Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1893-04-15
WITNESSES ABSENT.
The Kansas Bribery Investigation Unable
to Obtain Important Witnesses.

KANSAS CITY, KAN, April lo.-lhe
committee of the Kansas senate now
engaged in making an investigation
into the charges of corrupt use OF
money during the last session of the
legislature. closed its session in Kansas
City. KAN. last evening. The in
ability to get such important witnesses
as Representative A. a. Burgard. y. ".
Kline and Nelson Accrs before the COM
mittee has been II disappointment. al
though it was predicted some time ago
that there would be IL scarcity of i'm
portant witnesses ut the proper time.
Il. L. Blum. register of deeds of Wy
andottr county. was the first witness
called this morning. He said he had
used his best cndeavos to show that
the fee and salary bill was Ubiquitous
and not for the interests of the county.
lie visited Topeka and talked with the
Wyandotte county representatives. lie
said he did not contribute money To lie
used in influencing votes against the
bill and knew of no money being used
in that way.
aUUTcW IuNNbI. thEaSNo
in the policy business. was called tn
testify regarding the raising of fund
to defeat Senator Taylor's anti-gamb-
ling bill. lie denied having any knowl-
edge of money being raised among the
gamblers and policy men to defeat the
bills. In fact. the witness knew moth
ing of interest To the committee except
that he had quit the business because it
was Improbable. He had been ar
rested and fined sl5 by Police Judge
King. but the fine was RENTED upon
the witness promising to quit the bust
ness.
Did the other policy men quit?' Sem
ator Thatcher asked.
They paid their fines and kept rum
ming" Lawson replied.
agreement between the policy men and
the police whereby they could pay their
fines and he permitted to run.
Asked if ne was interested in the APP
pointment of police commissioners,
Lawson said that he was. and that he
was in favor of the appointment of the
present board. lie had signed Mitchell's
petition. but did not have an opportun-
ity to sign Cunningham's
NJ. G.. Mclean. county treasurer. tcs-
tilted that he hatl not paid money di-
rectly on indirectly to secure the defeat
of the fee and salary bill, and had not
used any undue influence to secure the
defeat of the bill.
j. X. L. BARKER. chairman of the pco-
pies party central committee. was
of money being used to defeat the Tay-
Tor anti-gambling bills. the bills to
abolish the common pleas court and the
Office of county auditor and also the
fee and salary bill. Mr. Barker said he
had no knowledge of money being
used. lie visited Topeka several times
during the session of the Legislature
and was an applicant for the
office of state grain Inspector: also
for Il position on the board of railroad
commissioners The witness denied that
he had ever received $50 from George
Grubel. proprietor of the building in
which the common pleas court is To-
Gated. lie also denied that he had re-
ceived money from sam Mcionigal,
clerk of the common pleas court, to Sc
cure the defeat the measure.
Being asked if he had ever received
money or was offered money. Barker
replied in the negative, but Senator
Thatcher refreshed his memory little
and Barker admitted that he had been
offered 800 by Frank Strickland to use
his influence to have W. T. Quarles APP
pointed chief of police. He had. how
ever declined to accept the money.
Lawyer John Hale. of Kansas City,
Kan. then took turn at the wheel
and asked Mr.. Barker if he was at the
Copeland hotel ut Topeka with W. L.
Quarles and if it was true that the two
visited room where the Wyandotte
county officers were taking refresh
ments. Barker said he was ut the
Copeland and that he had seen several
of the county officers.
Did you not go with Mr.. Quarles to
the toilet room and while there did not
Mr.. Sam MctiONigal come in and count
a roll of bills out to Quarles. and did
not Quarles turn the 500 over to you?"
asked Mr.. Hale.
The witness answered in the mega
tive. Mr.. Hale then asked Barker if he
did not meet certain newspaper man
in Kansas City, Kan. and the reporter
mentioned the fact that money had
been used. Parker said he did talk
about such Il matter with reporter.
Barker then denied that he went
straightway to Sam McGonigal and
said: How did they get hold of it,
Sam: they're telling it just as it is?'
Barker also denied having a confer
ence with Jim Legate and Chief Quarles
in the Ryus hotel and was excused.
Senator King then called Mr.. Hale to
the witness chair and proceeded to ask
questions. Mr.. Hale's statement was