The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-13

found.
MIR Hanna said,' continued Mr..
NaiH, that he was not sure as to what
Metzler meant. Whether he really
wanted to sell out or was just trying
to find out if any boodling was going
on"
This ended the testimony and Mr..
Hanna's feature of the investigation
gave way to the examination of VIII
liam Butler, from whom but little in
formation was elected Friday after
noon. However he reiterated the state
ment that he was approached by a man
who said a large sum of money had
been raised to spend in the Fifth and
Sixth districts in the interests of the
Wichita normal school.
Q.-How was this money to be used,
did he say?
A-To influence votes.
Q-How much was to be expended?
A-One hundred dollars for each
vote.
Odd he name any one with whom
you were to negotiate?
A-Yes he said I should see any Pop
ulist legislator from either the Fifth or
Sixth district, except Turner of Jewell
and Smith of Sherman.
Q.-Who stated these matters to you?
A-COl. H. l.. Taylor
Q.-What else did he say?
A.-That he could satisfy me that the
money had been raised and was ready
to be expended.
Q.-How did he propose to satisfy
you?
Ale SsdlQ ne WOQIA give me I4iG
names OF some of my friends who would
certify to that fact.
Q.-Who did he say would first Ger
tify to that fact?
Al. d. Lewelling.
Q.-Where did you first talk of these
matters?
An the post Office of the house.
Q.-Detail that conversation.
A-There was little said He asked
me how I stood on the normal school
business and I replied that knew moth
ing about it. Then he suggested that
7 come and talk with him in his room
at the National.
Odd you go?
A-Yes sir
Q.-What did Taylor say?
A.-What I have already told you.
Q.-What else was said
A.-NOthing that I now remember.
Mr.. Grimes.-Why did you not give
this testimony Friday
A.-Because I was not asked to do so.
The examination of Mr.. Butler being
concluded the committee adjourned I'M
til 9 o'clock today, pending the arrival
of witnesses.
Representative Weilep was the first
witness this morning. He said: ION
the floor of the house I made a state
ment that IN my opinion the bribery
OutrageS We're more rampant than at
any time since the days of Pomeroy. 1
based this opinion upon what / had
seen the day before at the Throop hotel.
l was sitting in the lobby when one of
the POpulist members who lived al the
Chesterfield came downstairs. 1 asked
him where he had BEEN He replied
that he had just stopped IN to see a
friend. He passed out and another
came down soon after. I asked him
where he had been and he told me that
they had promised to put him against
something good, which I construed to
mean money, if he would vote against
the maximum rate bill I asked him
if he proposed to accept it, and he said
no"
Q.-Who was the member?
A.-Mr. Davis of Wilson county.
Odd he tell you who made the
proposition?
A.-NO. but he pointed out the man.
Q.-WhO was it?
A-Frank Strickland of Kansas City
Q.-What was he doing?
Alt was my understanding that he
was under the control or represented
Mr.. Waggener of the Missouri Pacific.
Q.-WhO was the first man you men
toned?
A.-Representative Dalton of Stevens
county.
Odd Mr. Davis accept the propo-
sitiOn made by the railroads?
Ale said he was not going to.
Q.-What did Mr.. Dalton say2
Add not mention the railroad mat
ter, but said he had simply dropped in
to see a friend.
Chairman Outcalt then took the wit
ness. In response to questions con-
cerning J. W. Clark and the Missouri
Pacific pass, Clark having testified that
Weilep had first told him the pass had
been taken up, Mr. Weilep said:
"One day at dinner Mr.. Waggener
told me Clark'S pass had been taken up.
I mentioned the matter to Clark, and
from what he said, I inferred he had
already received a letter from the man
Gilbert, to whom the pass had been
loaned informing him that the pass had
been taken up"
The examination then reverted to the
incident following which the Republi-
cans created such a hub-bub over Wei
lep'S ruling. Outcalt said:
Q.-Who were the agents of the cor
poratiOns in the hOuseY
Al presume the men who opposed
anti-cOrpOratiOn legislation.
Q--WhO were they?
A.-Wen. the Republicans.
Q.-AnyOne else?
"A few scattering votes on the
other side.
Discussing the ruling to which the
Republicans excepted, Mr.. Weilep said:
From what I learned afterward, I
believe that the railroads were back of
the scheme to prevent the revision of
the calendar. Mr. Waggener told me
that Senator ingalls, and Judge Horton
had told him that my ruling that a, ma
iority of members could vote to change
the rules was right, but Mr.. Waggener
endeavored to impress upon me the
idea that a two-thirds vote would be
necessary to adopt report from the
revision committee
o.@is there anything further which
you think of?
A.-NO, sir.
Q.-No attempted briberies of which
you have knowledge?
A.-NO, sir.
Mr. Weilep was excused, giving way
to Eben Mccarthy of Paola, page in
the house of representatives. After
esta blishing the identity of the Wit
ness, he was asked to tell what he
knew of any crOokedness, bribery or
corruption.
A-Nothing, for certain.
Q.-Weu, what did you see?
A good many things.
Q.-Where?
A.-When carrying notes.