The Wichita daily eagle., 1897-04-23
LEEDY is WORRIED
BECAUSE OF COMPLICATIONS IN
POLICE BOARD AFFAIRS.

Part in the Wichita Trouble Until He
has to-The LeweIIing Faction Seems
to be Nagsing Him with Considerable
Activity for Political Reasons Mr..
Sankey Alleged to Have offered the
Place of Commissioner Furnish to An
other s1an-How Things Look.
When the Eagle stated a week ago
Iast Tuesday that there was some diff
Guilty in the police board a vigorous de-
NAL was made of it by the machine po-
iiticians on both sides. They tried 10
make the public believe that the most
beautiful harmony prevailed. They were
simply misrepresenting the facts, or at
least trying to cover them up. Now the
Kansas City Times discusses the police
commissioner trouble OF the state, and
speaking about Wichita, il says:
1t is reported that Senator Lewelling,
who lately was put in bad light by the
bribery investigating committee, is STIR
ring up discord az Wichita on account Of
the appointment of commissioners for
that city. He is assisted. il is said, by
Rufe Cone, chief of police of Wichita
during the Lewelling administration,
now sheriff OF Sedgwick county. There
is a story in circulation that Lewelling is
prompted to this act by the belief that
Governor Leedy will force his removal
from the railroad commission. Cover
nor Leedy declined to talk about the
Wichita situation"
The Topeka correspondent Of the Kan
sas City Journal says:
In Wichita there are all kinds ot
trouble between the Lewellings' and the
'antis.' The ants are in the saddle and
the Lewellings' desire a chance Their
relations We're none TOO peaceful before
Warden Harry Lands, OF the penitenti-
ary, and Senator Titus made their cnarg-
IS against Lswelling before the commit
Zee OF investigation, and now affairs are
much worse tangled. Sheriff Rufe Cone
of Sedgwick county, is an aspiring politi-
clan, who, would like 10 be boss. He is
next friend to Lawelling, whose assist
ant manager he IS. 50 Cone has opened
uD war against the 'antis,' who control
the Wichita police commission and is Ia
boring for their removal. The fight will
be long and bitter. for both factions are
strong and indisposed to yield an inch.
The governor viii not take a hand in
the game until the situation demands it.
He holds ic merely a factional quarrel,
but if he sees a chance for a compromise,
re viii step in. In the meantime, he will
stand by his appointees. the present
members Of the commission. 1t is mere
ly another phase of the troubles which
have been an unnecessary source of wor-
~ for more than one governor in Kan
sas. caused by the metropolitan police
system.
Notwithstanding the above report that
Governor Leady has taken no hand in
the matter, there is some reason 10 think
that he has. II is reported on very fair
authority that the opposition 10 Furnish
has been informed by the governor TO
pick out another man for the place. In
accordance with this idea the report is
out that Mr.. Sankey asked Mr.. ]. w
Brown yesterday or the day before
whether ne would take the place. The
report also says that Mr.. Brown was
50 startled at the unlocked for PROPOSE
ton that ne opened his mouth and made
no reply Mr.. Brown will neither af-
firm nor deny the truth of this report,
which is pretty fair evidence that there
is something in il. There is some like
lhoo1 t.iat Mr. Furnish will have to
leave the board and that the Cone ele-
ment viii be turned down more en-
phatically than they were ever turned
down before.