The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-10-09
POWERLESS TO ACT.
Attorney General Little Cornered By a Kan
sas City Correspondent.

| sas Sliy Correspondent.
A correspondent Of the Kansas City
| Times was sent down to Topeka Saturday
| to pump Attorney General Little and the
| following is all be- could get out of him:
| Are YOU going to take any steps toward
the enforcement OF the laws In the large
cities:" asked The Times correspondent OF
Attorney General Little this morning.
For all l know" replied General Little.
"the laws are all enforced. No complaint
has Teen made at this Office"
"Dou't you know that there
are joints and lotteries running
/ in Kansas City, Kan, Topeka,
| Wichita, Atchison. Leavenworth and
| Fort Scott, where the governors metro
| poll au police are IN control:'
Il have received no official notice to that
eff ct "
Don't you regard County Attorney
| Boone's letter, in which he tells OF the dis
graceful condition of affairs at Wichita,
as official notice?
vestigated as soon rs the governor gets
time to look into it,"
Before he el-ction"
AS soon as the governor gets time, l
said"
Don't you regard Mr.. Boone as relia-
BILE maui"
80, yes. He's reliable. But then he's
bdNiIS Ep" Win nuns SOuc, tHc CElSl u
police. That makes big difference.
"Wby?"
you know why without asking such a
QUESTION"
County Attorney Boone has informed
you that the prOhibitury law is being vio-
lated at Wichita. Have you any auth
oriIy to act?"
The law says that may appoint an as
sistant attorney general when convinced
that the county attorney will not or can
not enforce the provisions of the statute"
Are you going TO appoint AL assistant
attorney general for Sedgwick county,"
Not that know OF"
Doesn't Boone's letter convince you
that the law is being violated every day in
Wichilai"
The attorney general was silent. The
question was repeated. The attorney gen.
eral drummed little on his desk with n
paper weight. changed legs. fixed his neck
tie. cleared his throat aud finally SAID:
You have lived in Kansas long enough
to know that the people won't tol-rate
assistant attorney general so what's
Were TO appoint an assistant attorney
general for W ichiIa the people down there
would d-n ME from Dan to Beersheba.
They wouldn't stand il in Atchi-on. nor
Leavenwortb, nor Kansas City. Kan, nor
any other town, and l wouldn't blame
them"
You admit, then. that public senti-
ment cuis quite figure in regard to the
enforcement or non-enforcement of law"
Il shall admit nothing. / do not visit
joins aud lotteries, therefore do not know
positively whether they exist in Kansas.
Ii the people of the cities you mention
complain, | will see what Can be done
But Am not going to turn this state up
side down on the strength of sensational
newspaper reports, printed for political
PURPOSES"
DO you want the public to understand
that you are not G ing 10 do anything TO-
ward the suppression Of the lawless ele-
ments in the large cites?''
so long Ms the people don't complain, /
can't see any reason why | should stir up
a row."
Have you ever heard that in many
places local authorities protect ga mblers
and lottery men for so much money u
month";"
Il have read newspaper stories to that
effect?''
Suppose that you had the proof; what
them"
Il would be powerless 10 act"
"Would the governor be- powerless to
act, too"'
81 don't know; haven't looked it up"
At this juncture Mr.. Shook, the gener-
ais facto' um, announced that It was train
time. The genera! evidently was pleased.
He grabbed up his hat and coat and dashed
from the room. He wanted to catch the
train for Perry. in Jefferson county, where
he made speech this afternoon.