The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-18
Gov. Stanley Will Personally
Direct War on " KlOndike.
Left Today For LeavenwOrth
For That Purpose.
TO EMPLOY LAWYERS.
Assistants Will Be Secured On
the Ground.
Announces That Insurgents
Must Surrender.

The war on Leavenworth's ''Klon-
dixie" district begins today under the
personal supervision of Governor Stan
ley who is there for the purpose of start
ing the fight and making such arrange
ments as will insure the success of his
plan to blot out this notorious district.
The governor spoke to large crowd
of farmers at a. grange meeting at Over
brook Monday, returning to Topeka
last night. He took a quiet trip out Of
town today, his destination supposedly
being a secret.
The governor will make a personal
visit to the KIondike and inform the
proprietors of the dens of his intention
to open a fight upon them. He will give
such of them as choose to do so, an
opportunity to close up their saloons
and joints and gambling houses. Those
who persist in carrying on the violations
of the law which extend to absolute
plundering and numbering of the old
soldiers who are inmates Of the national
military home, will feel the strong hand
of the law descending upon them at
once.
The governor will engage legal talent
in IeavenwOrth to take up the fight
which will be prosecuted with vigOr un-
til the last vestige of the "KIondlke'
disappears.
crime for several years, but it has been
permitted to proceed without legal in
reference on the part of the city or
county until the crimes have become
highhanded and unlimited. Complaints
have been made by the officials at the
soldiers home to the county and city
authorities, but the officials have ignor-
ed them entirely This caused the gov
ernor of the home to present the true
conditions to the governor who was at
once interested. He called attention to
the conditions prevailing there by an IN
TrrTy col Nb1ea
ernor said at that time he would wait
until the county authorities had an Op-
portunity to act. This was nearly two
weeks ago. The time limit expired and
the county officials remained passive.
This aroused the governor who said, in
discussing the subject:
The machinery of the county is silent
and permits these crimes to go unpun-
ished but the power of the state will be
brought into use to suppress this motor
ious district. 1t is a disgrace to the
county; a disgrace to the state and
crime to permit it to exist.
I propose to blot this district out of
existence. There is no excuse for its
liberation. It seems to me that the
people of LeaVenworth county would
revolt against it, but they do not. The
county, it seems. cannot suppress the
'KIondike, but the state can and will
do SO"
fight and he has the approval and sup
port of the people of the state of Kan
SaS. He has been threatened in various
ways by the promoters of the "Klon-
dixie" because of the utterances con-
cerning the district the most important
notice having been received from some
of the ward heelers who control the
votes in the district.
You will create a disturbance which
will result in your defeat for re-elec-
tion,'' wrote one of the heelers to the
governor. THE people here will not
tolerate your interference in local af-
fairs. Public sentiment here tavors the
'KlOndike' and you can not drive it out
of existence"
When the governor read this letter he
was mad.
That suggestion is preposterous.'
exclaimed the governor. rs a man in
these times of Christian progress re-
sponsible to a political party for an at
tempt TO check crime and the commits
sion of Offenses against the old sol
dier2 If these things be true 1 will
gladly take the consequences. The
fight against this +Klondike,' which I
am going to make, is right in the eyes
of God and man. 1t is district of sin
and shame and what surprises me is
that the claim is made that public sem
timent in LeavenwOrth opposes it's sup
preston Be that as it may, regardless
of public sentiment that KlOndike must
go and am going to see to it that it
does go. If the people of LeaVenWOrth
as this man says, favor crime and de-
sire to foster such a criminal district
then 1 am surprised. Yet. 1 do not be-
lieve it. They are not of that opinion
and I feel sure that they will be with
me in this matter"