Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-09-05
GOV. WAITE DISCHARGED.
BUT THE OTHER DENVER PO-
LICE OFFICIALS ARE HELD.
MUCH POLITICS IN The SCANDAL,
rOiOradO's Chief Executive Denies Hav'
ing Anything to DO With Opening of
Mrs. Liens Letter-It Was Used
to secure Her Dismissal as
POIIce Matron of Denver
Sudden End of Case.

DENVER, Col, Sept. 1.-Governor
Waite was the first witness for the de-
Tense to-day in the hearing of the
charge against him, President Mullins
of the fire and police board, Chief OF
Police Al mstrong and Police Matron
Dwyer of conspiring to withhold from
ex-Matron Likens a letter for her.
He declared tn he had never had
anything TO do IN the matter what
ever and was greatly surprised when
he learned that he had been charged
with an unlawful act. He had never
had any conversation with any
person for the purpose of enter
ing into IL conspiracy for any
purpose. The letter in question
was handed to me to read" he said,
and had TO take it in my hands to
do SO. Immediately returned IL to
the person who handed it to me and
this is my entire and only connection
with il. 1t might have been a forgery
for all know, and it did not attract
my attention to any extent, as | con-
sidered it of but little Importance.
Chief of Police Armstrong is most GER
tainly mistaken in his statement that
he got the letter from me. ] did not
think it wise of the fire and police
board to remove Mrs Likens from the
position Of police matron and OPP
posed 1t in every way ! possibly could.
| have known Mrs. Kate Dryer, the
present matron, for II number of
years She called upon me frequent
ly regarding the removal of Mrs.
Likens, but ! never gave her any en-
couragement and discouraged all
propositions she made to this end"
Mrs DIR. Love, a leading member of
one of the local charity organizations
of which Mrs. Li<ens is also mem
Der, said that. after reading the letter
published by Mr.. Mullins casting re-
Elections upon the character of Mrs.
Likens, she called upon Governor
Waite and asked for the reasons for
Mrs. Likens removal. He said"
Mrs. Love testified, the removal was
not because she was a Republican
but because of a letter which has
been received compromising her char
acter The governor gave me let
ter to Chief Armstrong requesting him
to let me see the letter but when
presented it, the chief said he did not
have the letter and sent me to Mr..
Mullins. Mr.. Mullins refused to show
me the letter, but said it was very
compromising and sufficient to cause
Mrs. Li<ens' removal from Office. The
impression I arrived at from my con-
vcrsation with Governor Waite. Null
Inns and Armstrong, was that the
removal was made because of this
letter and not for the purpose of cut
ting down expenses as alleged by the
police board"
j. Warner Mills leading Populist,
said he had known Mrs. LikenS since
childhood and never before had he
heard single word against her char
acter After reading the charges by
Dennis Mullins, he went to the city
hall to investigate. Mullins, in a
pompous manner, informed him that
the letters and proofs in his posses
sion showing up the character of Mrs.
Liltens was very strong, but that they
were not read yet to be shown to the
public. During his conversation with
President Mullins he charged him
with bringing religious matters into
this prosecution and Mullins did not
deny the charge.
Chief of Police Armstrong was re-
called for the purpose of contradict
ing the testimony of Mrs. DIR. Love,
but failed to do so. Both sides then
announced their case closed
Attorney Scales of counsel for the
defense moved that the case be dis
missed for want of jurisdiction, but
his motion was denied by the COM
missioner.
The prosecution arraigned the ac-
cused most severely, charging that
Mrs Kate Dwyer and President Null
Inns were the leading conspirators in
this case, but that Chief of Police
Armstrong and Governor Waite, in al
lowing themselves to be used in car
rying out the purpose of these two,
were equally guilty, whether they
acted innocently or not.
WAITE FREED THE OTHERS HELD.
At the conclusion of the arguments,
| Commissioner HinSdale rendered his
decision as follows:
These four defendants are charged
with an offense against two sections
of the laws relating to conspiracy and
the taking and retaining of letter
belonging to another. II is shown by
the evidence that letter did come to
the city hall, the envelope of which
was addressed to the police matron, :
but the letter itself was addressed tC
Mrs. Likens." Mrs. Dwyer, as one
OF the matrons, had perfect right to
open and read this letter but should
have at once delivered it to the per-
son to whom II was addressed inste ad
of taking it to the chief of police.
1t has not been clearly shown Their,
was conspiracy between these de.
PENDANTS to injure Mrs. Likens, but
the retaining and withholding of the
letter from her was clearly a violation
of the law.
While Governor Waite read the let
ter and had il brought To his Office hi
could not help this, and the evidence
against him is so doubtful as to show
ing that he retained the letter or hac
anything to do with it being withheld
| from Mrs Likeus. that / cannot con
slider him guilty of any offense agains
the law.
The other defendants, however. re
tanned the letter for period of time
and evidently used its contents to the
| injury of Mrs Likens. So far as the
defendants, Armstrong, Dryer and
! Mullins, are concerned. ! will holC
them To the United States grand jury
in the sum of $500 each, and tho de
PENDANT Waite is hereby discharged