The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-02
Is VlLE INDEED
TERRIBLE DISCLOSURE MADE BY
A P0PUTIST.
Ben Henderson, Late Chairman of
the Pop. State Convention
Opens the Closet.
Reveals Corruption and Practices Which
Will Make Every Kansan
Blush For Shame.
In a Letter Written to Briedentha,
He Says That All That Allen
Wrote and More is True and
That Lewelling and His
Administration is One
Seathing CespooI OF
Official Corrup-
ton - Words
Are Severe

TOPEKA, Sept. by far the most
searching, cruel criticism of political
partv. ever enunciated in Kansas was
made public, today.
1t is a letter written by Ben 5. Heuder-
son of Cowley county. probably the most
prominent PopuIisJ in the state and tenn
porary chairman of the last Populist state
convention, to Chairman Briedenthal of
the Populist state central committee.
Henderson, arraigns the POpulists as they
have never been arraigned before. The
letter is given out by the Republican state
central committe, who secured it from a
Republican, it is said
the language used, is astonishing III
that it deals specifically aud vigorously
with every subject handled.
BEN s. HENDERSON,
Attorney at Law,
WINFIELD, KANSAS.
Rooms u ard Is First Ma
IiOnal Bank Building.
WINFIELD. Kan, Aug %, 1894.
Hon. John W. Briedenthal, Topeka Kansas.
My DEAR SIR AND BRoTHER:-"Under
no circumstances do / wish the language
used in this letter TO be twisted into the
thought that | am contemplating leap"
from the Populist party. Upon the other
hand, | wish il understood that i adhere
strictly TO the doctrine enunclated in the
new Declaration of Independence, adopted
July Ash, 1892, by the Peoples party
national convention.
Some time ago i promised you that l
would speak at Marion on the 18th OF this
mouth. On the oath l wired you that l
could not fill the engagement | also
promised you that in the latter part OF
September / would engage in the cam
uaigD, speaking every day during the
month of October. This promise | cannot
ernor Lewelling for the following reasons,
Lo-Iit:
HE OPENS UP THE CLOSET.
First-The present management of the
penitentiary Is a matter demanding the
careful and considerate attention of all
true reformers and of every honest and
loyal citizen of this state. The warden in
his report points with pride to the enor-
mous amount OF coal mined under his
management, but he fails to tell that the
man Hiatt WHO had the contract of all the
coal mined by convict labor, was the one
who made the handsome profit from The
tale of the coal and not the state. During
lhe time that SIS much coal was being
mined bY convict labor, Governor
Iewelling was encouraging the miners
of the state TO stand firmly in their
strike for justice, and at the same time
making it impossible for them to win their
strike by taking convlcts out OF the var
ious manufacturing departments of the
peniteutiary by the score, and putting
Them in the mines, working both night
and day. According to Warden Chase'S
report, this wrong 10 the miners of the
state was done not only with Governor
dwellings knowledge but with his con-
sent Then again, thousands OF Popullsts
in this state are anxious for fair and
honest Investigation of the charges against
Warden Chase including his brutal attac
upon old man Mcdonald. They
think if Chase is Innocent an honest, fair
Investigation will do him no harm.
Upon the other hand. if the charges are
true, Chase should promptly be removed
from Office, and in so doing Governor Lew
cling would receive the commentator of
every good citizen
CORRUPTION IT LARGE CITIES.
Second. AZ the time | was talking with
You as to the part | should take init be cam
paign, there were rumors afioat that the
police commissioners of the large cities
were Thoroughly corrupt" / did not be-
liese that the stories were true, but l be
lieved that there was some ground there
for This opinion l possessed at the time
] was elected temporary chairman of our
state covention, hence the reason that l
spoke so emphatically and determined
upon the question of woman's suffrage, be-
lieving the adoption of that planE into
our platform would plainly indicate that
the slum vote and influence was not
wanted in the Populist party. When
Governor Lewelling accepted The nomina-
tion of that convention after the adoption
of our platform, L could not believe
that he knew the real facts of the cOrrup-
lion in the large cities and state institu-
tions assuming, of course, that he was
honest aud sincere at the time or his
speech accepting the nomination.
CONVINCED THAT LEwELLING Is CORRUPT
Il was informed at the time of the con-
veuiiou that Governor Lewelling would
thoroughly investigate the charges not
only against police commissioners of the
cities of the first class, but the charges
against Warden Chase as well, and, as
you well know. a resolution was offered
TO the convention demanding such
investigation and withdrawn upon
promise from the governors friends that
such Investigation should be made. | as
summed that this was true and gave no fur
Their thought of the disgraceful charges of
corruption and Doodle made against Gov
erRor dwellings administration. / con-
scientiously believed that everything was
moving nicely and that the governor was
quietly laying his plans for discovering
corruption in office If any could be
found" While SO continuing my conf
dence in Governor Lewelling, imagine. if
YOU can, the resJleSsneSs aud uneasinsss
the shock of the publication of Judge
Aliens letter gave me; knowing him
To be a cool, considerate and con-
sentative man, and In his letter
WAS direct charge that Governor Lew
cling not only knew of the corruption of
the administration of the officers in the
cities OF the first class, but that he sane
toned il. This was more than | could
stand. / can't believe that "our governor
is As honest aud sincere as thought him
TO be when he was renominated. Being
In Topeka a few days thereafter, | was APP
preached by Populists "high up" in the
councils of the administration who as
Eured me that Judge Allen had been
listening 70 the enemies of Governor Lew
cling and wrote his letter TO Lieutenant
Governor Daniels without proper invest
cation of the charges which he nsd
since mace and upon his return he VIII
make the statement for publication 70 the
effect that he bad done Governor Iewelling
an injustice. No such statement how
ever. mas yet been published from Judge
Alien. / accepted the alleged explana-
tlon, however. true. yet with a fixed
determination TO make some investigation
myself, which l have done within the past
tWo weeks. and the result Is startling.
JUDGE ALIENS LETTER Is MILD.
"Judge Aliens letter is indeed very