Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-10-11
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 ALI But the Louis
lana Lottery
Populists Got All Of Klines Money and Then
Repudiated Their Part Of the Contract.

~soPNNA"UOW AAVA4
There IL 10 romantic old story to thu
effect that there ID honbr among thisvsa
Pete Kline, the man who used to cou-
troll The gambling bells and lottery
shops Of Kansas City, Kan, 10 trying TO
dIsprove the adags and lu reply to Ssna-
tar Taylor Of wyaudOtts county he gives
lhs following interesting account Of tho
systsmato manner 10 which blood
money. Was extracted from him for pro-
tsstlon that did not protects
KANSAS CRY, Kan, Sept. %, 1904.
Hen. Edwin Taylor. Edwardsviils. Kan,
Ny Dear Sir--Homs time since r.
esivsd . lettss from you making some Ia.
qulriss Ia regard 10 the connection Of
The present Populist state sdmlnistra-
lion Of KAnsas with The lottery business
d Kansas City, KaA Your letter v q
follows
NJ. r. ". Kline, 81. Louis No..
Dear Bir--Although we have mover met 10
{psruOn ! presume we are fairly well 40.
Qualntsd by reputation ami report. pre-.
Sume we should IND could we ever come to
know each other that we have many points
II common. notice we each have the
nerve 70 get after what W0 want and what
We dare to dream OF we dare to do. Against
the line OF life In which you are engaged
enter ain a deep hostility. ma ne such Of.
fort a. could at Topeka TO put II under the
.bsne Of law. encountered you W every
turn. } OF DeAt me completely. The Q was
Wn investigation after the close Of the l.ags-
nature devoted In part 10 your successful sf-
forts In opposition to me-. That lnvestlga-
Important member Of the Iegsla urs
but II did bring out that yourself
and your attorney, Mr., James Legats
81 ieavenworth, held an audience
with the attorney general Of the stats aud
the governors private secretary In an OBJ.
scure place In the oulsklrts OF town In the
small hou 9 Of the night. There 10 an un.
dsnned impression abroad that 10 nexo.
Nations that night referred 70 IN agree.
cent upon their part 10 shield you and
your friends from laws passed or TO bs
passed for v ich you were to ~ or did
Say actual money In and. II that charge
% true, can Imagine the contempt you
mast have felt for those political prouti'
Vutss after you had used them. am sat.
tgnsd that you will agree with mo that We
Sasest and most desricable crime ON the
Ssisndar ID the act Of using an oiilclal posi-
tlen " shield people denounced by law, for
bay, On the one hand / society entrus Ing
N momsntolls interests In the nauda VI Its
Ocncers with ali the con idencs that client
ear repose IN his attorney or . maiden IN
hsr lover. ON the other hand are those
same officsrn bstraying that clients
cause - pretended lovers ravishnx
q disguise the fair alr,.,, victim Nina sAsy
don't say that any ono has been guilty Of
such conduct merely say tnat the state
administration including the Governor has
carried itself from the first In what seems
10 me suspicious manner and ap-
peal to you to clear up that suspicion II Il
q unfounded, or II II 10 correct b. put me
10 possession Of proof that can use with
which to blow the contemplate harlvts out
o. water and nut tho state house In a way
Of dlsinfection. make this ap cal purely
FROM the STANDPOINT Of tile public welfare
lust as would expect you to assist me IN
avsrtiug any other peslilonce; to give me full
expose OF tile underground WORK OF the ad.
minstratlon W. lar az you know 1t; ~ give
me such clues as you may nossess 10 fur.
thsr Information. and en- my part will
bFomise you that Will exhaust myself In
a eflortto hunt the Williams down.
Yours truly. EDWIN TAYLOR.
Believing the facts 10 DO 40 potsa,
aow as then, Jhays concluded 10 answer
your letter and believing you 10 DO az
honest man and that you will receive
my answer with the csndor that frank
open aud truthful statement Of ,hs
fncts merit.
PETE KLINE TELLS HIS STORY.
In December 1892 I met Mr.. janet
j. Lsgate and had lengthy convsrsa
lion with him in regard 70 AFFAIR." il
Kansas. Ths conversation had wa
about the Legislature. He told mo tn a
the House Of Representatives, wss Re
publican but that hs was Inx QUE tt
have the Popu,ists control the House
he said he had seen men enough Il
know that with money be could pu. III,
sontrol In the hsn1s Of the Populists
After many conferences hs tod. m,
10 wished me to raise him none,
- accomplish that object ! askst
hin how much hs wontei o
hew lite he could got nlonI
with. He finally said $1,000 or $4,000
asked him how could he beueli ted
hs replied shat was for me 10 say, mo-
him". lssksd him Il | could be proiec &c
u my policy business. He said that h
ID the assurancs Of thu Governor lha
Acould control the appointment OF th
police commissioners After cousdora
Men told Mr. Lsgats that would pa,
&00O provided | could dictate The ap
poinlment Of two OF the police comma
sioners Of Kansas City, Kan, add tina
ths other should not be unlrlendly t
No and that should have
"A LEAD PIPE clNoH".
sfall gambling, lottery and saloon prvl
leges IN the city. He told me that
could do this. paid tho $1,000 10 tn
presence Of N. F. Akers, my attor
10y, in the form OF cashiers check, ,
copy Of which is given on this page.
All that Was tod me BY Mr. Lseat
about biz authority Was Afterwards 70
sstsdly confirmed BY MI. Close, pr
Psts secretary Of the Governor. III
Ssssons 70 b. appointed we're ell aarss'
w. Ths sppsistneat Of these mel
~ N 1s1s nd grow uasay.