The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-04-21
DOODLE AGAIN.
The Senate Investigating COMMITTEES Again
at Work-Striking Doodle Leads.


KANSAS CITY, Kan, April 12.-The
committee appointed by the Kansas
legislature to investigate the charges
Of the Topeka Capital that a corrup-
ton fund was sent by the gamblers,
lottery and policy men to Topeka to in
auence the appointment of police COM
missioners and to defeat legislation,
began its sessions at the Ryus hotel in
Kansas City, Kan, at II o'clock yes
terday. All the members of the COM
mittee were present except Senator
billiard, of Fort Scott, who is quite i'll.
Eleven witnesses have been sum-
moned to appear before the committee,
and all were present except Rep
resentative Burgard, of Wyandotte
county, p. w. Kline and Nelson Acers.
Probate Judge George ]. Monahan,
of Wyandotte county, was the first
witness examined. He was asked by
Senator Thatcher to tell what he knew
Of the influence brought to bear on
members of the legislature co defeat
the Wyandotte county fee and salary
bill. He said he knew of no money
being used for that purpose. He went
TO Topeka himself to talk with the rep
resentatives about the fee and salary
bill and to use honorable means to de-
feat it. Judge Monahan also stated
that about all the Wyandotte officials
went to Topeka, but he knew of no or
ganized effort being made to kill the
bill, or of the use of money for that
purpose.
Al Baker, proprietor of one the pol
icy shops near the state line III Kansas
City, Kan, was the next witness. His
statement produced a sensation. In re-
ply to the question as to what
knowledge he had of money being used
by the gamblers, lottery and policy
men to defeat Senator Taylor's bills
Baker proceeded to tell of the meet
ing of policy n,held at p. w. Kline's
City, Mo-, to devise plans and to raise
funds to defeat the bills. He was not
present at the meeting, but his partner,
Carey, was there and by Carey the wit
ness had been told that Kline had asked
the firm to put up 500. Baker said
that so far as he knew all the gambling
house proprietors, the owners of policy
shops and lottery offices were in the
scheme, probably thirty or thirty-five
in all.
"What was to be their mode of at
tacl?" Senator Thatcher asked.
Il don't know exactly" Baker said.
but l concluded that they were going
to buy up the representatives"
Asked if that was all he knew of the
affair, Baker said that it was not, and
he proceeded to tell of an interview
with p. w. Kline. Kline had told the
witness that something would have to
be done and that they would all have
to put up" or the bills would be
passed and the whole business wiped
out. A day or two after that CONVERSE
ton, Baker said he went TO Kline's
policy shop on Central avenue and
was introduced to mysterious
stranger known as Baker. The strang-
er was described as being about 40
years old and weighing about 225
pounds. Baker, the policy man, said
he was anxious to know how much
money would be required. He thought
that the bills could be killed for about
81, 900. but the mysterious stranger who
boosted of his long experience in hand
ling Legislative matters said that $4,000
would not be enough to grease" the
Baker said he never could
learn who the stranger was.
On croSs-eXamination by J. A. Hale,
Baker stated that Kline used an express
sion to the effect that he had paid for
the police commissioners and that ne
wanted to use them, and that no other
policy man could run in Kansas City,
Kan. lie could not afford to put up
$3.50 month, but Kline, with an in
come of $4,000 day from the sales of
policy tickets, could well afford it.
George Gruble testified that he was
an inn-keeper. 1t was expected to
prove by the witness that he was
jointist, who had paid $50 to fund to
be used in the Kansas legislature. lie
said he did not know of any money
having been raised for any purpose
whatever.
Gruble said he went to Topeka to see
Burgard. who said when
asked to oppose the bill that he must
square himself with his constituency.
He denied that Burgard wanted money
Or that he offered any. Senator Parker
wanted to know whether the witness
had not stated on his return from To-
peka that 500 had been raised to defeat
the common pleas bill. He denies hav-
ing made the statement to anyone.
A. l.. Burger, auditor OF Wyandotte
county, denied that he had been solic-
ted to contribute money to defeat the
ices and salaries bill. He did not
know of money being contributed, but
heard some of the officers say that they
would be willing TO contribute money
20 defeat it. The probate judge, district
clerk. sheriff and county clerk went to
Topeka to lobby against the bill. One
afternoon the witness was in the couu- |
" clerks Office and there was Il con-
,ultation of the county officers. 1t was
agreed that they should not pay any !
money to defeat the bill. 1t was com
non talk among them that the bill |
had been introduced to make the |
officers come down and they were very |
mad"
On cross examination Burger admit
ted that he had had a conversation |
with Pope Barker about the bill to |
abolish the Office of auditor in Wyan- |
1otte county. Mr.. Barker stated in |
mat conversation that he thought some |
If the members of the legislature were |
very crooked. and that money could be |
used to influence them.