Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1895-06-06
CHASE Is BOUNCED.
GOVERNOR MORRILL, REMOVES
HIM FROM HIS WARDENSHlP.
y. Bruce VIII Be Appointed to Succeed
lm-RumOrs of War at the PenItentiary
Promptly Denied.

Topeka, Kan, June 4-Governor Nor
rill has revomed Dich Chase from the
wardenship of the state penitentiary
and ]. Bruce Lynch will be appointed
to succeed him.
Sensational rumors were current
here tonight relating to the alleged in
tention of Chase and his penitentiary
employees to resist by force of arms any
attempt to GUST Chase, 1t being an
Rounced from Leavenworth that Lynch
successor to Warden Chase, and Attor-
ney General Dawes, were expected
there and had wired for the sheriff and
deputies, and that trouble was feared
when they should try to GUST Chase, as
1t was reported that the employees Of the
penitentiary were armed for resistance.
There seems to be no truth in the
story, however, to the effect that trou-
BILE is imminent at the penitentlary.
Governor Morrill, formally revomed
Warden Chase tonight, but he appoint
ed no one to succeed him. j. Bruce
Lynch, who will be appointed tomor-
row, has gone, not to Leavenworth,
but to his home in Chanute. Neither
has Attorney General Dawes gone to
Leavenworth. The general sentiment
at Leavenworth is that when a de-
mand Is made upon Chase for possess
sion he will give up without precipitat-
ing trouble.
Chase has made a stubborn fight and
the Populists have held out that, he
would win against all arguments and
evidence. Chase has always been one
OF the most prominent leaders of the
third party in Kansas. He originally
appeared from Cowley county and was
made seargent-at-arm in the first Popu-
list house. From that time on he had
controlling influence in the party and
did more to dictate it's actions than
any other man with the exception OF
Breidenthal.
When LewelIing was elected, Chase
had the power to demand the best
thing in the gift of the executive and
received It. He is tall, six foot, big
handed man, something of a bluffer
and bruiser, and the chances are that
he viii carry his fight to retain the
wardenship into the courts.
EDITOR HARMON IN THE PEN.
Moses Harmon, editor and publisher,
Valley Falls, this state, was placed in
charge of Warden Chase last Sunday
night to serve a sentence of one year
and one day in the Kansas State peni-
Tertiary imposed upon him by the Unit
ed States court for sending through the
mail his newspaper, containing OBJ
scene matter. Harmon's case has been
pending for five years and has cur
ious history. In 1890 he was tried and
convicted and sentenced to five years
by Judge Foster. An appeal was
taken, Judge Caldwell releasing him
from the penitentiary, where he had
already served four months. and he
gave bond. When the case was heard
on appeal the court held that while
there was no error in the former trial.
there was in the verdict. Instead of
sentencing him as the statute required
at confinement and hard labor, the lat
ter part Of the punishment was omitted.
The case was remanded to the lower
court for further proceedings. District
Attorney Perry moved to resentence
Harmon which his attorney, Over
meyer, resisted on the ground that the
court had not power. when the term
during which Harmon was tried had
ended, and the fact that he was i'm
prisoned for four months showed that
he had endured one punishment for the
offense and that he could not be punish
ed again, any more than a man can be
tried again.
The court, however, sustained the
views of the district attorney and re-
sentenced Harmon. This action consid
erably lessened the term of confine-
ment though he might have now had
the whole of his former sentence finish
ed had he not appealed the case. AS
1t is he will have to stay in the peni
tertiary ten months.
The case has excited considerable in
terest and when the sentence was last
pronounced Harmon made an extended
speech to the court in which he said
that not only was the law under which
he was tried, opposed to all reason Of
fairness and common Justice, but that
he gloried in the act for which he was
tried and was willing to- serve a term in
the penitentiary for 1t.
Leavenworth, Kan, June AIT
torney General Dawes arrived IN this
city at 1890 tonight. He is at this hour
(midnighD in consultation with Sheriff
Rothenberger and County Attorney
Rutherford, and 1t IS reported chat the
charges which have been made against
Seth Chase, the deposed warden Of the
penitentiary; are under consideration.