Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-05-09

Stephens should assume the full response
pity for the appointment OF Thomas N.
and thus bring to the defense of the board
the whole pow power and prestige OF the state
and that some of his closest political
friends Were opposing Vallins. to the great
brother. Judge E. ". Scarritt. and that in
making the appointment he did SO with
the , belief that he was carrying out s the
phens is understood to have automatically
declined to become responsible in any way
any part in selecting Vallins. He was
willing to talk with Attorney General
Crow, however, and add his request to
warranto proceedings be dropped.
1t is reported that Commissioner Gregory
bluntly asked the governor to assume the
burden of defending the board, but to no
avail. The governor is understood to have
expressed himself as disgusted with the
full in Kansas City. and the evident pur--
pose of the factions there to discredit and
6aSksn the SPPos,t;ion leaders Of each zach
Governor Stephens, in substance, told the
commissioners, that he would not mix
up" but let them fight II out. These are
the rumors about the capital to-day, and
the decision of the governor is generally
commended by the state officials and their
deputies, who are apprehensive of the op-
state.
me Democratic pOlitlClanS mere usually
follow the lead OF Auditor Slebert and it
IS an open secret that the "sapient leader
from Cape Girardeau" thinks that the
whole Vallins matter should be promptly
repudtated by the state Democracy in order
to avoid the antagonism of organized labor
In the canvass next year. One thing is prac-
tfcally certain in the minds of the political
bosses, and that is that Attorney General
Crow will institute proceedings to dismiss
Nallins during the coming week, and in this
action he will have the support of every
state officer, with the exception of Governor
Stephens and Colonel Paul Moore. 1t is
true that these same office holders are wary
about expressing their opinions pnblicly,b but
they are a unit in hoping that this Jonah
be thrown overheard to save the party ship.
One of the personal friends of Commits
sioner Scarritt here is very indignant at the
refusal of Governor Stephens to support the
Kansas City police board in its fight. He
charges the governor with bad faith and in
sists that before any action was taken by
Scarritt and Gregory they consulted with
him and obtained his approval of Vallins.
This friend Of the police beard declares
really responsible for the selection of
Pinkerton agent for chief, and that Vallins
for the place. He claims that Messrs. Scar
rift and Gregory are being made scapegoatS
in the police scandal.
ferson City in discussing this police scan
dal with your correspondent said: 1.-THE
fight against Police Commissioners Scarritt
Of Vallins is being made by the Shannon
o'Neill-Lyons faction. While the polit-
cal friends of Henry s.. Julian probably
are not taking any active part in it. The
fight on Chief Vallins is merely subter-
fuge to cover their real purposes, which
are to discredit and injure the administra-
ton of Governor Stephens. These men are
not deceiving anybody, least of all the gov
ernor himself who has been kept fully adj
yised about the manipulationS of these
Kansas City politicians. The governor
knows that these men fought, his nomina-
one faction of the Republican party in
Kansas City deprived him of hundreds of
Democratic votes at the election. The fight
now being made by them on the police COM
mfssioners is in reality aimed at the gov
ernor, and they will find to their regret
that this cunningly devised scheme to
fail ''s INC DOafu u ilaAe 'e'A'S VIII
Joe Shannon, who was the real moving
spirit in the fight against Fyke and John
son, is sore because Elihu w. Hayes was
not appointed police commissioner accord
ing to an alleged agreement with the Scar
rttts. John p. O'Neill is sore because Scar
ritt defeated him for state committeeman
and these marplots are using Senator Ly-
ons to urge Attorney General Crow to
bring the quo warranto proceedings against
yallins, thus turning the deepseated preju-
dice of laboring men and ex-Confederates
against Pinkerton detectives to their own
sinister purposes. predict that Joe Shan
| non will become candidate for an i'm
portant office himself under Stephens. Po-
lice Commissioners Scarritt and Gregory
but knowing ones Say that they are be.
ginning TO suspect each other and they are
trying to shift the responsibility for the
blUnders of the board on to Bankers Swim
ney and Wiley o. Cox.
Another matter which is reported to have
been discussed at the secret conference of
Police Commissioners Scaritt and Gregory
and Governor Stephens was the coal oil
inspectorship. The political gossips here
Inc. 4I,A e. xr1,ts,
Robert W. Cary hard and that he has now
no show for the appointment. Through the
relationship of his wife with Mrs. Governor
Stephens everybody thought at one time
Cary had "cinch," but it is understood
that Banker E. F. Swinney's brother-in
law, Kelly Thompson. now has the call.
Mr.. Thompson is related by marriage to
| Banker Speed Stephens. of Boonville. and
this direct influence supplemented with the
support of Brother-in-law Swinney and
VIII Scarritt is expected to knock this
rich persimmon.
rumor was circulated during the past
week that Editor Nelson, of the Star, had
| Governor Stephens in Kansas City that
Butler La Force be appointed coal oil in
spector. The story is that while the Kan
| sas City editor earnestly desired the suc>
| cess of La Force he would not make di
rect recommendation to the governor; at
! the same time he wished Governor
| ment of Butler La Force would be very
pleasing to him. This may. secure him
| the place, although the interference of an
| anti-Bryan newspaper in state patronage
will be bitterly resented by the radical free
| silver faction. If any of the other num-
| erous applicants for the place can combine
| the support of Bishop Hendrix, Rev. c. NJ
Hawkins. of Kansas City. and DIR. John
d. Vincil. ex-state president of the A. p.
| A., he will probably defeat La Force and
| Kelly Thompson. 1t Is being charged that
| Thompson was an avowed and outspoken
.'goldbug." and not only wore a yellow
| badge during the campaign but also voted
| for Major William Mckinley for president.
| The appointment of n notorious boltocrat
i Of a.rl,t