The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-08-17

properly be called smuggling mill than
an investigation. Judge Mcdonald,
an old man 69 years of age and prom
inent populist of Fort Scott, appeared
for Yarroll and Bum. Pending the
alleged investigation, while the board
of directors were closeted discussing
the matter, Warden Chase viciously
assaulted Judge Mcdonald in his of
fee, and but for the presence of mind
of number of by-standers a bloody
tragedy might have followed with
Warden Chase and his son
the aggressors. Revolvers were
drawn and dire threats were
made against Mcdonald, Yarroll and
Bum, and so intense was the feeling
and so bitter the denunciation of these
men by Warden Chase and his son that
the two ex-officials and their attorney,
Judge Mcdonald, left the prison and
went to Leavenworth for safety. The
board of directors then held short
session and declared that the charges
against Warden Chase were unfounded
and groundless.
The disgraceful and unprovoked at
tack made upon Judge Mcdonald by
Warden Chase aroused the indignation
of scores of populists in all parts of the
state, who were determined that Gov.
Lewelling should comply with the
plain provisions of the statutes and Or
der legislative investigation as pre-
scribed in the following paragraphs:
whenever charges shall be made by
any person or persons, and circulated
within the state or presented by such
person or persons in writing to the gov
ernor, at any time when the legislature
is not in session, and said charges shall
be deemed worthy of credit or emanat-
ing from reliable and trustworthy
source, whereby the management and
administration of the affairs of any
charitable, educational or penal insti-
tuition, or the official conduct of any
officer in charge of or otherwise con-
nected with any of said institutions,
shall be called into question upon the
grounds of corruption, venality. inef-
ficiency, misconduct, immortality, or in
attention to duties, an investigation
shall be had as provided for in the sec
ond section of this act.
''Sec. 2. The governor, the heuten-
ant-governor and the speaker of the
house of representatives of the state
shall meet at such time and place as
may be named by the governor, and
they shall proceed to select a commit
tee of five members of the legislature,
the duty of which committee when Sc
lected shall be to inquire into the truth
of the charges, investigate the affairs
of the institution. or examine into the
official conduct of the officers named in
the complaint. The committee Sc
lected to investigate as aforesaid shall
consist of two senator's and three rep
resentatives, neither of whom shall be
from the district or county in which
the institution whose affairs are to be
investigated is located, or from which
the official so charged has been elected
or appointed.
Why has Gov. Lewelling disregarded
his plain duty in the face of appeals
from members of his own party in
nearly every county in the state? If
Warden Chase is not guilty as charged,
then an investigation would have ex-
onerated him. If he is guilty the gov
ernor has, by his disregard of the law
and the demands of the people, done
that which will cover up his guilt and
protect him in his rottenness and cor
ruption.