The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-10-19
LOTTERY LITERATURE.
Another Chapter in the Kansas
City, Kan, Scandal.
The Attorney for Peter Kline Tells What
He Knows About Populist Deals with
Policy Men-Manipulating Po-
lico Commissioners.

Another chapter of the Kansas City
lottery scandal, showing the extent of
the dealings between the Kansas City
people and the present administration
in connection with the appointment of
police commissioners and the protec-
ton to be afforded to the lottery con-
Germs of that city, has been contributed
in the following letter from Nelson f.
Acers to Gov. Lewelling:
KANSAS CITY. No. Oct 3. 1894.
Gov L. ID. Lewelling. Topeka Kan.
Dear Sir: Ny acquaintance with you began
soon after your Inauguration had occasion
then. as you will remember. to frequently call
on you as the attorney of p. W Kline the
much-talked Of policy man of Kansas City,
Kan. explained TO you then and reaSsert
now that was never interested in policy nor
any other OF the many questionable business
enterprises that have enjoyed so much thrift in
Kansas City. Kan. especially during your
reform administration My visits to you
at your private Office and our conversations
were OF a confidential nature and have tried
at all times to so regard them. As conse-
quence became target for newspaper crit
icism and public censure. L even refused to
obey the commands of a subpoena to appear
before a senatorial committee which was to in
vestigate yourself and members of your official
family. / have refused to make disclosures.
both TO your friends and your enemies. inside
and outside OF the political organization to
which you belong, rather than violate the con-
tidence that existed. but when Your assOciat IS
in Office and the managers of your party under
take to establish their honesty and integrity
before the people by making Self-riGhteous
thruStS and naming me personally your al
torney-general. John T. Little did on SeptenI-
Der 10, and since your private secretary as
=sumes TO give out my letters for publication.
hsrf- Had
20 speak.
Governor I had no par: in arranging the deal
between yourself and Mr. Kline. nor in the dis
1ribution OF doodle and Yet l personally
know that money in round sums passed into
the hands Of men who were of you- political
faith. and who stood very near to you, and
say know that you also had knowledge Of ut
least one such transaction. because it became
necessary. for reasons not now essential for
me TO secure from the American national bank,
of Kansas City, No, c cashiers check for 81
900, after il had been paid. which l showed 20
YOU and your private secretary, Mr. Fred Close.
in your private Office in the state house at To-
pes1a- This was the check covering the $500
and concerning which so much talk was had
soon after. and which was made the subject OF
committee Investigation. and the same to
which you presumably personally made refer
ence in an interview in the Topeka State
Journal on the Sd day of March. 1898 but de-
5or the reason that it had been told 20 yo2 in
confidence. still have the check in my pos
session.
This 5000 as well as the other sums coming
from the same source, were known by poluliStS
generally, yourself included. as funds CO atrib-
uted for legislative purposes
Now, when it is known that Mr. p. w. Kline
never sought or held political position In his
whole life, and that he was governed in b 5 DO
litical action solely by his interests as :: man
engaged in running policy games. etc, tho very
natural question arises: What did XIII ex-
pect to receive in consideration for his thou
sands OF dollars contributed ''for legislative
purpoSes:" You know and everybody else be-
lieves that he haG been promised something,
and. governor, YOU recognized in our conN ersa-
tons that ne entitled to consideration.
My purpose in calling upon YOU was to urge
the appointment Of police commissioner for
Kansas City. Kan.
At the time of my first visit a slate compris-
ing the names Of three men for such commits
Sioners was under consideration. These men
were satisfactory to Mr.. Kline and for several
days YOU gave assurance that their appoint
ment would be made but, after = time, change
was suggested and 1 was directed by your pri-
-Vate secretary. Mr.. Close whom Won informed
me was authorized to represent you in the mat
ter. TO ascertain whether these newly selected
gentlemen would be satisfactory to Mr. Kline.
] did so and a. soon as 1 could I report ed that
your second slate was agreeable to Mr.. Kline.
and 1 then urged their speedy appoir tment.
Day after day passed with action in the
matter and again another change was Sug-
geSted. and I was again directed to a. certain
Mr.. hline'S views Of the men cOmpris ing the
third slate. This did, and reported NJ. Kline
would be entirely satisfied with them. and
again asked that their appointment te made
at once. I received assurances as before that
the appointments would be made Just soon
rs the matter could be reached
In many Of the conversations 1 had with
yourself and Mr.. Close. other subjects than the
appointment Of police commissioners in Kan
SaS City, Kan, were spoken Of We discussed
the fitness of certain gentlemen for the posi-
itious of police judge and chief of police as to
whether they were acceptable or Objectionable
TO Mt. Kline and whether their performance of
their duties would be such as was desired to
carry out the arrangement with Kline and in
case such not the result, whether you
could and would remove them. We considered
and discussed methods by which a campaign
fund could be created from the manipulation of
affairs in Kansas City, Kan. but it seemed so
zSe1erally understood concerning the advan-
gageS Mr.. Kline was to receive in consideration
of the s. O9J which he had up 10 that time paid.
that the particulars OF the agreement made
with llr. Kline were not eXte1dedly spoken Of.
Thus the proceedings continued until about
the 9Th day Of February 1885, when was di-
rected by my client. DIR. Kline. to be present
at the Union Pacific hotel, North Topeka. I
accordingly was At that house AT the appointed
hour. and was present at conference in which
Mr.. Kline, Mr.. James F. Legate and your sec
rotary, Mr.. Fred Close, participated 1 did not
know the purpose Of this conference until it
was developed by the conversation that took
place there from which 1 learned. in brief
that Mr.. Kline had been urged to pay an add
tioual 81 500 and that he had come from Kan
-Sas City with the cash for that purpose, but
that he persisted in his demand that he should
have your personal assurances that the three
men agreed upon. and comprising your third
slate should be appointed at once. and that the
agreement for manipulating affairs 10 Kan
.Sas City be carried out This he demanded
before he would pay over the $500. It
was said that you did not consider il prudent
10 personally conduct such a negotiation, but
that you had empowered YOUR secretary, Mr..
Close to represent you. This Mr.. Close con-
firmed. The result was TINT Mr. Close ave
Mr.. Kline che assurances he demanded, and
wrote down the names Of the three men as Mr..
Kline named them to him. so. he said. there
could be no chance for mistake Mr.. Kline
Was meanwhile holding in his hands a large
bundle OF paper money. said 10 contain 81 800,
which he afterwards handed over to Mr..
fLeSate. who. under the arrangement then
made, was 10 receive it. The time occupied by
zhis transaction was not 10 exceed ten minutes.
The three ~artieS to the negotiation viz. Close.
AStEs2Nt hAA-4Sr SCNA4E0 ~ NANStSSSAAO NfsSA
other perfectly.
The fact that Mr.. Close was your private Sec
retz-y and that you directed me to confer and
consult with him in regard 10 the appointment
of police commissioners for Kansas City. Kan.
and matters pertaining thereto, convinced me
rhat you were party TO and indOrsed the agree
mens made with Mr.. Kline and for which he
;xlaid several thousand dollars. That agreement
you have persistently violated in every partie-
ular 20 this date. even including the appoint
meut OF commissioners in Kansas City, Kan,
from whom he could receive even as consider