The Topeka state journal., 1897-04-19
SCANDALOUS.
The Office of the State Oil In
spectOr Seems to Offer
Boundless Opportunities For
Making Money.
A CONSPIRACY EXISTS
To Defraud the State According
to E. NJ. WiIhOit
Who Quotes Deputy Inspector
Frank Elliott
TO RIDE ON PASSES
And Collect Five Cents a Mile
From the State.
Four Men to Draw the Salaries
of Six.
These Are Some of the Fea-
lures of the Deal
Who Quotes Deputy Inspector
Frank Elliott
TO RIDE ON PASSES
And Collect Five Cents a Mile
From the State.
Four Men to Draw the Salaries
of Six
These Are Some of the Fea-
lures of the Deal

According to the statements made py
F. NJ. Vyilhoit. manager of the Standard
OIL company in this city, the office OF
state oil inspector is again about TO De
used for the personal advantage of the
men who have secured the positions as
inspector and deputy inspectors. The
law provides for the appointment OF
five deputy inspectors but State lnspec-
tor Z. V. Wharton has selected but
three and announces that an effort Will
be made to do all the work with the re
duced force in the interests OF econo-
my"
Frank Elliott, one of the deputy IN
spectors in charge of this territory, told
me a few days ago. said Mr.. WilhOit
to a Journal reporter today that the
three deputies and the inspector had
arranged to draw the salaries of five
deputies. distributing it equally among
them. The salaries do not amount to
much Mr.. Elliott said continued Mr.
Wilhoit, but he said that by riding on
passes which the Inspector and depu-
ties expected to secure, they would be
able 10y the aid Of the division of the
500 per month. which is by law pro-
vided for two additional inspectors, ad-
ded to the fees Of five cents for each
mile Travelled. be able to realize hand
sOmely out of the jobs
"Elliott volunteered this information
80 me. said WlhOit- He came to our
since he was appointed, the date of
which was March 8. to inspect oils and
during his visit told me of the cOnSpir-
acy to obtain this money. He intima-
ted that as the inspector, after collect
ing the fees of the Office. had full con-
troll of the money, which the law pro-
VideS shall first be applied to the pay
Tnent of the salaries and expenses. after
which balances shall be turned into the
state treasury, there would be no diff
Guilty experienced in carrying out the
provisions of the agreement which he
alleged had been made.
4 have never talked with State In
spectOr Wharton or any one else with
reference to the inspection of our oils
1T seemed to me that Elliott was
telling all that he knew and was also
giving away some important secrets
but it was not my province to stop him.
I could only listen. He further told me
that he did not expect to make a cent
out of the job as he proposed to use all
the money he received in fighting Cyrus
Leland in Doniphan county. Elliott
said he and Leland had been fighting
each other in politics for several years
and that he intended to continue it un-
til Leland was OverthrOWn.
I asked Elliott how four men could
do the work Of six as it would necessi-
tate constant travelling over the state
and would hardly give them time to do
the work properly.
Elliott replied that the more travel
ing the better as each man would
charge the state five cents a mile and
use the passes furnished by the rail-
roads. Elliott said, as [ remem Der, that
ne expected two passes, one over the
santa Fe and one over the Rock
Island, but had not yet secured anv
of them. 1t was either that or
else he held a Santa F'e pass and had
not secured the Rock Island pass. It
was, however. one or the other and he
talked about the magnificent opDOrtl1n-
tiles which had presented themselves bv
reason of his appointment, with great
glee.
In continuing his talk Elliott
brought up the bill providing for the
inspection of gasoline which failed to
pass at the last session of the lagisla-
tufe- lie told me that the state inSpec-
tor would make an effort to enforce the
inspection of gasoline Notwithstanding
tne failure of the legislature to enact
a law providing for it. Elliott told me
thIt IN view OF the fact that the fees
colected Tor the inspection of oil would
ne appHed to the salaries of five dpY,17-
ties while three were drawing the mon
ey,' the inspector as well as the deDu-
teS We're anxious to excel the record of
the Republican inspector as To me
amount OF money turned into the state
treasury by forcing gasoline insDac-
ton, Elliott said they would be abIe tn
increase the amount of fees placed in
the treasury by at least $4,000. As
there is no law governing or prOvfdfno
for the inspection of gasoline the con-
panies viii resist it to the fullest exteDt
We are perfectly willing to comply with
the laws of this or any Other. state I,,+
we win not be forced to pay inspection
fees which are not provided exceDt in
the minds of the inspectors
Mr. Elliott called on the manages. of
the Standard company, a visit during
which the above interesting story Of
political manipulation was developed
70 inspect the oils the company had on
hand
The deputy inspector says that he
tested some of the oil and found that
1t registered but 103. seven degrees short
of the test required by the state law.
It was announced through the news
papers upon authority of a statement
made by MI Elliott that he rejected a
large quantity of the oil in possession of
both the National and Standard com
panies.
OF this Mr. Wilhoit said:
our records show no statement of
rejected oils and we are doing business
as usual. Neither have we been" order
ed to stop selling any particular brand
Of oil as result of the inspection. The
oils In our warehouses were inspected