The Iola register., 1891-07-10
.ome Foo,,.n AI,,sae. Charxes.

The failure of their Coffeyville
scheme has stimulated the leaders Of
the Kansas alliance to fresh efforts in
the same direction. Not only are they
attempting to place the responsibility
OF Sam Woods death upon the repub-
lican patty, but Mrs Lease also comes
forward with the charge that it has
tried three times 70 poison her by the
use of doetored lemonade.
The charge is, of course, too silly for
a moments consideration, and no per
son not utterly bereft of every vestige
OF reason will feel disposed for a mo-
ment to entertain 1t. 1t Is only charit-
able to say that it is the vaporing of a
diseased mind. for it is difficult to be-
lieve that any sane person would seri-
ously make any such charge.
Even suppose that the leaders OF the
republican party of Kansas were capa-
ble of committing such fendisb, das-
tardly crime, what object could they
possibly have in doing it? Mrs. Lease
is undoubtedly remarkable woman in
some respects. She is ready speaker,
and in the campaign last fall was un-
questionably considerable of q factor in
developing alliance sentiment through
out the state, but she never was, and
certainly is not now, afgure OF such
commanding influence as to make her
disappearance of such vital necessity to
the republican party that even poison
ing must be resorted to in order to ac-
complish it.
The prolonged strain incident upon
the task of saving her country has evil
IDENTIFY been too much for her brain,
which. it must be confessed, has on
many previous occasions given evidence
of harboring ideas not entirely consist
ent with commonly recognized notions
of sanity. Her charge will by many be
laughed at, and will by Others be re-
garded pityingly as an unmistakable
evidence that her mind is really shat
tered.
With reference to the charge con-
cerning Sam Woods death. which it is
evidently the purpose of the alliance to
make campaign rallyiug cry. there is
| little doubt that it will receive small
consideration at the hands of intelligent
people. Everybody knows that it was
simply due to the bitterness engen-
dered by the prolonged contest between
WOodsdale and HugOtOn for the county
seat honors of Stevens county. and in no
sense resulted from political differences.
The murderer Brennan, is democrat,
and many of Woods most bitter enc
mics in that section who might natur-
ally be suspected OF being parties TO a
conspiracy to kill him belonged to the
same party.
The mere fact that it was in Judge
Botkin's district is seized upon as pre-
text for laying it at the door Of the re-
publican party. Why Judge BOtkin
should desire his death is not at all
clear. He certainly came out victori-
Gus in the fight which Wood made
against him, and ifthere was desire
on either side to do any killing. Wood
would certainly seem to have been the
man with the greatest grievance.
The epublic will generally feel disposed
to regard the charges OF Mrs. Wood
with compassion rather than as evil
dence Of any serious weight. The tragic
death Of her husband was well calcu-
lated to distract her mind and render
her incapable of calm consideration
of The causes leading up to his death.
rhe deepest pity is entertained for her,
and the republicans OF the state will be
unit in expressing the hope that the
crime will be sifted to the bottom, and
the murderer be r'ade to pay the full
penalty OF his daStardiy deed.