Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-10-06


astonished from the fact that it came
from an official whose sworn duty it was
to enforce the law and not to violate it.
At another time Mr.. Cone (using his
own language) said: THE whisky men
can hire q man from the territory to slug
any man who swears against the joints
by paying his fare and giving him So
for tho job" and intimated that the OIL
GERS would not interfere: and said that
if the party who did the smuggling should
get caught, the liquor men and their
friends would have enough witnesses to
clear him of the charges. In this con-
nection have found from my official ex-
perience that honest and conscientious
citizens are deferred from making COM
plants through fear of bodily harm,
with no protection from the police force
of this city and consequently am COM
PEELED to swear to complaints myself in
order to perform nv official duty. Some
days ago evidence was presented to me
against the joints and have fled some
cases and expect to file more. I can
not see how could do otherwise
On Sunday, September 9, 1894, Colo
mel 81. L. Taylor, state coal oil inspector,
under Governor Lewelling's administra-
ton, wrote me tht following letter towit:
Hon. w. II. Boone, Addressed.
FL. L. Taylor, State Coal Oil Inspector,
Room 203, Sedgwick Block, Topeka,
Kan, 9-9,94-Dear Sir:-I am anxious
to have talk with you some time to- day,
therefore I would respectfully request
you to meet me at the Office in the court
house this p. m, I would say at the
hour of 2 o'clock, but am willing that
you should fix the time to suit your own
convenience. I feel It's important I
should see you soon as 1t may result in
much good to you personally.
Very truly, your friend,
III. L. TAYLOR.
Mr.. Taylor came to my Office the next
morning, or the morning following, I
don't know remember which, and said
to me: "Willard 1 come to you as
friend, and think some of these fellows
are going to try and get your sclap I'M
less you drop the liquor cases you have
commenced and refuse to commence any
more" To which replied in substance
that the evidence was presented to me
and considered it my sworn duty to
continued to act.
Furthermore there are, according to
the statistics compiled by reliable par
ties, thirty-thr joints in this city run
ming wide open and in full blast, which,
according to Chief of Police Cones
theory of running things, ought to pay
into the city treasury each month the
sum of $50 apiece, making a total of
$1,650 per month. / understand these
joints formerly paid SIS and were re-
duced by Chief Cone. According to
the estimate made there should be at
least $500 per month collected from the
bawdy houses and unfortunate women
of the town. According to the esti-
mates made there are two& gambling
houses which pay 500 each and one
which pays $50, making total of $3.50.
Besides these which pay, there are, am
reliably informed, six or seven private
gambling rooms which the police de-
partment claims pay nothing. There is
also one policy shop and a lottery, which
it is claimed by the police department,
pay nothing. The fines in the police
court for violation of city ordinances,
other than what is hereinbefore men
toned, it is estimated, are on an aver
age of at least $500 per month. This
makes a grand total of $1,000, which
should be turned into the city treasury
every month. Some of our best and
most reliable citizens place the amount
higher. I give you these figures be-
cause from Investigations made l be-
heve them to be more nearly correct.
Yet the police records. which are con-
trolled by the metropolitan police de-
partment of this city, show that there is
not more than half that amount &C
counted for to the city treasurer
monthly.
Furthermore, these fines are recorded
under fictitious names SO that the party
paying the fine has no credit on the
record for what he has paid, while at
the same time the police department had
full knowledge and knew the real names
of the parties paying such fines. The
above facts convince the best citizens of
our community that the city is being
robbed every month of from 81, 500 to
$4,000, and these facts, in my judgment,
are susceptible of proof sufficient to con-
vince any twelve fair-minded jurors in
the state of Kansas.
Furthermore: It is openly and pub
licly charged in this community to be
fact, that the chief of the metropolitan
police force, Rufus Cone, is silent
partner of the wholesale liquor firm of
Mahan Bros, and to my personal
knowledge a systematic effort has been
made and is being made by the metro
politan police force to control the liquor
traffic of this city in the interest of
Mahan Bros, which is also SUSCEPTIBLE of
the more convincing proofs. And the
interests of this firm of Mahan Bros.
are protected to the injury of all other
wholesale liquor men in tins city.
Therefore, General Little, I have
given you honestly, fairly, conscien-
tiously and in the best of faith, few
of the many facts which are injuring
the administration in this locality and
disgracing it in our city. Feeling that
I could talk to you plain, candidly and
directly to the point, without dealing in
glittering generalities, have given you
the above facts and can furnish you
with the most convincing proofs. So
far as the public here is concerned these
things are considered to- have been un-
der credentials from the administration,
and each act bears the impression OF