The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-04-20
over GOES WAGON
Republican Professors Are I'm
der the Wheels.
Committee Refuses to Investi-
gate Fraud Charges.
FACE OF THE RETURNS.
They Must Stand No Matter
How Secured.
Candidates asAnnounced Declar-
ed Nominees of the Party.
"Anti" Delegation Given an
Hour For Speeches.
FACE OF THE RETURNS.

The "anti-fraud" committee which |
went before the Republican county CEN
trail committee Thursday afternoon to
ask for an Investigation of the charges
of fraud in last Saturdays primaries,
had the band-wagon run over them I'm
tremendously by the central commit
tee The action was expected, 50 that
there was no disappointment over the
result.
The central committee simply gave
the petitioners an opportunity to pre-
sent their request, and then studiously
ignored it. Immediately adjourning to
the court house to canvass the returns
as shown by the poll books, and re-
fusing to allow a recount of the bal
lots or to make an investigation of the
alleged frauds committed in the First
and Second ward primaries last Sat
urday
Immediately after the organization
Of the committee had been effected by
the admission of such proxies as we're
deemed legal, the 'anti-fraud' men
were granted one hour in which to pre-
sent their request to the committee. A
large portion of the crowd of 300 or
400 voters was made up of the "autis,"
and they were sufficiently strong to
make all the applause, which was loud
and frequent whenever any aliusion
was made to what would be done to the
Republican ticket in Shawnee county
provided the primary frauds were not
investigated.
Judge Carver was the spokesman for
the committee of ''antis,' but as soon
as permission had been granted item
to speak, there were cries for Spencer
Mr.. Spencer came forward and said:
Il came to this meeting purely from
a. sense of duty. I have no connection
with the committee of these other gen
tlemen. I knew nothing of their meet
ing the other night, and have never
! matter. When the returns came in last
Saturday night and showed that / was
| defeated, 1 took. my defeat philOSOphi-
| cally and gOOd-naturedly. But since
then there have been many charges of
fraud in those primaries, and the Gues-
| ton for you to decide now is Was
/ there fraud perpetrated? 1t begins to
/ look as though those were not Repub-
/ lican primaries, and now ask you, not
/ as defeated candidate, but as Re-
publican, to make an investigation of
/ those charges.
LAS I said, I have no connection with
the meetings of these other gentlemen,
and have not asked a single man to
/ appear here in my behalf. But if they
| wish to come here as Republicans and
ask for an investigation of this mat
| ter they certainly have a right to do
| so. The Republican party can succeed
| only when it represents the will Of a
majority of the Republicans. I have no
| feeling in this matter against any can
| QlQaLe, ana L Shall dD1Qe by Whatever
the committee finally decides is right
| and just
| After the applause which followed Mr.
Spencer's speech had subsidized, Judge
Carver came forward as the spokesman
for the "anti-fraud' committee, which
was appointed at the mass meeting on
| Wednesday evening.
1--WE are here" he said, mot as the
| representatives of any candidate, but
as the representatives of the Republic
| cans of Shawnee county who believe in
| honest elections, and are opposed to
ballot-box stuffing, repeating, or allow
ing Democrats and Populists to run
Republican primaries"
Judge Carver then entered a protest
| against the will of a majority of the
Republicans being overturned by fraud
and against the majority being com
PEELED to accept a candidate nominated
| by the aid Of Democrats and repeators.
He also said that the central commit
tee undoubtedly had power to recount
the ballots and, if possible, ascertain
which ballots were fraudulent, ard if
this is not possible, the committee has
the power to throw out the entire pre-
cinct in which it is shown that fraud
exists.
At this point J. F. McCabe, a mem
Der of the central committee and an
employee of the city. who had been
making more or less disturbance during
Judge Garver's speech, attempted to
call him down on the ground that his
time had expired.
of course Judge Carver continued,
looking directly al McCabe, ''I don't ex-
pect anyone on this committee who is
/ in favor of Mississippi methods and
ballot-boX Stuffing and repeating to ia
vor an investigation, but I do expect
/ those who are in favor of honest & &C.
tiOns to look carefully into this matter
/ don't know whether 1 am talking
against a stone wall or mott under
stand this committee is all fixed--but
| it does no harm to pres mt the matter
The way to preserve harmony i'll the
| Republican party is to allow the ma
inrity Of Republicans to rule. and not
/ force them to swallow the fraud that
was perpetrated last Saturday,
. As soon as Judge Carver had concluded
J. W. Gleed was called for. Mr.. Gleet
made direct charges that Galen Nichol.
and his friends had used liquor freely t
secure his nomination by the Republican
, primaries and had voted Democrats. Pop
ulists and thugs to achieve that end.
There are Z, 400 Republicans in Shaw
nee county" said Mr. Gleed, who believe
! that their candidate. Mr.. Spencer, wa
, nominated by plurality of from 300 to 40
of the Republican votes of the county
and Democrat and Populist votes do no
count. They believe that he was robbed
of the nomination by the thugs from
Smoky Row the repeaters. and th'
agents of the Kansas City breweries.
/ You have all heard of miracles It L
miracle with the beer and whisky whicl
? he distributed last week by converting 45
? Democrats in the First and Second ward
to Republicanisn The thing which w
: ask this committee to do is to investigat
+ this matter. If you find fraud has beei
1 | committed, order new primary. If yol
I think that the expense viii be too great
we will stand the expense ourselves, an,
1 will contribute $50 towards it as
| starter
Frank P Lindsay was next called on t
speak for the "antis' although McCabe
/ Dick Hodgins. and two or three others
| attempted to call out Otis Hungate. Lind
! ! says speech was much the same as h
made at the mass meeting on Wednesda.
night.
when did you ever witness such
1 scene as this. gentlemen2' he asked
There was never before but. once sue
a revolt in the history of Shawnee coun
ty. That was when the Republicans them
selves voted down the nominees for coun