The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-06-30
PETERS COM ES OUT
He DICTATES AN EXPLANATION OF
CERTAIN CHARGES

Bs Rsfutes the IDsinuation That Ee is
Double Dealing With Governor morrill,
he Would Not Antagonize the Cover
nor's interests for Anything But the
Party Workers and His FrIsnds Assured
Him That He Must Run to Save the
State to RepubIicanism-He Involves
Judge johnson in the Controversy.
Some three or four days go the To-
oeka. correspondent of the Kansas Caty
u papers sent out the following dispatch
which was printed under black race
healine, Can Peters Explain?
Topeka, Kan, June Z6.-(Speclal.)-A
new political sensation came to town
toaav. II seems to involve Hon. S. r.
Peters in a transaction which is scarce
~ in keeping with his record as
straigbtforWard citizen, and which
promises to handicap his chance for pol
: iticaI advancement unless it reaches a
satisfactory explanation.
". c. Edwards, secre tary of state, is
4 supporter OF Governor Morrill, for re-
domination. Up to the issue Of this
week, the Chronoscope, the Republican
newspaper Of Larned, Mr. Edward 8
home has also been a supporter Of Cow
!, srnor Morrill,. The leading editorial in
this weeks issue of the Chronoscope,
\ however, was a straightout declaration
for the nomination of S. r. Peters for
governor Nothing was too good for
the editor 10 say in favor Of the Harvey
county statesman, and the space which
tad been formerly filed with Morrill,
matter was devoted to other topics.
Upon the receipt Of his copy Of the paper
Mr.. Edwards nearly had nit, as he eX-
pressed it himself.
He wrote to Mr.. Davis, the editor, a
letter in which he upDraided him for go
ing back on Morrill,, and intimated that
he expected Pawnee county to be
straight for the denomination Of the en-
q tire ticket This morning Edwards re-
ceived a reply from Editor Davis which
reads as follows:
In reply to yours of June "A, win say
that 1 had no desire whatever of plac-
ling you in an embarra sSing position
when I wrote the article on the candi-
dacy of S. R. Peters. He was in the city
last week attending court and informed
me ON last Tuesday that he had just
received a letter from Judge w. John
son Of Topeka, infOrmaing him that Gov
ernor morrill, had decided to withdraw
to announce himself as a candidate.
Il told him that 1 was a strong sup
porter of Governor Morrill,, and said
that 1 would stand by him as long as 1
was convinced that he was in the field.
He then said that he could assure me up
on his word and honor that Morrill, was
out Of the race and wished him to be a
candidate and that Morrill would throw
him all the support he possibly could.
s In other words, it was agreed between
the two IN regard to the matter. With
that assurance from Peters l published
the article. l am free to confess that if
Morrill, is still in the field L shall do all
/ can for his renoninatiO 1 was I'M
posed upon by Peters There is no ques-
ton in my mind that Pawnee county is
strongly in favor Of Morrill,, and viii
elect delegates to the state convention
favorable 10 him.
Armed with this letter the Journal cor
respondent sought out Associate JUS
tice johnson of the supreme court He
said:
There is some mistake about This I
lever wrote % MIR. Peters any such let
ter. I cannot account for 1T
When Governor Morrill, was seen he
PROGRESSED the proforndest ignorance Of
the ARA ngenlent tA7al he was TO with
draw and leave che field TO Peters.
81 musct decline to talk about this, he
said Il win be in the convention for
denomination. and never for a moment
have had any other intention"
Fred Dumont Smith of Kinsley, who
was the first man 10 bring the news to
town OF Peters candidacy, informed the
Journal correspondent at that time that
Judge Peters had todd him that he had
received a. Getter from Judge johnson
n n ter
tHrt Mr.. Smith was not informed of the
contents of the letter. The friends of
Judge Peters here believe that he viii
make some satisfa Glory explanation Of
the matter, while the supporters Of Nor
rill remain silent and significantly shake
/, their heads.
Newton, Kan. June 26.-(Special-)-I
Judge Peters is in Lalxin, Kan, and will
not be home until Sunday. J. c. Mich
olson, Peters law partner. will make
no statement concerning the assertions
made by Editor Davis in his letter to
Secretary Of State Edwards.
Judge Peters dictated a reply or ex-
PLANTATION of the above yesterday. 1t
was telephoned to the Eagle last night
by one Of the Newton Republican staff
and is as follows.
in reply to the articles IN the Kansas
City papers I have this 20 say:
The immediate cause of the formal
announcement Of my candidacy at the
meeting OF the state central committee
was a telegram received from Topeka
which read as follows:
ITO S. r. Peters, L4akin, Kan. II is
Of TIE utmost Importance that you be
announced today as candidate for
governor. Your best friends advise
this. Don't fail 10 wire at once that
you are a candidate
This telegram was dated June 25.
1896. 1t was received by me in the
court room while engaged in the trial
of an important case. II was signed
by three influential Republicans who
were representatives of the element OF
the party which. up to that time, had
been divided as to q choice OF a candi-
date. To this telegram I replied as
follows:
''Lakin. Kan. June 25. 1S96.-If ii IS
thought for the best interests OF the
party viii be a candidate
For more than month prior TO the
sending of this message had been re-
ceiving letters from and had been con-
sulting with leading Republicans IN
Guiding Governor NORTH and his
friends, in regard to the situation. II
became convinced that a large number |
IF the Republicans of the state he |
lieved that the denomination Of the /
governor would be impolitic and dan /
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Awarded