nearly killed two of 'em and the other disappeared."

And then Townsend detailed what followed as the morning paper gave big
headlines of the desperate adventure. It not only recited that the two
were hospitalized in a critical condition but it gave inside
information as to the illegal business being conducted at the farm.
"That evening, nearly a thousand women paraded our streets to the
mayor's office, with banners flying, to insist that there be a
clean-up of the entire illegal business.

"The next day, fully fifty automobiles assembled at Fifth and Cedar
Streets to drive out to the farm and burn down the old shed where the
still was located. I was in that party and I easily persuaded them to
allow the house and big barn to remain unharmed, but all bottles,
labels, cans of liquids, crates, and containers were thrown in the
fire. The house-furnishings revealed that it was the headquarters for
the many employees, but none were present, either to welcome or
protest.

"On returning to town it was learned that Carson Wells had committed
suicide. His worthy wife was not at home, was not present at the
funeral. She is reported as living in Chicago, a housemother at a
sorority of one of the universities.

"The Wells National Bank was of course closed. I was appointed the
receiver. Things were in a terrible mess; negligence and forgeries
caused a lot of added work, but the bank had a valuable asset in that
the stock was held in one family--wasn't scattered to cause
contentions and dela