People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-02-03
]. w. Hair VS.. John w. Davis.
From House Journal, Tuesday, January
d. 1893

From House journal, Tuesday, January
.... "a, 1893.
Chairman Lupfer, of the committee on
elections, submitted the following report
and resolution, which were read the first
time:
Mr.. SPEAKER: am instructed by the stand
ing Committee On elections to make the follow
ing report of facts which have been laid before
and come to the knowledge Of your committee
touching the right of Job2 W. Davis to a seat in
this house, as representative from the Ninety
fourth representative district, embracing the
county of Kiowa.
By the returns in the Office of the secretary
of state, the said John W. Davis is shown to have
received iO1 votes and ]. W. Hair received S69,
leaving said Davis majority of 80 votes for the
office.
An affidavit, made by Willis L. Smith before
and duly certified by W. D. Eastman, Esq, notary
public, of said Kiowa county, on November p,
1926, has been laid before your committee, in
which the affiant states as follows
ION or about the 9th day Of November, 1892,
John W. Davis, then candidate for representa-
tive of KiOwa county paid affiant 81 TO vote for
him Davis at the election on the 9Th day Of
November, 1892; u at afhant accepted The 50 with
the understanding that the 81 was paid to him
as the 20" sideratiOn for his vote, and with the
nndersta ing that afhant was to vote for him
Davis on the Sth day Of November"
Another affidavit has been laid before your
committee made by Joseph Derby, before said
notary public, on the Dist day Of January. 1898,
duly certified, In which the afiant states as fol-
lows:
ION the LIST Or ID dav If November, 1899, John
W. Davis, then candidate for representative
OF KiOwa county. came 10 affant at his residence
and offered afiiant 81 to vote and work for him
at the election which was II come of on the Sth
day of November. 1892. which g affiant refused
TO accept. and that Davis insisted that he should
accept it, and put the 81 into atlantis vest
pocket, and afisnt took the money out Of his
pocket and returned it TO Davis"
Within thirty days after the declaration OF
the state beard Of canyassers, said ]. W. Hair
prepared and signed statement and notice to
said J. W. Davis reciting that he Hair being a
qualified elector in Union township, in said
Kiowa county, would contest before the house Of
representatives the right Of said Davis to seat
as representative OF that district on the grounds
among other-that he had given some of the
electors who had voted for him, and had offered
to give to sundry other electors voting at the
said election. brides and rewards in money and
other things OF value, for the purpose Of pro-
curing his election to said office, which grounds
of contest spec fed In said notice were duly veri-
fed by the affidavit Of ]. W. Hair, made De-
cember 81, 1892, before ]. T. Garfield notary
public OF said Kiowa county, who duly certified
the same.
1t is shown to the committee by the affidavit
Of said Hair, that said ]. w. Davis had left his
usual place Of residence, taking his family with
him, and had so absented himself that his
whereabouts could not be ascertained, leaving
his usual place Of residence closed. copy Of
said notice was therefore by the sheriff left at
the Office of said J. W. Davis, in said Kiowa
county, on the 2ist day Of December, 1892, said
Davis being an attorney and having a regular
law Office and place Of business in the county,
and notice was on the next day fled In the Office
of the county clerk of said Kiows county, who,
under his Official seal. has certified copy OF the
same, and Of the Endorsement of the sheriff
thereon, to this committee, and the same is now
before Us.
The aforesaid facts, in the opinion Of your
committee, iu-tify and warrant an Investigation
by this house as to the charges of bribery and
other charges embraced in said afidsvits and
sworn notice Of contest; and your committee
submit for the consideration Of this house the
following resolution in relation thereto:
blouse Resolution No. 25,)
RssOlued That the committee on elections be
instructed to speedily inquire into the evidence