The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-10-12
WICHITi'S FEARFUL CONDITION.
State officials in League With JOintistS
and Gamblers.
HONEST MEN ARE THREATENED.
Governor LeWelling Has Tied the County
Attorneys Hands.
THE CITY is BEING ROBBED.


WICHITA, Kan, Sept. 29.-The county
attorney of this county has written a
letter of importance to Hon. j. T. Little,
attorney general of Kansas, which adds
another chapter to the exciting whiskey
war that has been going on here for q
couple of weeks, and in which the state
authorities and the metropolitan police
department are arrayed against each
other. The Times correspondent has
secured a copy of this letter-a true
copy, letter for letter and word for
word. When the letter was sent to Mr..
Little is not known, but the indications
are that it was sent within the last
forty-eight hours. Mr.. Boone, the
county attorney, was seen tonight and
he acknowledged having written letter
to the attorney general, but would give
no information concerning it. He was
elected on a fusion ticket by the Popu-
lists and Democrats two years ago, and
received the highest vote cast in the
county, running ahead of the governor.
The following is the letter:
Hon. John T. Little Attorney General, Topeka,
Kan.
My DEAR SIR:-Owing to the fact
that affairs are in a very chaotic state
here in Wichita 1 deem it nv official
duty to lay few facts before you as
my superior officer, and official adviser
and ask your advice in the premises.
By reason of your being the official
adviser of Governor Lewelling and the
matters to which l desire to refer COM
ing under the supervision Of the attor-
ney general and Governor, 1 will speak
through you TO the Governor. In order
to get the matter, L desire to pre-
sent for your information, fully be-
fore Won, it will be necessary for me to
go back to May, 1898, and to the con-
versation l had with Yourself aid Gov
ernor Lewelling. in reference to certain
injunctions which had been placed on
certain joints in this, city. Governor
Lewelling said to me at that time that
it was the policy of his administration to
close all the joints over the state, but
that the move had been made at Wichita
before he was quite ready. Upon the
same day. you will remember, L had a
consultation with yourself, in which L
stated in substance that when evidence
was brought to me as county attorney
against the joints, that [ had no alter
native but to act and l believed it to be
my solemn duty under my official oath,
and YOUR approval of my position in the
matter.
AT.er this conversation with you had
another conversation with Governor Lew
sling at Hotel Chesterfield, in which
the Governor said in substance: awhile
the first step towards closing the joints
in Wichita was taken sooner than he
intended, vet it was the policy of the
administration, and that then was as
good a time as any to move" The
Governor further said: 'You go back to
Wichita, call the Board of Police Com
missiouers together, and tell them it is
nv wish. my desire and instructions,
through you, for them to do everything
in their power to assist you in every
way possible to suppress the liquor
traffic in Wichita"
The Governor further said he would
write the Board of Police Commission
ers an official letter confirming these in
structions to them, through me. When
L arrived home from Topeka 1 found
that Mr.. Dickson, chairman of the Board
of Police Commissioners, and Chief Of
Police Cone. had gone to Topeka. 1
waited until their return. at which time
Mr.. Dickson presented me with the fol-
lowing letter from Governor Lewelhng,
to-wit:
WILLARD Boone, COUNTY ATTORNEY,
WICHITA, KAN.
TOPEKA, KAN, May 7, 1S9S.-Dear
Sir: Upon reflection I am convinced
that whatever is done by you which
shall in any manner be credited to the
account of my administration should be
done only in cooperating with the
Board of Police Commissioners, and I
have decided to leave you free to do
what in your judgment seems best, as
they are on the ground and can under
stand all the bearings in the case. Mr..
Dickson will speak for the board.
Yours,
L. ID. LEwELLTNG, Governor.
You will observe that the governor
said in his letter that Mr.. Dickson will
speak for the board" Mr.. Dickson
said to me after Ihad read the governors
letter, that the governor had recon-
sidered the matter and had decided that
it would be to the best interests OF the
to let the joints run, but
that no new ones should open up; and
that when one dropped out none should
be started in its place. Owing to the
fact that Governor Lewelling was a
personal friend and fellow townsman,
and was elected on the fusion state
ticket as a Populist at the same time
that I was elected on the county ticket
as Democrat, and also knowing that
without the assistance of the metropoli-
tan police department OF this city neither
the citizens nor myself could accomplish
was willing that the Board
Of Police Commissioners should do on
their own responsibility as they saw fit,
in so far that as it did not affect my
official duties under nv oath OF Office. I
therefore told Mr.. Dickson that when
ever sufficient evidence was presented to
ne would certainly have to prosecute,
and have done SO in every instance, with
inc result that the jury has convicted
n every case 1 have commenced and !
.ried. When I commenced the first
Iquor cases during the fore part OF my
which was compelled !
% do on evidence presented to me,
chief of Police Cone said to me: If !