The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-21
WON'T 1T DRY UP.
This Everlasting Spring of
Quantrell Raid Claims
Or Will Our Children and Our
Children'S Children
FAR IN THE COMING
Century Still Be Paying Fer
That Lawrence Disaster.
The Present Raid Worse Than
the Original One.

1He SUBJECT OF (2uantrel RAID clalIHS
is one which may cause an investiga-
ton by a special committee appointed
upon authority of a senate resolution,
unless, perchance, something tangible
be developed from what now appears
to be a very complicated series of cir
cumstances.
The innocent circumstance which Gre
ated a desire among some members of
the senate for information concerning
these claims, came about in a manner
totally unexpected even by those who
are now insisting upon an inquiry con-
corning these claims.
Years ago, under Governor John A.
Martin, a commission audited these
claims, such at least as were presented,
and issued 4 per cent interest bearing
certificates, to the claimants When
the commission had completed it's work,
a large supply, which has not been ex-
hausted. of these certificates, with litho-
graph signatures, was in the office of the
state auditor.
Claims TO the amount of $76,0 have
since been taken up and the certificates
issued therefor. Then some OF these
claims have been settled by special
bills, passed by the legislature.
And, still they come. Quantre1 raid
claims, never before heard Of are bob
bling up from all points of the COM
pass. Bills of large and small amounts
and of high and low degree are being
brought in from various sources.
L MS COnQlIlOn Is responsible IOr the
talk of an investigation The subject
was presented to the senate by a reso-
luton introduced by Senator Titus
which asked the state auditor to fur
nish the following information:
Number and amount of Quantren
claims registered.
In whose favor audited.
Date of each issue.
Were the signatures of the persons
authorized to issue the certificates Hth-
ographed or written.
Under what authority were they is
sued.
Mr.. Cole furnished information to the
senate ways and means committee
thinking that the resolution did not
refer to an inquiry from the senate
itself. Mr.. Titus then, Monday, asked
that the senate adopt a resolution de-
Ginning to take further cognizance of
these matters until the auditor had
complied with requests in the original
resolution.
This provoked discussion but was
finally disposed of in such a way as TO
injure the feelings of no one. although
the speech made by Mr.. Titus concern
ing the Quantreu claims set some of the
members to thinking.
Senator Helmick said: Il would not
be surprised if a lot of money has fallen
in the wrong hands during the settle
ment of these claims and confess my
self surprised at the number of them
which seem to appear every now and
then 1 wish we could have a commits
if there has been crookedness in these
transactions"
During the past year Col H. L. Tay-
Tor of Wichita has purchased a number
of these QuantrelI claims and has taken
in exchange for them the certificates
bearing per cent interest 1t is claim
ed that the law does not permit Mr..
Taylor to take such action because of
the fact that he purchased the claim
outright and does not represent the or
iginal claimant or his heirs and assigns.
Taylor's friends believe that the law is
broad enough for him, under the power
of attorney, to effect settlements of this
character.
1t was suggested that perhaps there
are now not filed several, perhaps dOZ-
ems of raid claims which will come up
at some time for settlement. Ten have
been disposed of in the past six months
and of this number eight were settled
by Col. Taylor, as a private enterprise.
The claims of course are purchased at
a great discount and the certificate for
the face value is a good investment.
What the senators want to know is
whether or not the claims for which
certificates have been issued are really
in existence or whether some unauthor-
lied person has at some time in years
past issued some certificates without
warrant. OF course persons having ac-
cess to the office of the state auditor
might gain possession of some of these
certificates, which are already signed in
blank and palmed them off. These Ger
tihcates are paid by the treasurer on
demand or bear interest at per cent
as the owner may elect.
The fact that as the years go by the
Quantreu claims increase has created
a suspicion in the minds of some of the
senators that perhaps an Injustice has
been perpetrated against the state at
some time in the past and the PROPOSE
ton for an investigation is based upon
the theory that the state should be in
formed of the true condition of this war
claim business.