The Whisky War in Ohio Our illustration is typical of the temperance crusades in the United States , where ladies go round saloons in the cities , sing Psalms , and offer up fervant prayers in the midst of whisky kegs and lager beer barrels , and under the hostile noses of their proprietors . One proprietor - Mr Can Pelt , of New Vienna , reputed ' the wickedest man in Ohio ' - became converted and after first threatening to brain the praying sisterhood with an axe , used this very same instrument to destroy his whiskey and beer barrels 1874