The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-30
CHECK FOR MIR. DEvLIN.
Investigation of Thomas Gahan's
Charges Will Result In Defeat
For Altgeld.

Chicago, June 30.-J. G.. Johnson, the
Kansas member of the Democratic ma
tional committee, and temporary sec
rotary of that body, was a busy man in
Chicago yesterday. He called on sew
eral leading Democrats. Mr.. Johnson
is also a member of the committee
which was deputized to look into the
charges made by National Committee
man Thomas Gahan against P. j. Dew
lin, the press agent of the national
committee, and much of Mr.. Johnson's
time yesterday was taken up by the
DeVlin matter.
Mr.. Gahan charged Mr.. Devlin with
being an aggressive Altgeld partisan
during the Harrison-Altgeld fight last
spring The national committee ap-
pointed National Committeeman john
son of Kansas, WOodSon of Kentucky,
and Daniels of North Carolina, to in
VeStgate the matter. Mr.. johnson has
been doing most of the investigating.
He worked quietly that even the
city hall Democrats did not know he
was carrying out his instructions. Lo-
cal Democrats believed the sub-com-
mittee had done nothing, and Mr.. Gahan
was preparing to start another fight
when the Democratic national commit
tee meets in Chicago July 20.
Mr.. Johnson would not talk of the
Devlin matter yesterday, but it was
said that the subcommittee had agreed
upon report against Mr.. Devlin. The
argument is advanced in the report, it
is said, that any person whose connec-
ton with the national committee is of
a character to lend the color of author
ity to his work has no business to de-
eide between Democrats, and that when
he does take sides his usefulness to the
party is gone. 1t is said that the sub
committees report will deal sharply
with Mr.. DeVlin. 1t has been under
ing Democratic papers with Democratic
ammunition was a labor of love; that
he did not receive any money from the
committee. 1t is now said that about
$175 month is given Mr.. DeVlin to
carry on his work.
The city hall Democrats, who were
told that the subcommittee report
would recommend that Mr.. Devlin's
wings be clipped, declared that meant
they had won their fight; that the Alt
geld wing of the local party would not
be recognized as regular" and that
the Harrison wing would be known as
the only pure, unadulterated brand of
Democracy.
Ex-Governor Altgeld yesterday APP
parently was not aware of Mr.. John
sons presence in the city. He was ask
ed If the subcommittee would do any
thing. He replied:
Il know nothing of it. I don't know
if the committee intends to take any
action The boys (referring to the city
hall people) did not understand the sit
uatiOn when they went to st. Louis.
Mr.. Devlin had been instructed by Sem
ator Jones to stand by the Chicago
platform and shoot at anybody who
was swinging away from it, The little
man in the city hall simply got in the
way of some of the Devlin shots. That
was all there was to it. Mr.. Devlin is
in a position to tell the city hall peo-
pie to go to thunder. Some of the boys
thought there was a job in his work;
that they might put one of their fell
lows in to draw a salary. But there
isn't any. I understand that Mr.. Dew
lin does not get a cent from the ma
tiOnal committee
Mr.. Altgeld was told that the city
hall Democrats believed he was max
ing preparations to send a delegation
to the national convention. He shook
his head, and said:
I am doing nothing Of the sort.
have no intention of doing that sort of
politics. There is nothing in the back
alley kind of politics, this scurrying
around to carry ward or g. primary
If had time to devote to politics,
would rather enter the field of ideas
and policies. But haven't the time or
money"