The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-13
MRS. LEASE SMIRCHED.
She Is Accused by the Dixons of
Urging Doodle.
HOW THE WORLDS FAIR JUNKET
Was Paid FOr-EEr and Mrs. Dixon
say That 1t Was Charged Up TO
maintenance and Repairs

say That 1t Was Charged Up 10
maintenance and Repairs
T. L. Dixon. who was superintendent
of the state deaf and dumb institution at
Olathe before the appointment of A A.
Stewart, the present superintendent, and
Mrs. Dixon, who was matron at that time
have made affidavit and placed it in
the hands of the Republican state cen
trail committee, in which they tell how
Mrs Mary E. Lease, who secured their
positions for them, wanted them to take
money from the state which did not be-
long to them.
The affidavit is as follows: In May
1898, Mary E. Lease, president of the
state board CT charities, came to me and
my wife and offered TO procure a situa-
ton for each of US, in one of the chart
table institutions in the state of Kansas,
like to have a situation Of that kind and
would appreciate such favors.
She then turned to me and said. ssHow
would you like to be steward at the deaf
and dumb instituteI' 1 answered "That
will do me-" Then she turned to my
wife and said, II think l can get you the
matron's place in the same institution"
After an elapse of nearly a month she
again called on us informing US that she
had succeeded in getting the situations
lOE Us. DOLn AT O1dt4cs IQdI the secretary
would notify US soon. She then advised
to sell all of our household effects;
that the state furnished everything that
we would need, stating that we would
hold our situations two years and perhaps
three years. We sold and gave away all
of our effects. On or about the first of
June we received notice of our appoint
ments.
Later we received notice by telegraph
to come TO Olathe at once, signed Nv. T
zoe, secretary state board Of chart
ties.~ When we arrived at Olathe,
Kansas. we met all the board but Mrs.
Lease. They were invoicing all the
institution. The members present award
ed us our places. This was on or about
the 25th of June, 1898. We we're to as
sumo the duties of our offices July 1st Of
the same year. The first time Mrs. Lease
met with the board after we had taken
our situations. she came into the matron's
room and talked quite awhile. when she
turned TO me and said:
.'Now. Judge, you have got a chance
to make money Now pay your
self from the income of the
institution and charge it to mainten-
ance-A and repairs of the institution. All
you will have TO do will be to make your
books agree with the amount you take"
My answer was: Il can't do that /
never had that kind of a record" She
again remarked: "YOu let about $4,000
90 by you when you was police Judge of
Wichita. Now you take care of yourself.
Don't be foolish. They are all doing it,
from the governor down. No worse for
you than others"
The next time she approached me
about taking money belonging to the
state she stopped over by herself
Got of the train in the evening
After supper she came into our
room. After talking a short time she
again come to the money question, of
what is called knocking down" money
that is not your own. Now she looked
at me very earnest, telling me to take
enough of money to buy you farm but
not omit enough to buy her farm.
then repeated my former answer that l
could not do that. She then used part
of her former statement that they were
all boodling.
Then she went into a statement as to
what the board of charities done after
they had concluded their work over the
state; all of them wanted to 60 to Chicago
to the Worlds fair and did not want to use
their own money. They decided that it
would take $50 apiece to take the round
trip and board them. She said they or
dered the steward to make up a voucher
for maintenance and repairs and the
board allowed it, drew the money and
went to the fair. 1 his. she said, was done
at the insane asylum, Topeka, Kansas.
She affirmed that | could do the same
way in this case, all of which we notified
the governor in due time, he ignoring
our statement T. L DIXON.
A A. DIXON.
STATE OF KANSAS