The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-10-05

L
ger Of the Taylor lottery bill passing. and Mr..
Close assured me that IL the bill did pass he
would guarantee that the governor would veto
it. He said that he wanted it distincly under
stood the governor would stand by his friends
1 then paid the money to Mr.. Legate.
After the legislature adjourned Mr.. Close
frequently called at my office and discussed
these matters with me and gave me numerous
excuses for not carrying out the agreement
made in consideration of the money advanced
by me. During this time Mr.. Close introduced
me to Mr.. Hathaway, assistant bank COM
missioner under Mr.. Breidenthal, and also at
that time one of the populist state central
committee. Mr.. Hathaway came to me fire.
quently and demanded money, and gave him
over 500 at different times.
After the governor had failed to carry out
his contract with me as to my protection in the
lottery business in Kansas City, Kan, Mr..
Close, his private secretary, by special ap-
pointment met me on Sunday at the Midland
hotel in Kansas City, Mo. and made new
deal with me by which he was to protect me in
the lottery business in the cities of Atchison,
Leavenworth, Fort Scott and Wichita, for
which protection was to pay 81 900 per month
to him in person, no one else to know of the
deal He would not include Topeka, saying
that he was afraid that the church people in
that city would make trouble, and that Topeka
was too close to the headquarters OF the ad-
ministration.
Afterward Mr.. Atkin, claiming to be a rela-
tive and an itimate friend of the governor,
went in person to the governor and made a
proposition for protection for the lotteries for
5000 month and the governor referred him
to Mr.. H. L. Taylor. then and at this time coal
oil inspector Of the state of Kansas saying to
him that he could not entertain the proposition
personally
Mr.. H L. Taylor, the coal oil inspector under
the appointment of Gov. Lewelling. came to
Kansas City. Kan, and appointed this said Mr..
Atkin his deputy at a salary of 800 month.
Mr.. Atkin at that time was very poor, but since
then he has become interested in many of the
lotteries, policy and gambling houses and sa-
looms and he runs what is known as the "Ad-
ministration saloon" within stones throw of
police headquarters. Before Mr. Atkin was
appointed he worked for me at $40 per month
since his appointment he has become the
owner Of large residence, driving pair of
fine horses, wears diamonds and collects 5 900
month for protection for the lotteries that
are now running. Associate Justice Allen
doubtless did not investigate these facts as
thoroughly as he might have done before he
gave out through Mr.. Breidenthal his inter-
view.
Gen. Little's Proposition.
John T. Little, encouragement was sent by
the governor to Kansas City, Kan, and he by
arrangement through Judge Sharpe and others
said that if L would raise $500 more money
and turn it over to Mr.. Legate that the original
contract should be carried out, plainly imply
ing thereby that they all knew of the contract
in consideration of the 5000.
On the Sunday morning that Mr.. Close
started to the worlds fair, Mr.. 6. s. Sharpe
paid him for me 800 at the Chesterfield hotel
in the city of Topeka, that being partial pay
ment of the 81 900 per month contract referred
TO above. Within a day or two after the at
torney-general had written an open letter to A.
H. Cobb. the county attorney of Wyandotte
county, demanding that he Cobb should put a
stop to the infamous lottery business that was
being run in Kansas City, Kan. Mr.. Quarles,
chief Of police of Kansas City. Kan. appeared
in Topeka reported to have S5,0)O.in his pocket
to quiet the encouragement and the influence
that was at work against the lotteries and he
offered Mr.. Breidenthal $500 as campaign
fund for the benefit of Gov. dwellings re-
nomination.
Gov. Lewelling seems to plead ignorance to
all of these things when he knows that Mr..
Acers, my attorney, took the check which L
paid to James F. Legate as per contract and
showed it to him in the presence of Mr. Close
in his own private Office in the state house and
concerning which Gov. Lewelling, in an inter-
view with reporter of the Topeka State
Journal on Friday, March 3, 1893, said that.
he had heard where the money came FROM but
it was told him in confidence and he would not
make that part of the story public at this time.
On the Sunday after J. A. Smith wrote his
celebrated letter to Gov. Lewelling and before
its publication, was sent for by Mr.. Close, the
governors private secretary, to come to To-
peka. Mr.. Close was anxious that l should
keep still and say nothing in corroboration of
the statements made in that letter and prom
ised me upon his honor that he would make
the change in the police commission agreed up
ssa-4 h. y, 10 10
clared that as soon as Gov. Lewelling, who was
at that time in the west, reached Salt Lake
City, the whole matter would be arranged by
wire.
When the senatorial investigation was made
at Kansas City, Kan. Fred Close. private sec
rotary of the governor, and G. Z. Hathaway,
assistant bank commissioner. came from To-
peka and requested that go to Chicago where
could not be subp9naed before the investi-
eating committee and said to me if would
keep out of the state of Kansas they would see
that was not compelled to appear before that
investigating committee.
Corruption in a Mass.
Being convinced that Gov. Lewelling and
Acknowledgement Little did not intend to keep
their contract with me in regard to protection
that they had entered into and that they had
entered into an arrangement with other parties
to carry on the lottery business in Kansas City,
Kan, and this opinion being confirmed by the
fact that E. Fox s Co, NJ. Ottens C. A. Gale &
Co, and Winn & Co. had opened up lot
teries and made public drawings in the
month of September. 1 Immediately opened
up correspondence with the Louisiana Lottery
Co and told them that / believed that could
have the lottery business in the state of Kan
sas suppressed. By appointment. met their
attorney, Mr.. Henderson, at Chicago. October
II, and entered into a written contract which
now hold with him to suppress all lotteries in
Kansas for the consideration OF 81. 900. to be
paid in payments of 5000 each; 5000 in cash
which was to be paid on October Ia, 1898; 5000
to be paid on November Is. 1885, 5000 to be
paid February Is, 1894; 5000 May Is, 1894, and
5000 July Is, 1894. Attorney-General Little
was to receive $4,000 of this money and was
to receive 5000.
OF the 5000 paid me in cash by the attorney
at Chicago, when 1 arrived at Kansas City.
sent $1,000 to Mr.. Little in crisp SOD bills as
per agreement.
Mr.. Little at once, as the records at Kansas
against the lottery companies. When he came
down to prosecute the case 1 met him and
asked him if he had received the 5000 1 sent
him and he said that he had and then showed
him the contract which had made with the
Louisiana Lottery Co. and which 1 now hold,
and he agreed to and approved the contract.
But for some reason best known to himself
kanO Ctners1 ne 10 Oul part
of 1t and close up the lotteries as he agreed to
do, although he would have received $4,000
more money-in the aggregate. $4,000 for SIM
ply doing his Official duty. The only natural
conclusion is that it has been more profitable
for Attorney-General Little to follow the
course that has been pursued in Kansas City,
Kan, by the gang in control there since that
time. And now the louisiana Lottery Co. has
demanded of me that reimburse them the S.
600 with interest which they furnished me
under the contract, 5000 of which Mr.. Little
himself received.
1 have been criticised by the press through
out the entire west for my connection with the
lottery business. L have been abused not only
by the newspapers. but by the present popu-
IL. nd nh,