The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-07
NO ARREST YET.
Papers Have Not Been Served
on Governor Morrill,.
The Attorneys Still Say That it
Will be Done.
GOV.MORRILL ARRIVES
He Says There is NOthingWrOng
About His Conduct.
He Feels Conscious That He Did
Nothing Wrong.
CHASE NOT TO SWEAR.
But Another Ex-State Official
Will Bring the Action.
Mrs. Lease May be Arrested on
Similar Charges.

The case of the arrest OF Governor
Morrill, for obtaining money under false
pretences is unchanged from the state In
which it was yesterday.
Although all the papers in the case
were made out yesterday afternoon in
legal complaint form in the office of
Waters & Waters, with the aid of Attor-
ney Frank Herald. they have not yet
been sworn to, and Justice of the Peace
John H. Guy, before whom the suit
is expected to be brought has had no
official knowledge of it as yet
Warden Dick Chase, who was expected
to swear to the complaint, was in the
city last night and this morning, and
returned to Lansing this afternoon, with
out having taken any steps in his case
further than to begin mandamus proceed
ings against the penitentiary board of
directors to compel them to audit his
report as warden for the last month and
secure the payment of the vouchers,
amounting to about $4,000, that it has
cost to run the institution during that
time.
He swore to no complaint, and it is
now understood from the firm of Waters
& Waters that he will not.
Waters s. aters say today, however,
that the case has not been dropped, and
that the arrest will be made as originally
intended, but that another Populist ex-
state officer will be the complaining
witness.
County Attorney H. c. Stafford says he
knows nothing officially of the case, and
has been asked to take no action. He
evidently regards it as a piece of spite
work against the governor.
IT 0rO b2 hl6 that arroGf will ho
made today though the complainant is
in the city, but the lawyers in the case
say positively that the arrest is no
further off than tomorrow.
In the possible event of the arrest and
conviction of the governor under the
charges named the law gives as a penal
ty imprisonment in the penitentiary for
not more than five years No minimum
term is named.
There is a humorous side to the case
also, as the governor, having the pardon
ing power, could pardon himself out of
the penitentiary Immediately upon re-
ceiving sentence.
As a sequel to the proceedings against
Governor Morrill, it is said that similar
charges will brought against Mrs. Lease.
The Otfense, it is said, is drawing money
for mileage which was never travelled.
Governor Morrill, arrived in Topeka at
watha, where he has been since Satur-
day.
10 STATE JOURNAL reporter he said
he knew nothing whatever of his pro-
posed arrest until he read about it in a
morning paper after he boarded the
train for Topeka this morning.
Referring to the vouchers, which are
causing him all this trouble, Governor
Morrill, said: "There is nothing about
0F
Is ali straight as far as l am concerned.
"The employees in the Office came to
me and said they thought they ought to
be paid for the work they did for the
state prior to Inauguration. l agreed
with them and proposed to pay them out
of my own pocket. as we did a vast
amount OF work during that time. Petit
tIons and letters poured in on US without
end and the work was hard.
"They would not listen to nv proposi-
ten to pay them but insisted that the
work~was done for the state and the
stat hngld pay for it,
ed that vouchers be made
for - For extra services during
the TIeg fs!ature.' l would not listen to
that. said No, l don't propose to have
voucher go through this office while I
am governor that does not show exactly
what the money is for
AShRPOoO tndb IL L QaQ made ont tb09a
vouchers for extra services we would
never have heard of it again, but don't
propose to do business in that way"
The governor seemed anxious to know
what was to be done about the affair.
Governor Morrill, has not vet made
full restitution for the money he took
from his contingent fund to nav ante
inaugural expenses.
At the state auditors Office this morn
ing 1t was explained to a STATE J0uRNA1
reporter that the April salaries OF Private
Secretary Bristow, Miss Kate Adams and
Charles Hull, the governors clerks had
been drawn from the salary fund and
transferred to the contingent fund n
make up the loss of the voIchers draw
by them for the services between Ds'
cember 10, 1894 to January IA. 1895.
Assistant Auditor Cook said notbi,o q
had been done about the voucber f6,
$65.71, which was drawn for room rem
and supplies.
There is no fund from which tn drau
this and transfer it to its proper place II
the contingent fund, and if the NOR a,
is ever paid back to the state tn,
governor must deposit it with the stat'