Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1889-02-02
peNITENTlARY INVESTIGATION.

Witnesses Examined Before the Commits
tee Mt Leayenworth.
LHAvRNwOrTH Kan. Jan 80. = Tbs
much talked of investigation of the peni-
Tertiary commenced its ses sion yesterday
at ten .. m, at the Planters House, all the
members being present. as follows: Sem
ators HARNESS. Kelley (of Crawford
County,, and Price; Representatives
Admire. Wa.rond, Rice, Elliott aud Berry.
L. c. Smith, sergeant-at.arms OF the Sem
ate, is the executive officer and Mr..
Stewart il the sleuographer. Attorney
General Kellogg acts as attorney for the
State, and Captain j. B. johnson repre-
sents the penitentiary directors.
Senator Hardness was chosen chair
man and the investigation began
BY tie Introduction of James A.
Lopez, OF Atchison, as the first witness,
nobody being allowed in the committee
room except one witness at a time. and
representatives of papers.
Lopez denied the stories published in the
Kansas City Times with which his name
has been coupled
u. j. Keller was called. He said in sub.
stance that DR.. Krohn was the first person
that talked to him about the coal contract,
stating that there was money in it and
persuading him to go into the business.
He consented. and in short time Krohn
told him it was necessary to put in some
money to secure the appointment of Hiatt
as director, and 10 defeat a bi l pending
before the Legislature to secure the app
pointmsnt OF State agent to sell the peni-
Tertiary coal. Al the sol citation of Krohn,
he put up $3.50 for this purpose. After Mr..
Hiatt was appointed director a company
was formed to get the coal contract. The
company consisted of Barnes, Buckley,
LOper, Krohn and himself.
"Barnes was to lake care of Hiatt, and
myself and Buckley Were to take care of
Lopez and Krohn."
In response to inquiry, Keller stated
that these matters were talked over by
himself and Hiatt He and Hiatt had
always been fast friends. "There was no
stipu ated sum agreed TO be paid to me or
any one else," continued the witness. alt
was generally figured out that We could
sell the coal or 80 much, and there would
be profit There was contract to this
effect and it was written out toy DR..
Krohn, and gaed by Barnes, Buckley,
Lopez and Krohn and witnessed by my
self, and the contract was given to MIR.
Buckley. l do not know what become of
this contract, only what Buckley said. He
told me he had surrendered it to Barnes.
The contract stipulated in a general way
what each ones profs should be. Barnes
and Bac kley could not agree and called
one another liars and thieves, and l con-
cluded there were to many in the scheme,
and made up my mind not to have any
thing to do with the COAL"
The witness testified as to the return to
him of the $3.50 after withdrawing He
also 'estified TO the presence Of Director
Hiatt at several of the preliminary meet.
ings in company with MIR. Richter. Upon
cross examination he stated that to his
knowledge Richter and Hiatt never got
any money out Of the coal contracts.
. F. C. Buckley was called and corrobor-
atsd Keller's statement about the alleged
contract.
D. N. Barnes was the next witness
called. He denied positively ever having
signed any contract with Buckley, Lopez
and Krohn.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Barnes testi.
mony the committee adjourned.