Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-01-07
SCHEME!
Charges Brought Against Col.
Wbal1ep Only to Iptimi-
date Legislators.
Officiousness of Frankf0rt's
Petty Officers Fully
Exposed.
Harre1 Has Besmircbed Him.
self and Deserves I'M
parchment.
WILL DEMAND SPEEDY TRIAL

In the Democratic Senatorial caucus at
Frankfort Monday night Senator Harrel,
of Logan county, sprung a sensation ~,
told how he had been bribed by Col John
H. Whallen to remain out of the Demo-
cratic caucus and oppose Goebel, and
giving up two keys to box in the vault of
the Louisville Trust, stated ne had there
received the money and it was in that
vault. Shortly afterward Harrel swore
out a warrant in Frankfort charging
Whallen with bribery. The Courier
Journal, with flaming headlines, exag-
gerated and misrepresented the incident to
such an extent as to display fully its ami
mus. 1t stated that Whallen had fed
from Frankfort and was in hiding, that
officers we're searching for him, etc. The
facts so far as developed do not warrant
the charge against Col. Whallen, but
show that Harrel was willing to be
bribed, and brand the Courier Journals
statements as to Whallen's conduct as
absolutely false. 1t is also shown that
the officials at Frankfort are plant tools
with an utter disregard for law, as evil
denced by their arbitrary conduct.
Col. Whallen was in Frankfort on
Monday and left for Louisville on the
evening train, as was we'll known there.
He knew nothing of Harrel's charge and
the warrant till told by newspaper re-
porters that dispatch to that effect had
Hoo.. ~a1as,,a1 OA1 XU1,a11o., %
telegraphed to the Commonwealth At
torney at Frankfort inquiring about it,
saying he would come to Frankfort at
once if wanted. To this he received no
positive reply, nor was any notice sent to
officers here to arrest him. He went to
Frankfort Tuesday morning, and though
about the city for some time, meeting
policemen and officials, no one offered to
arrest him. He went to the Sheriff's
office and surrendered. Then the scheme
to put him in Jail was clearly exposed.
The law fixes the bond in such cases at
5000 to $500, but $4,000 bond was de-
manded, presumably under the impress.
sion that he could not furnish il prompt
ly in Frankfort, but it was given at once
and Col Whailen released to appear in
Magistrates court next day.
Another piece of arbitrary officiousness
of the Frankfort petty officers was baked
by the good sense of Sheriff Bell. Presi-
dent Loving and Superintendent Speed,
of the Louisville Trust Company, we're
summoned Tuesday afternoon to appear
at O'Clock as.witnesses in the case before
the Franklin county grand jury. The
summons served too late for them to take
the train, and the Frankfort Sheriff tele-
graphed Sheriff Bell to arrest and bring
those gentlemen to Frankfort. He de-
ferred doing so, and the gentlemen went
to Frankfort Wednesday morning.
When Col. Whallcn appeared in conrt
at Frankfort Wednesday his attorney
moved the dismissal of the case on the
ground that the offense was charged to
have occurred in Jefferson county, and
the Frankfort court had no jurisdiction.
This was overruled. He then demanded
a trial, but the court held that as the
grand jury was investigating the case
the hearing must be postponed. Col.
Whallen waived examination, and the
court released him on the bond given
Tuesday. which being now null and void,
Col Whallen walked out of court free
to go where he pleased.
Messrs. Loving and Speed, with the
vault box, sealed and under guard of
officers, went before the Frank
lin grand jury Thursday. Up to Friday
no indictment has been returned, but if
he is indicted Col. Whallen will insist
upon an immediate trial The indica-
tons, however, are that he will not get
it. The scheme is clearly to intimidate
legislators and blind the people by such
sensational ~ charges, and defer the
trial till the political game is finished.
Harrel has besmirched himself. Whallen
is virtually acquitted unless indicted, and
then he must be convicted.