The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-10-12
The $4,000 Was Paid to Col Fred Close Who
Represented the Governor, in
Two Installments.
Attorney General Little Got $4,000 Under
Promise to Stop All But the Louis
lana Lottery.
Populists Got All of Hines Money and Then
Repudiated Their Part of the Contract.

There is a romantic old story to the
effect that there is honor among thieves.
Pete Kline, the man who used to con-
troll the gambling bells and lottery
shops Of Kansas City, Kan, is trying to
disprove the adsgs and in reply to Sens-
tor Taylor Of Wyandotte county he gives
ths following interesting account OF the
systematic manner in which blood
money was extracted from him for pro-
lection that did not protect:
KANSAS CITY, Kan, Sept. %. 1894.
Hon. Edwin Taylor, Edwsrdsville, Kan:
Nv Dear Sir-Some time since re-
csived letter from you making some in
quiries 10 regard to the connection OF
the present Popalist state adminlstra-
ton Of Kansas with the lottery business
ct Kansas City, Kan. Your letter Is as
follows:
Mr. P. W Kline, ST. Louis No.:
Dear sIr-Although we have never met In
person / presume we are fairly well ac-
Quzinted by reputation an report, pre-
sumo we should ind cOald We ever come to
know each other that we ha many points
in common. / notice we each have the
nerve to get after what we want ana what
we dare to dream OF we care to do. Against
the line of life in which you are engaged /
enter ain L deep hostility. ! ma e snch eff
fort as l could ct Topeka TO put t vi der the
bane or INV. j encOuntt red you at every
turn Gu Deat me completely. The was
ADMINISTRATION after the close OF he Legis-
lature devoted in part TO your succes Sful ef-
forts IN opposition to me. That inyestga-
tion fastened nothing directly upon any
important member or the LegiSla ure
but it did bring out that yourssif
OF ieavenworth, held an audience
with the attorney general OF the state and
the governors private secretary In an co.
scure place IN the on skirts of town in the
small HOT Of tie night. There is an I'M
defined impression abroad that 20 neso-
tiations that night referred to an agree
ment upon their part to SHIELD you and
your friends from laws passed or to De
passed for W ich you were TO az or DID
pay actual money in and. II that cnargs
fs true, / can imagine the contempt you
must have felt for those political prosti-
tures after you Lad used them. L am sat
isned that you viii agree with me that tue
bssest and most Ges icable crime on the
calendar is the &C: OF using an official post
sion to shield people den Ounced 10y law, for
pay. On the one hand / society entrus ing
Is momentoas interests in the HaIds Of It's
of1cers with ali the confidence that q client
can repose in his attorney or maiden in
her lover. On the other nand are those
same officers bstraying that clients
In disguise The fair victim they
have sworn TO protect. Aind. l
don't say that any one has been gully OF
such conduct. merely say t;iat the state
administration including the Governor has
carried itself from The nrst in what seems
30 a suspicious manner and / APP
peal to you 10 ciesr up that suspiclon II it
L. unfounQed, or II IL is correct & put me
IN possess on Of proof that l can use with
which TO blow the contemplate harl IS out
of water and nut the state house In way
OF oisinfectlon. } make this Ap eaI pun ely
from the stsnGcoint Of tie pubic welfare
sust a. ! woulf expect you to Pssist me in
averting any other pestLence; to give me full
exI Csc OF the underground HorA OF the sd-
ministretroI rs Ear as you know II; to give
me such clues as you nay nosSeSs TO fur-
ther information. and i On my part Will
promise you tha- VIII exhaust myself in
IN effort TO hunt he Williams down.
Yours truly. EDWIN TAYLOR.
Believing the facts 20 be az potent
now es then, have concluded to answer
your letter and believing you to be an
honest man and that you will receive
my answer with the csndor that frank,
open and truthful statement of the
T. ITS merit.
PETE KLINE TELLS HIS STORY.
In December 1892 1 met Mr.. James
i. Legaie ana had q lengthy CONVERSE
iion with him in regard to affairs in
Kansas. Tbs conversation had was
about the Legs allure. He told me tn at
the House Of Representatives Was Re-
publican but that he was anx GUS to
have the Popuiisis control the House.
He said be had seen men enough TO
know that with money he could put the
control in the han1s Of the Populists
After many conferences be tod me
he wished me to raise him money
70 accomplish that object. asked
him how much he wanted or
how lite he could get along
with. He fiually said $1,000 or 81. 900. ]
asked him how | could De beneii ted.
be replied that was for me 10 say, not
him. asked him il could be Drotec ed
in my policy business. He said that be
bad the assurance OF the Governor that
LIQUID control the appointment of the
police commissioners. After considera-
ton TOLD MIR Legate that 1 would pay
5000 provided / could dictate the APP
pointment of two OF the police connie.
siooers Of Kansas City, Kan. aud that
the other should not be unfrlendly tc
me AID that l should have
GA LEAD PIPE CINcH".
Of all gamblirg lottery and saloon prlvi.
lsges in the city. He told me tina,
could 90 this paid the $1,000 in the
presence Of N. F. Akers. nv attor-
ney, in the form of a cashiers check, a
copy of which is given on this page.
, All that was told me by mr. Legstt
hbout his authority was afterwards 70
bsstedly confirmed by Mr.. close. pri
Rsts secretary OF the Governor. The
persons TO be appointed we're all agreed
hpon. The sppeintmsnt OF these mee
~ net made ssd 4 grew rasaU. j