People's voice., 1896-06-25
The Governor Afraid to Prosecute
for Fear Of Prosecution-All the
Thieves Still on the Pay Roll
What Has Become of
All that Furniture?

sUduudTu.
When the Morrill, administration
came in the old furniture in the
various offices was replaced with
handsome new desks, etc. That used
by the POpulists was too dingy for
the aristOcTats whom the people had
just chosen to serve them.
A few weeks ago the state house
contractors turned over a large mum.
Der OF new rooms for use in the north
and south wings of the capitol. They
were elegantly finished with porcelain
bath tubs, handsome mirrors, beauti-
full painting, ETC., and there was a
call for new furniture again. which
was forthcoming. The Topeka pa
perS say the rooms are quite palatial.
We are not apprised Of what became
Of all the old furniture, but presume
it was stored in some of the vacant
rooms; and if we are to judge by the
romance of the Brussels carpet re-
Gently the subject of so much com
ment in the newspapers, it will
require several detectives to trace it
all down.
But about that carpet!
A citizen of Wellington, being at
Topeka recently, had friendly, con-
fldential conversation with a state
house official, in which the subject Of
"that carpet" came up. He let out
some facts about it which, if true, the
people ought to know.
The carpet was that which was
taken off the bank commissioners
Office several months ago, when the
said office was moved to the City Real
Estate building. There were two Of
them. They were fine Brussels, about
eighty yards to the room, costing
about slOO each, and only in use one
year-gOod as new. When they were
taken up they we're rolled up and put
in vacant room upstairs.
When the new rooms were CON-
pleted the bank commissioner was
given the suit OF rooms that had
been vacared by the attorney general.
The question Of carpets for them
came up in the executive council,
when Bank Commissioner Brieden.
thai told the council that the old
carpet was good enough.
EYES," said Secretary Edwards,
"but that carpet is gone"
"Gone where?" enQuired Governor
Morrill,.
Then came the story that the car
pet had disappeared from the upper
room, and the newspapers got hold Of
it and have been harping on it evel
since.
Governor Morrill,, no doubt still
tasting the sour grapes forced upol
him when he was compelled to REIN
burse his contingent fund to the tune
Of 1866 for ante-inauguratiOn expenses
sent forth the edict that the carpet
must be found.
Policemen and detectives we're put
on the trail, and the pesky newspape
reporters stirred up their ambition
by saying that "a policeman whit
, couldn't find a Joint in Topeka woulc
never develop the whereabouts o
that carpet"
Time rolled on for few weeks
: One day the Kansas City Star notet
that, "a small cash entry on tn
: books OF the treasurer Of state and
scrap Of paper on file In the office o
the secretary Of state tell the story o
that missing carpet" The amour
of the entry was s65 and it had jus
been made. That was all the infoI
nation that was given out about it.
Now here is the part OF the stor
that mas not been told and the pal
r that the people ought to know;
! One Of the carpets was found i
: three pieces; tSO yards divided by 3
!. the quotient would be just abo1
enough to cover one good parlor, 70
seeg. One Of these pieces was foun
n on the parlor Of W. A. Thompson
!. bond clerk in the treasurer's Office
= successor to W. D. McKlnstry undt
! Biddle; another was found on th
parlor Of W. G. Perryman, guard
}. treasurer's ofice-successor TO Bruc
}. Magee under Biddle; and the thir
0 adorned the floor Of one Of the room
/, at the residence Of Bruce Born, jaI
itOr in the west end Of the capitol.
The other SO-yard carpet is sti
missing. Whether effort to find
S has ceased, we know not We q
stand another honorable ianitOr say