Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-01-02

received the proceeds of the orders is
sued in purchase of the bonds, but the
crucial point in the prosecution will be
to prove that the forgeries were commit.
ted by Lappin. To successfully prove
this fact it is almost absolutely neces.
sary to be able to produce the bonds and
other papers referred to.
Mr.. Lappin wasjointly charged with
Charles G. Scraford, who was finally
tried and acquitted at the May term OF
this court, 1879 At that trial the full
strength of the states case was put
forth. The then attorney general was
assisted by able council employed by the
state. At that trial the papers, bonds,
letters and warrants, to which were
attached the forged and fictitious sigma
lures, were accessible and were used in
evidence. In tie trial of Lappin under
these inlormations, the same witnesses
must necessarily be examined, the same
evidence produced as at that trial. The
result of the Scrafford trial, while the
facts were comparatively fresh in the
minds of the witnesses, and with the
The original lands, warrants, and let
tiers after the conclusion Of the last
trial of Mr.. Scrafford remained in posses
sion of the late Hon. Willard Davis, then
attorney general, and were not delivered
by him to bis successor in Office, Hon.
w. A. Sohnston, nor have they been
delivered to me, theimmediate successor
of Mr.. Johnston.
In the fall of 1884, when the W herea
bouts ofMr. Lappin was discovered, and
it became known that he would be
returned to this state to answer the
charges against him, Mr.. Johnston, then
attorney general, addressed the following
letter t. Mr.. Davis, to.wit:
Topeka, Kas., Oct. oath, 1884.
Hon. Willard Darts, Topeka, Kds.
DEAR S1R:-I have been informed by
Ex-attorney General Randolph that af-
ter the conclusion of the second Scrafford
trial in July, 1879, the forged bonds and
coupons executed by Scrafford and lap
pin, the warrants upon which the pro-
ceeds of the bonds were drawn from the
state, and the correspondence of Man
ford, Miner, a nd Whitcomb with Lappin
and Fraser in relation to these bonds
were turned over to you for cafe keep
ing. AS Lappin has been arrested and
brought back for trial, the necessity for
the production of these documents will
be apparent to you. As you have never
turned these PAGERS over to me, would
request that you do so at your earliest
convenience,
Very Respectfully,
w IouNSToN
To this letter no written answer was
received, but Mr.. Davis stated to me
about the time took possession of the
Office, that part of the papers were in the
state treasury, and that he held receipt
therefor; that the balance of the papers
were lost, and that he would furnish me
with a written statement concerning
them.
On examination of the duplicate re-
ceipt retained in the state treasurer's Of
fee, 1 found that none of the original
bond warrants, ETC., were deposited there.
The documents specified in the receipts
were certain transcripts of the evidence
introduced at the first trial of Scrafford
tan some other papers, all of which were
herd, but the important papers were not
specified in the receipt, and were not in
the state treasury. On January 18th,
1885, I addressed to Mr.. Davis the fol-
lowing letter:
TOPEKA, KANs. Jan. 18th, 1885.
Hon. Willard Darts. Topeka, Kansas:
DEAR SIR:-WDl you please reduce to
writing and forward to me your state
ment accounting for the absence of the
Lappin papers; it has become important
now that something be placed on record
accounting for the absence of the docu-
ments.
The papers are not in the possession of
the state of Kansas. Yours resp'tfy
S. B. BRADFORD, Atty. Gen.
To this letter 1 received the following
reply:
Topeka, KANs. Jan. 22nd, 1885.
Hon. S. B. Bradford. attorney General, Topeka,
Kansas:
Ny DEAR SIR:-Your letter of the 18th
instant duly received, and in response l
have to say, that at the earliest day pos
sible, subject to very important engage
ments involving my time for few days,
L will take pleasure in making written
statement accounting for the absence of
the Lappin papers SO far as my knowl-
edge at this late day will permit ne to
state after careful reconsideration of
facts long past. Shall be willing to aid
the state if desired as far as l can legiti-
mately and properly, under the circum-
stance, whose existence very much re-
greet. Very respectfully,
WILLARD DAVIS.
In the succeeding month 1 addressed
another letter to Mr.. Davis:
Topeka, KAN, Feb. II, 1885.
Hon: Wizard Davis. Topeka, Kansas:
My DEAR SIR-Referring to your favor
Of the 22nd ultimo, permit me to cay that
it has come to my knowledge that the |
subject of the reported loss of the Lappin |
papers during your term of office az attor-
ney general will soon be brought before |
the legislature for investigation, and it
will be very desirable that shall have
your written statement accounting for |
heir absence at the earliest date possible. |
would, therefore, ask that as soon as
you prepare and furnish me
with full statement of the matter, so far |
Is you have knowledge thereof or can
By 30 doing you will greatly |
obiige yours, very respectfully,
S. B. BRADFORD,
Attorney General.
No written statement was ever made |
to me directly in response to this letter,
and the only explanation I have been
able to obtain is an article purporting to
be an interview with Gen. Davis, which
in THE COMMONWEALTH, of To-
peka, Kansas, during the month Of
January, the latter part of which 1 am
informed was written by Mr.. Davis. That
article reads as follows: