The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1893-03-25
A TALE OF BRIBERY.
ANOTHER BIG KANSAS SENSA-
TON SPRUNG.
Representative McAIeny swears That Mr..
Cyrus Leland of Troy Offered Him
and MIR. Burgard 800 Apiece
to Vote for w. ii. Rossington
for United states Senator
Several Implicated.

TOPEKA, Kan, March 20. - Before
the senate committee investigating
the charges of bribery preferred by the
Topeka Capital against certain state
officers, Representative McAleny of
Wyandotte, in response to questions,
testified as follows:
81 had an offer of money from Cyrus
Leland, Saturday morning, February
25, to sell my vote for United States
senator. An acquaintance had come to
me few days before and asked me to
meet Mr.. Leland. We agreed on a
place, and | met him that morn
ing about o'clock in Senator
Williamson's room in the Keith block.
| first went to the room with this ac-
quaintance, who Immediately left, and
in a few minutes Mr.. Leland came and
introduced himself. lie talked over
the Legislative situation at some length
and told me what the supreme courts
decision in the house test case would
be. The conversation lasted nearly
an hour.
''He then offered me S., 900 to vote
for w. II. Rossington, Democrat, but
the matter fell through on account of
inability to fix on a stakeholder. He
at first denied but finally admitted
gard, had been offered $40, 900 to vote
for Ady, but that the deal fell through
on account of inability to agree on q
stakeholder"
Frank Strickland of Kansas City,
Kan, q fusion leader, of that place,
approached him in the interest of
Waggener for senator; and told him
he could control the federal patronage
of Wyandotte county and make q
great deal of money if he would cast
his vote for Waggener.
Mr.. Lillis, an alderman of the Kan
sas City, Kan, arranged another meet
ing between McAleny and Leland,
but no satisfactory agreement could be
reached and the matter was dro pped.
The hearing was resumed on Tues
day. Several witnesses gave unim-
portant testimony and Jim Legate was
then called to the stand.
Having examined the letter he ad.
dressed to Major Hudson and fully
identified it, in reply to questions by
Judge Thatcher, he said that he had
received a draft for $1,000 from P.
W. Kline before the legislature met
and $500 afterwards. II will
tell the story and let the CALLED jade
VINCE" he said. 'Soon after the elec-
tion there was considerable confer.
ence with reference to the organiZa-
tion of the legislature. 1t was dis
cussed by the greater lights. among
them Judge Webb and three OF
four others, with reference to
bringing certain cases before the SUI
preme court. thought the undertak
ings were all childish because the
court was politically against the Pop
ulists Looked over the list of mem.
bers of the legislature and from my
knowledge of the men and of the can.
vass there were at least six men who
were counted in-not fairly elected.
When Bill Higgins drew the
Coffey county tie l knew of q
dead certainty who would get the
my own. saw good man. Now, ]
don't want you to think that 81, 500
was all spent. l got 200 round iron
dollars out of Ed Snow. / sent men
out over the state. They were gone
abouta week. went to Kansas City,
Mo. was trying to make deal for O
Kansas City daily paper 1 learned a
good deal down there.
~ was told that Mr.. w. j. Buchan
had received $4,000 or $50, 900 from
Kansas City whisky men for q
number of years. In going about the
city struck Pete Kline, who told me
that the gamblers had been compelled
for the last two years to con
tribute $4,000 year to the Re-
publican party of Kansas. In the late
campaign told him that If he would
lend me 81, 1000, would buy the paper
was after and | would get him pro.
lection from these demands. Kline
liked the idea. So did the whisky
dealers. Meanwhile my men came IL
from over the state who told me
they could get eight Oh
ten Republican members of the
house to vote with the Populists OF
organization. l wanted to pay my
men and I went back to Kansas City
and told Pete Kline / wanted~S3, ZOO.
said to him that he would be reimbursed
by the Populist party. He gave me {
check for SO, 900 and l went and paiC
my men for their expenses.
Hon. Cyrus Leland of DoniphaI
county, was the last witness and tes
titled to his alleged offer of $1,000 II
McAleny for his vote for United
States senator. He said that McAlen,
asked for that sum, but witness tolt
him that he had no money to bu,
votes and says he made no offer of any
kind to McAleny. Leland said he neve
heard of any money being raised o
offered In connection with the stat
printer matter, or in the interest o
Rossington, Ady or any other candi
date for senator, and that Joe Hud
sons name was never mentioned il
connection with the transaction witt
McAleny. In regard to Burgard
Leland said:
81 became acquainted with him tw
years ago when he acted as q spy TO
the epublicans in the senatorial elec
ton. lie came to our headquarter
every night and reported the result-o
the Populist caucuses. I never offere
| l. T.,