Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-04-16
KEEPER not ALONE.
ANOTHER LEAvESwoRTH COUNTY
POP HAS A BAD MEMORY.
TREACHERoUS, BUT HANDY.
DOODLE INVESTIGATION OF FOUR
YEARS AGO RECALLED.
How Jim Lcgate Couldn't Remem-
bcr', To Whom He Paid 81 900 for
..Infuence- - Lewelling
Star Figure in That
Scandal Also.

Topeka, Kas.. April I5.-(SpecialD Leav-
enworth county produces a peculiar brand
of Populists. II is what might he termed
the ''doubIe-actinG. pivotal tongue, but
bad memory" brand. The disease seems TO
b be locally infectious. This conclusion Is
reached by the testimony given by two of
E Leavenworths distinguished Populists dur
5 ing legislative Investigations.
On the witness stand yesterday, Repre-
sentative Horace keefer. OF that county,
testified that he could not recollect the
name of the person who offered him So,eOO
TO vote against a maximum freight rate
bill in the house committee on railroads last
winter. His testimony in that respect re-
calls that given by another distinguished
Populist of Leayenworth four years ago,
who had equally as bad q memory. The
person referred TO is Hon. James Legate.
Each of these men could remember incl
dents OF deals in detail, but to save them
from perdition they could not recollect the
names of the men implicated. Even out
side of the Keefer-Legate incident this in
vestigation recalls TO mind the one of 1885.
That was Populist show, also.
The Populists were in control of the leg
! islative department and had a big majority
in the senate. They tried to upset the con-
stitution and declare a minority majority
in the house, but were prevented from do
tng SO by the courts and q big squad of dep
uty sheriffs.
During that session, Major Hudson print
ed story in his paper, the Capital, charg-
ing that Attorney General Little, Fred
Close, private secretary to Governor Lew
Cling, and James Legate, of Leavenworth,
had received 1890 to influence the appoint
ment of a set of police commissioners for
Kansas City, kas-. who would give the
gamblers: lottery men and whisky men pro-
Tna enur sod and So
Z rious that the Populist senate was forced
to appoint a committee to investigate.
On the witness stand Major Hudson ad
mitted writing the story. He gave all the
information he had about the deal, and said
that John Moffitt had told him that Gov
ernor Lewelling knew that money was be-
ing spent for various purposes by the gam
blers and whisky men of Kansas City, kas.
Moffitt and p II. Coney also told him that
Little and Close were with Legate at the
Palace hotel in North Topeka one evening
when Pete Kline gave LeSate $500. He
also testified about Legate receiving 5000
at a previous time.
When placed on the witness stand, Le-
gate admitted having received $3.50 from
Kline: He said he got 500 more from Ed
SHOWS partner also. The money was used
to influence" enough Republican members
to vote with the Populists to organize the
house. The first payment was sS,OO0 This
{ was received by Legate while he was at
Z Leavenworth in the shape of a draft which
= he cashed there at local bank. Kline did
not know what Legate proposed to do with
the money. Legate was to stand between
City and the Republican ring of Wyan-
dotte and protect these interests from that
ring" II IL came to a showdown. Legate
was to intercede, through the governor,
with the new police commissioners of Kan
sas City. Kas;" This money Legate said
he used in sending three emIssaries through
out the state TO find out the situation"
These emissaries were Republicans so Le-
;ate said, and he gave them s1.Oc0 each to
Later he called upon Kline for another
: I,5oo and the latter came to Topeka with
% MA t-fcf 70 IT,
peka that Major Hudson charged Little
Close and Legate with getting the cash.
Legate said that Little and Close did not
get the money. He said he gave this 81 500
10 three Republicans TO get three other Re-
publicans TO vote for the Dunsmore organi-
cation, and also three Democrats. Jim Orr
got to the Democrats last and the three
Republicans went back on the deal. so Lee
gate gave up the ghost. He had told Kline
prior TO that time, however. that he in
tended TO have a bill passed by the legisla-
ture driving out gambling and policy from
and Kline assented. Kline said that COM
petition had become SO strong that there
might as well quit
When Legate got the last s. 500. he said
Kline wanted him to take a hand in the
police commissioner fight in Kansas City,
kas, but he replied that he had lost all in
fluknce with the governor.
From that time on, during his testimony
Legates memory as TO transactions was
entirely blank.
Who were the three Republicans to
tor Thatcher.
MY memory is very treacherous." re-
piled the witness. "I don't recolect"
Give US the names of the Republicans
E who Travelled over the state TO canvass the
.'As said, my memory is treacherous.''
can't you give the name Of single
ut would be utterly Impossible. as much
as would like to accommodate you
Can you name any of the Republicans
whom you expected to vote with the Pop
ullStS to organize the hOuse?''
'I have strained my mind so hard to
an fhink * OF these names az don't believe it any
Did Pete Kline know what you intended
TO use the money for?'
Il don't remember"
What did you tell him It was for?"
don't recollect."
Gould you give a description of any of
these men with whom you were deaIing?"
Il don't remember that"
And SO 1t went all through his testf-
nony- His mind was as faulty as Keefer's
At that investigation, which was purely
Populist show, as stated before about as
much corruption was shown up as has
been shown up on the Populists this time
Representatives McIleney and Burgard
both testified to being offered. vast sums
of money for their votes. They did not
make the deal on account of the failure of
all parties interested to agree upon stake
holder.
l. was also shown that the officials of
Wyandotte county had employed ]. X p
Barker, PODulist. to come to Topeka and
lobby against the passage of a bin reduc-
"
county officers. They gave him n check
which was afterward photographed and
reproduced in newspapers. Frank Strick-
land, OF Kansas City, Eas. whose name
has been mentioned freely during the re-
cent Investigation also figured in the other
one McIleney swore that Strickland was
the go between" between him and the
man who wanted to buy his vote Many
other deals We're exposed but the commit
tee. by party vote, whitewashed the
whole outfit.
But the state officials whom Major Hud-
son accused of accepting the money from
Kline never filed the libel suit against
him. as threatened.
In speaking about Populist corruption
and Populist Investigations to-day Attor-
ney Eugene HaEan, of this city. said:
These Pops are inexperienced. Wait
awhile and they will be the same as other
legislators. They will learn TO be stone
blind when they see anything: will he
deaf when they hear anything. and will
be- dumb when they are placed on a wit
ness stand. The sooner they get educated
the better their party will be of"