The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-12
BREIDENTHAL is GLAD.
Regards dwellings Misfor-
tune as a VindicatiOn
Of His Position at the Abilene
Convention.
Breidenthal and His Followers Now
Exclaim 81 Told You so"-Popu-
list Factions Now in an Inter
ersting Situation.

The situation in which Ex-Governor
Lewelling is placed by the bribery in
vestigation which is now going on be-
fore the special legislative committee
although coming at this late date, is
regarded in a certain sense as vindi-
cation of John Breidenthal and his fol-
lowers for the fight which they made
against the denomination of Lewelling
as a candidate for governor at the Abi-
lene convention.
Breidenthal and some of his friends
started out early last summer to sup
port Harris for governor and the chair
man was the object of particularly bit
ter attacks from the LeWelling faction.
At that time Governor Leedy had not
become candidate. 1t fact he was
laying low" and letting the other fell
lows do the scrambhng, presenting at
the proper time his fitness and claims
for the nomination.
BreidenthaPs position caused a bitter
fight within the party which required
the combined influence of DOster, Leedy
and the remaining candidates on the
state ticket to secure a cessation of
hOstilities until after the election.
When the election was over Breid-
enthal was temporarily the hero of the
hour. His enemies in their jubilatiOn
over the victory forgot, for the time at
least, that they had sworn to LeWelling
to rebuke and humiliate Breidenthal.
Then came the senatorial election in
which LewelIing withdrew his own can
defeat of Breidenthal, with what sue
cess was shown by the final nomination
of Harris. dwellings fight on Breid-
enthal did not cease here Mr.. Breid-
enthal when the legislature opened pre-
scented claims for expenses incurred
while resisting the litigation brought
by G. S. Jobes, Governor Morrill's ap-
pointee for bank commissioner, to Sc
cure the possession of the office. The
claim went before the senate ways and
means committee and was first allowed.
At a subsequent meeting of the COM
mittee Mr.. LeWelling appeared before
the members with the claims for wit
ness fees due the friends of William
Rogers who testified in his behalf be
fore Cyrus Leland's investigation COM
mittee.
Mr.. Lewelling suggested that the
committee reScind for the time being
its action allowing BreidenthaPs claim,
in order to consider the remaining
claims in a bunch, allowing them all at
the same time and recommending their
payment.
To this suggestion the members of
the committee readily acceded, the re-
suit being that the other claims were
allowed and Mr.. LeweIling succeeded in
rebuklng MI Breldenthal to the
amount of $500 or $500, by preventing
the payment of the claim for attorneys
fees.
A senator who was friendly to Breid-
enthal sought Senator LeWelling after
it was found that the ex-governor had
trapped the friends of the state chair
man, and a stormy interview followed.
The senator said to LeWelling: This
action for which you are wholly re-
sponsible places a premium upon the
incOmpetency of men who were invest
igated while holding high official posi-
tons. Because Breidenthal has held
his Office for four years and has been
successful in it, has passed through two
adminiStra tons without an inVeStiga-
ton, you decline to pay his expenses