The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-10-30
TOO SLOW WITH HIS TREASON
Middle-of-the-Road, Committeeman Ben
nIngton Gets Kicked Out

| Topeka, Kan, Oct 29.-The state COM
mittee of the middle-of-the-road Popu-
lists held an executive session Tuesday
evening and expelled w. II. Bennington
as member of tie committee from the
| Fourth congressional district. The man
| ayers Of the middle-of-the-road cam
paign discovered that Bennington was
traitor and that he was an injury to
| their cause, so they met and fired him.
The charges were made by Chairman j.
+. Willis of the committee. Willis &C
cused him Of playing into the hands of
the sell-out crowd, as well as into the
hands of the Republicans. The other
members of the committee are severe in
their denunciation of Bennington. They
say that he is boodler and that his ac-
tons in the campaign are what has
thrown suspicion upon the managers Of
the campaign. Two weeks ago it was
suspected that Bennington was traitor,
sosthey say, and plans were laid to
catch him. They claim to have abso-
lutte proof Of his guilt in that line He
has not been taken into party caucuses
recently and his advice has not been
needed in the conduct of the campaign.
1t is claimed by the committee that
bennington has been promised the
Il
clerkship in the office of Bank Commits
sioner Breidenthal for the services which
ne was rendering the sell-out committee
IN putting them onto the plans of his
committee. They say, however that the
sell-outs paid too much for his services.
as he knew practically nothing of the
character OF their work. As further
compensation for the place Bennington
was 10 issue manifesto giving his rea-
sons for leaving the middle-of-the-road
movement. In it he was to declare that
he went into the movement at first in
good faith, but that he soon discovered
that 1t was being run by Republican
money and in the interests of the Re-
publican national ticket, and he there
fore withdrew. His withdrawal from
the committee was to come like stroke |
of lightning from a clear sky to par
aiyze the middle-of-the-roaders When |
Chairman Willis dropped onto the |
scheme he called a meeting and pro- |
ceeded to take the wind out of the sails |
or the sell-out crowds scheme by ex-
polling Bennington from the commit
tee
When he learned today that he had
oeen expelled Bennington became very
indignant. He prepared his manifesto
Il
committee were not working in good
faith and that the Republicans wera
furnishing them money TO send out lit
erature.
1nasmuch as he is the only one whom
the committee claims has intimated that
ne was negotiating with the Republi-
cans, and his admission TO one of them
OF the promise OF a fat job by the other
crowd. his manifesto Will not have much
weight.
The vacancy on the committee caus-
ed by his expulsion was filled BIZ the
of Nathan Beaucha-no of
Alma.
1t is generally knowe that Bennington
was negotiating a few weeks ago with
the Popocratic committee to take the
stump for their ticket, but he demand
I'd that ne be given the clerkship Of the
supreme court in the event of Doster's
election The sell-out crowd refused to
lax with him at that time about such
/ deal but realizing what strong hold
ne middle-of-the-road movement was
setlns on the mass OF Populists OF the
.'ate the Breidenthal-Loye combination
decided TO negotiate with Remington.
L IS said that Bennington was attempt
ng 70 work the deal at first through
Waiter y. Alien. but that when Mr..
Allen fell onto his scheme he dropped
Inn with dull, sickening thud.
While Remington has shown his
manifesto 10 several parties, he has 81
ar Jailed 20 make il public. Ii was ex-
'ected that he would so today. Benning- {
on oenies that he has been traitor in |
my sense o. the word. and says he has {
ieNer asked the Republicans for assist
nee nor demanded any office from the
Sreidenthel crowd for his Influence