Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-10-11

with no protection from tho police force
Of this city and consequently I an com
PEELED to swear TO complaints mysslf in
order to psrtorm my Official duty. Bone
days ago evidence was presented to No
against tho joints and ! have filed some
cases and expect to file more. l can
not ~ how / could do otherwise
On Sunday, September ., 1894, Colo
mol H. l. Taylor, state coal oil inspector,
under Governor dwellings, administra-
ton, wrote me TIT following letter towit:
Hon. W. II. Boone, Addressed.
II. L. Taylor State Coal Oil Inspector,
Room 2O3, Ssdgwick Block, Topeka,
Kan, 9-9'94.-Desr Sir:-I am anxious
to have q talk with you some time to-day,
therefore l would respectfully request
you TO meet me at the Office in the court
house this p. M, I would say at the
hour Of 2 o'clock, but l am willing that
you should fix the time to suit yourown
convenience. feel It's important I
should zoe you soon as 1t may result in
much good to you personally.
Very truly, your friend,
II. L. TAYLOR.
Mr.. Taylor came to my office the next
morning, or the morning following I
don't know remember which, and said
to me: "Willard come to you Us
friend, and l think some Of these fellows
arc going TO try and act your sclap un-
less you drop tho liquor cases you have
commenced and refuse to commsnce any
more" To which replied 10 substance
that the evidence was presented to me
and considered II my sworn duty to
act and would continue to act and have
continued TO act.
Furthermore there are, according TO
the statistics compiled by reliable par
ties, thirty-three joints in this city run
ming wide open and in full blast, which,
according to Chief Of Police Cones
theory Of running things, ought to pay
into the city treasury each month tho
sum Of $50 apiece, making . total Of
$1,650 per month. I understand these
joints formerly paid SIS aad were re-
duced by Chief Gone. According to
the estimate made there should be at
least $500 per month collected from the
bawdy houses and unfortunate women
Of the town. According to the ssti-
mates made there are two gambling
houses which pay 500 each and one
which pays $50, making total OF $3.50.
Besides these which pay, there arc, am
reliably informed, six or seven private
gambling rooms which the police de-
partment claims pay nothing. There Is
also one policy shop and lottery, which
it is claimed by the police department,
pay nothing. The fines in the police
court for violation Of city ordinances,
other than what is hereinbefore men.
toned, it 10 estimated, are on an aver
age OF at least $500 per month. This
makes grand total Of $500, which
should be turned into the city treasury
every month. Some Of our best and
most reliable citizens place the amount
higher. l give you these figures b.
cause from Investigations made / b.
levs them to he more nearv correct
Yet the police records, which are con-
trolled by the metropolitan police de-
partment OF this CITY, show that there is
~ot more than half that amount &C.
counted for to the city treasurer
monthly.
Furthermore, these fines are recorded
under fictitious names 70 that tho parry
paying the fine has q. credit on the
record for what he has paid, while at
the same time the police department had
full knowledge and knew the real names
OF the parties paying such fines. The
above facts convince the best citizens Of
our community that the city is being
robbed every month Of from $1,000 to
$4,000, and these facts, in my Judgment,
are susceptible Of proof sufficient to con-
vince any twelve fair-minded jurors in
the state Of Kansas.
Furthermore: 1t Is openly and pub
licly charged in this community to be a
fact, that the chief OF the metropolitan
police force, Rufus Cone, is silent
partner Of the wholesale liquor firm Of
Mahan Bros, and to my personal
knowledge systematic effort has been
made and is being made by the metro
politan police force to control the liquor
traffic Of this city in the interest Of
Maban Bros, which is also SUSCEPTIBLE Of
the moro convincing proofs. And the
interests Of this firm Of Maban Bros.
are protected to the injury Of all other
wholesale liquor men in this city.
Therefore, General Little, l have
given you honestly, fairly, conscien-
tiously and in the best Of faith, few
OF the many facts which are injuring
the administration in this locality and
dlsgracing it in our city. Feeling that
] could talk to you plain, candidly and
directly to the point, without dealing in
glittering generalities, have given you
the above facts and can furnish you
with the most convincing proofs 80
far as the public here Is concerned these
things are considered To have been un-
der credentials from the administration,
and each act bears the impression Of
the administration seal. The State, In
its endeavors 10 force the laws, has been
met in every turn in the road by solid
pbalanx Of opposition from the metro
politan police department Of this city.
They have not only refused TO furnish
the State evidence which they had in
their possession Of violations Of the laws
but have actually aided and abetted In
the defense. They have by threats and
intimidation tried 10 deter public officers
from performing their duties.
While / cannot countenance such con-
duct, yet as these things exist | deem it
highly important that you and the Gov