The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-03-22


He Says, 1t Having Been Demonstrated
to Him That the Old Board was Allow
Ing Place to the Run wiId-Since a New
Board has Commenced Work, He Re
ports the Number of Dives and Joints
has Been Decreased and an Opium Joint
has Been Closed.
Topeka, Kan, March IA report
has been industriously circulated 10 the
effect that, in changing the board OF
| police commissioners at Wichita, Gov
ernor Morrill, surrendered to the whis-
or asserts that the change was made
in the interests OF good order and tenn
| perance. The old board had utterly
| failed 10 close up the joints, and, after
| eight months trial, he concluded that
something must be done for the better
| enforcement OF the law.
Without questioning the veracity of
Assistant Attorney General Campbell
and the so-called prohibition board. the
| governor started an investigation OF
his own through the agency of a re-
| sponsfble citizen from another part Of
| the state. This agent was sent TO
Wichita with instructions to report up
on the exact number OF joints. their keep
| ers, location, etc. The police board
has just before this reported 10 the
| governor that but thirteen joints We're
| running, and he assumes that they
! were simply misinformed, as his agent
! reported forty-one places in full blast,
where whisky was sold.
| Placing entire reliance in this report
by his agent, Governor Morrill, deemed
IL his duty TO take some action toward
| lessening the number of joints, and, as
a first step, removed one Of the police
| commissioners and replaced him by a
man who was recommended as being
| Of great executive force and ability.
! That this step has resulted wisely is
evidenced by the fact that within a
week the places were reduced from for
| ty-one to twenty-eight, and fines to
| the amount OF more than 500 had been
| imposed upon the lawbreakers.
| People who believe that the enforce
| ment OF the law in a city like Wichita
| is merely matter of nerve on the part
of the governor, have no conception Of
the difficulties in the way. After eight
months trial in Wichita, the result show
| that not a single conviction has been
had in the district court. while the
| pending costs in the cases attempted
| are something like ST., 900. At the same
| time, it should be remembered that the
| governor and the police commissioners
| had a list of the places where liquor
| was sold, or, at least, partial list, and
! the whole machinery of the law was di-
rected toward securing convictions.
A commissioner TO succeed Mr.. Keck
has not yet been selected, and Governor
Morrill, says that he will not select him
until after careful consideration. He
has six or eight names under consider
| alton.
The present commissioners report in
| writing, that, in addition to the thir-
teen joints, they have also closed sew
| eral immoral houses, run Chinese OPP
| ium-smoking joint out of town and
cleaned out two gambling houses, all
of which were running under the Tiger
| Bill regime.
BARKER MUST GO
J. D. Barker of Girard, who was ap-
pointed by Governor Morrill, TO be a
member OF the State Board of Charities
to Ill the unexpired time Of NJ. A.
Householder expects 10 be turned down
April 1. Governor Morrill, called him
into his Office yesterday and informed
| him that he contemplated a change.
Your official conduct is satisfactory"
the governor is quoted as having said.
but Crawford county has more than
her share Of appointments and l deem
| il advisable to name a man from some
other part of the state in your place
for the full term which commences the
first Of next month However, If you
| insist upon being retained in the posi-
ton will not make any change"
Mr. Barker replied that the case was
| entirely in the hands OF the governor,
L have just started in the work, he said
land l bellevue that l have already
assisted materially in bringing about
needed reforms IN the state institutions
and am confident that 1 could accom-
plish much more this year than l did
last. II would be unfair and unjust
to me to let me out at this time, but /
| shall not insist upon a reappoin tment
nor protest against the contemplated
change"
Governor Morrill, admitted TO the cor
respondent that he had been correctly
quoted, but regretted that the story
had leaked out. He said that he had
not decided what TO do in the matter,
but felt inclined to appoint a man from
some other part of the state. "Craw-
ford county, where Mr.. Barker resides
has been abundantly blessed with OFF,
cial positions. She has Auditor George
T. Cole, oil Inspector VI. c. Kelley, Mr.
| Barker as a member OF the Board Of
| Charities and numerous clerkships.
Complaint Is made that Crawford coun
~ has more than her share, and think
that the complaint is just. 1 have no
fault % find with Mr.. Barker. II / ap-
point somebody 10 succeed him IL will
be becaus want 20 make a more equi-
| table disposition Of the Offices, and for
no other reason.
Asked II he had anyone IN mind for
Bankers job. the governor replied that
| Abe Reynolds of Sedan and John Gil
more Of Fredonia, both newspaper men
| were candidates, or. rather, their
friends" were urging their cause. The
fact that candidates have already
sprung up for the place Is evidence that
the governor has been contemplating
| the change for some time.
| Mr.. Barker urAds this statement 20
the correspondent: L expect TO be
as expressed 10 the newspapers, is that
| Crawford county has more than her
| share OF appointments. He told me
that were he reelected could have any
| thing within his gift. As have no
| intention OF leaving Crawford county
mis- excuse falls fiat The fact IS. the
! governor has been forced 20 this con-
| templated action because did not sup
port Cy Leland's slate az the Wichita
| convention last week voted FOR Car