The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-10-05
KI.INE'S BOMB.
1t Is Terrible Explosion of Eegu-
lar Dynamite.
And Falls with Disastrous Effect Among
the Populists-The Most Sensational
Story Yet Published-where
Money Was Used.


letter, which probably will make in.
teresting reading for many distin-
-guished gentlemen who are at the
head of the reform" business in this
state. Kline's letter was addressed to
State Senator Edwin Taylor, the
author of the anti-lottery bill, which
was defeated in the legislature of 1893
through the instrumentality of lottery
Doodle in the hands of corrupt politi-
scians, in response to a communication OF
inquiry received from him. The letter
was made public this afternoon by the
republican state central committee. 1t
is as follows:
Hon. Edwin Taylor, Edwardsville. Kan.
KANSAS CITY. Kan. Sept. 2s.-My Dear Sir:
Some time since I received letter from you
making some inquiries in regard TO the connec-
ntion of the present populist state administra-
ztion of Kansas with the lottery business at
Kansas City, Kan. Your letter is as follows:
Mr.. p w. Kline. St Louis, Mo.
Dear Sir: Although we have never met in
person, Ipresume we are fairly well acquainted
by reputation and report. Against the line Of
life which you are engaged in 1 entertain a
deep hostility. presume we should find, could
We ever come to know each other, that we have
many points in common. notice we each have
the nerve to get after what we want, and what
We dare to dream of we dare to do. Against
the line Of life in which you are engaged en-
terrain deep hostility. made such effort as
I could at Topeka to put it under the ban of
law. 1 encountered you at every turn. You
beat me completely. There was an investiga-
-tion after the close of the legislature, devoted
in part to your successful efforts in opposi-
tion to me. That investigation fastened
nothing directly upon any important member
of the legislature, but it did bring out that
yourself and your attorney. Mr.. James Legate
of Leavenworth, held an audience with the
encouragement of the state and the gov
errors private secretary in an obscure place
in the outskirts OF town in the small hours of
night. There is an underlined impre sSion
abroad that your negotiations that night re-
ferred to an agreement upon their part to
shield you and your friends from laws passed,
or to be passed, for which you were to pay, or
did pay, actual money in hand. II that charge
is true, can imagine the contempt you must
have felt for those political prostitutes after
YOU had used them. am satisfied you will
agree with me that the basest and most despi-
cable crime on the calendar is the act OF using
an official position to shield people denounced
by law, for pay. On the one hand is society
rentrusting its momentouS interests in the
hands of its officers, with all the
confidence that a client can re-
pose in his attorney. or a maiden in
officers betraying that clients cause-pre-
tended lovers ravishing in disguise the fair
victim they had sworn to protect. Mind, l
don't say that any one has been guilty of such
conduct. merely say that the state admins
tration, including the governor, has carried it.
self from the first in what seems to me to be a
suspicious manner, and appeal to you to clear
up that suspicion if it is unfounded, if it is
correct. TO put me in possession Of proof that 1
can use with which to blow the contemplate
harlOts out of the water and put the state house
in a way of disinfection. l make this appeal
purely from the standpoint of the public well
fare, just as would expect you to assist me in
averting any other pestilence; to give full
expose of the underground work of the admin
istration as far as you know it; to give me
such clews as YOU may possess to further in
formation, and on my part will promise you
that will exhaust myself in an effort to hunt
the villains down. Yours truly,
EDWIN TAYLOR
Kline's Startling Statement.
Believing the facts to be as potent now as
then, I have concluded to answer your letter
and believing you to be an honest man and
that you will receive my answer with the
-candor that frank, open and truthful state
ment Of the facts merits. In December, 1898,
met Mr.. James F. Legate and had a lengthy
conversation with him in regard to affairs in
Kansas. The conversation had was about the
legislature. He told me that the house of rep
-resentatives was republican, but that he was
anxious TO have populist control the house.
He said he had seen men enough to know that
with money he could put the control in the
hands of the populists. After many confer
aences he told me he wished me to raise him
money to accomplish that object. asked him
how much he wanted or how little he could get
along with He finally said three or four thou
sand dollars. / asked him how l could be BEN
sefitted. He replied: That was for me to
say, not him 1 asked him if 1 could be
protected in my policy business. He said that
he had the assurance Of the governor that 1
could control the appointment Of the police
commissioners. After consideration told Mr.
Legste that would pay 5000 provided could
dictate the appointment Of two of the police
commissioners OF Kansas City, Kan. and that
the other should not be unfriendly to me and
that 1 should have lead pipe cinch' of all
gambling lottery and saloon privileges in the
city. He told me that could do this. 1 paid
the 5000 in the presence OF Mr.. n. F. Acers,
my attorney. in the form of a cashiers check
of which the following is copy:
sS,OOo0O Kansas City, Mo-, Jan. t. 1898.
AMERICAN NATIONAL BANK.
Pay to the order OF p. W. Kline, three thou
;sand and no-l0O dollars.
No. 1854. Cashiers check
o. R. HAZARD
Vice President and Cashier.
Endorsements:
lay 10 the OrO6T OF D.. r. LeEaIe.
p. W. KLINE
JAMES f. LEGATE.
For credit account OF Manufacturers ma
-tional bank, Leavenworth, Kan.
w. b. NICKEI.s, cashier.
All that was told me by Mr.. Legate about his
authority was afterward repeatedly confirmed
by Mr.. Close. private secretary to the governor.
The persons to be appointed were all agreed
upon. The appointment Of these men was not
made and grew uneasy. 1 sent my attorney
to Gov. Leweliing in person to find out why
they were not appointed The governor as
,sured him that the appointment Of these men
would be made in short time. was then
satisfied Still they were not appointed
soon met Mr.. Legate and he said to me that the
governor and his friends wanted him to raise
more money. but as the governor had not made
the appointment of the commissioners agreed
upon, he advised me not to give more money
until they were appointed. Finally by appoint
ment by wire. was to meet Attorney-G General
John 7. Little, Judge s. s. Sharpe and James
F. Legate at the Blossom house in Kansas
City, No. the first week in February, 1898
Close, Legate and Kline.
Sharpe and Legate came to me think on the
afternoon Of the fifth day, but MIR. Little did
not arrive until 1 was compelled to leave be-
cause of business engagement. Mr.. Little
came after had gone and had a conference
with Legate and Sharpe After this conference
was luEoukA- AceaNS anu soA0A PC OOeA OaAlS W
me and informed me that Mr.. Little had said
that il 1 would pay 81 more money that the
original contract would be carried out 70 the
letter.
Upon this assurance took the 81 500 in cash
and went to Topeka myself said 70 Mr.. Leg
ate that before gave up this money desired
to see the governor in person and to receive
from him assurances that the agreements
would be carried out With this suggestion
Mr.. Legate seemed pleased, and left me, say
a while he came back ana said that the COVER
nor declined to see me, but would send Mr..
Close, his private secretary, over TO the Union
Pacific hotel in North Topeka. where 1
was stopping, and the place where il was