The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-10-02
Rx.TRRAsURKR LAPPLM.


The reported apprehension in Wash
ington territory OF Sam Lappln, Of fraud
ulent school boad fame, ex-stats treas
urer Of Kansas, reviVes interest in an
episode of Kansas history which At
tracted absorbing attention ct the time
1t occurred, and Is now by no means for
gotten, though the details may take
some effort Of memory on the part of
many TO recall. If Lappin, after being
nine years q fugitive from justice shall
now be returned and give satisfaction by
the payment Of legal penalty for his dis
honesty, it will serve as an additional en-
forcement Of the lesssn that wrong doing
does not prosper, q lesson IN his case af-
ready strikingly exenplifed. The
Commonwealth of Sunday gives q
long and interesting resume
Of the history OF Lappin's
crime, his apprehension and escape from
Jail, and so much of his subsequent
movements as rumor has from time to
time brought 10 the citizens OF Kansas.
From that account We cOndense IS fol-
lows:
On the 9th Of December, 1875. il was
discovered by the board of commission
ers of the permanent school fund, that
forged bonds ~ the amount of $19,0 900,
had been purchased for the fund. On
the same day, two menbers of the board,
without previously informing any one Of
their journey or intention, went to Kan
sas City. The board had previously
been in correspondence with party
calling himself J. 8. Kibby, and writing
from Kansas City In regard to the bonds
which they had discovered to be fraud
ulent, and they went 10 Kansas City to
ascertain, If possible, who took from the
Kansas City pOstOffice the letter adj
dressed TO J. 8. Kibby; and the result Of
the visit was a conviction to their minds
that the recipient of the letters was Sam
uel Lappin, state treasurer. On the
next day, December 11th, they informed
the governor OF their suspicious.
| Between the 18th and Goth of
December, the commissioners were at
work, detectives were employed, and the
result was an accumulation of facts
which confirmed the belief of the com
missiOners that Mr.. Lappin was connect
ed with the sale OF the forged bonds to
the school fund. So quietly and judi
ciously were these steps taken that in
Topeka not over half dozen persons
not engaged in the investigation knew
| Of its Inception. When everything was
ready, the explosion was deferred two or
three days on account of the sickness of
| Mr.. Lappin. 1t was not until the after
/ noon of December 20 that the matter be-
| came In Topeka matter of street COM
ment, and that to very limited extent.
and then followed Immediately the pub
LEGATION Of the report of the report of the
commissioners and the request OF Gov.
Osborn for Lappin's resignation, which
was Immediately rendered.
Gov. Osborn then appointed John
Francis state treasurer, and the funds of
the state were turned over to him. On
December Goth the commissioners adj
dressed another letter to the governor, in
which they charged that Lappin had
also forged school. district bonds of
Mitchell, Jewell and Republic counties,
bought by the commissioners Of s.
Whitcomb, Thomas Mansford and Rich
ard Miner. respectively, to the amount
of eli, 34S.74. Gov. Osborn then ad-
dressed a letter to Attorney General
Willard Davis, urging him 70 at once
begin the prosecution. On December
Both Mr.. Lappin was arrested and placed
IN the charge of the sheriff.
Adppinb cuOrJS 10 OOLdin DOHUSmtu
his rearrest, his undignIfied attempt to es
cape by the assistance of his colored
friend Bob Odell, his final successful
escape aud flight to South America
where with his brOther-In-law and &C
complete ScFafford, he led q life full of
vicissitudes and hardships, will be re-
membered. Scraford, in 1873, returned
to Kansas, gave himself up to the auth
critics, and finally, after 8 second trial
of his case. was acquitted He is now
IN Nemaha county, his old home, where
he is energetically and somewhat sue
cessfully seeking to regain his fallen for
tunes. Mr.. Lappin's family became
scottared and his wife reduced almost &c
penury. she surrenderIng nearly all OF
his large estate to indemnify his bonds
men as state treasurer, who paid to the
state every dollar of the claim agains
them. She is said TO be now residing in
Illinois. It is expected that Lappin viii
be brought to Topeka In q few days
where, If the present report of his ap
prehension is correct, in brief time hi
case will doubtless come to trial.