The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-25
A Negro Gardener Knocks Down
State Officer.
Result of Trivial Quarrel About
Transportation.
MIR. GRIMES BRUISED.
One Eye Is Blackened and SwOl-.
len Today.
VIM. Holland, the AssaiIant,
Still at Work

Frank Grimes. state treasurer. and
usually considered one of the mosu
peace loving citizens OF Kansas. was
whipped on Monday by William Hol-
land, a negro gardener at the stats
house. Mr.. Grimes was badly battered
about the face and one eye is black and
swollen.
It is evident from reports Of the story
which have been allowed to filter
through to the public that the negro did
all the fighting and that Mr.. Grimes
simply acted as a recipient for the
blows from the fist of the brawny son OF
Africa
The trouble appears trivial enough to
the outsider and so far as the circunn-
stances that led up to the trouble are
concerned, they were trivial. But back
of it all was the omnipresent bugaboo.
the Baker-Burton contest.
1t seems that before the primary was
held in Fort Scott, which is Hollands
home he went there to participate and
Mr.. Grimes secured transportation Tor
him. It was reported that Holland in
stead of supporting the Burton candl-
dates. took sides with the friends Of Ba-
ker. Naturally this did not please Mr.
Grimes
1t is customary for the state officers
to make requisition upon the railroads
for transportation for themselves and
friends A few days ago Holland went
to Mr.. Grimes and asked that he get
him transportation to his home. Mr.
Grimes, he says, told him to call again.
When he did call the colored man says
that Grimes snapped him up and ap-
peared so surly that he went away 1t
is serious matter to offend a political
striker and Holland was offended and
went to Secretary Of State George A
Clark who got him the transportation
he desired
= -.
Clark being the right kind of a man to
go to for a favor and related that
Grimes had turned him down" Mr.
Grimes heard OF this and being Of a
conciliatory disposition he hunted up
Holland who admitted that >he had
made the statements attributed to him.
Something was said by Mr.. Grimes
about Hollands action at Fort Scott
and Holland said that he had acted in
good faith.
The lie was passed and Holland told
Grimes that he would hit him If he
again called him a liar.
Mr.. Grimes is not easily frightened
and he repeated the words.
Hollands immense fist shot out like a
trip hammer and the state treasurer
went down.
Mr.. Grimes regained his feet and was
again felled to the ground. One or two
more blows were struck when Mr..
Grimes walked away and returned 10
While Mr. Grimes was not seriously
hurt the bruises were painful. He told
those who were impudent enough to ask
that he has accidentally come in contact
with door.
Every effort possible was made at the
state house to hush the matter up.
Holland was at work this morning on
the lawn, though he is compelled to
push the lawn mower with one hand
the other is swathed IN bandages.
The affair is great surprise because
Mr.. Grimes is known as one of the most
genial of men and of anything but a
quarrelsome disposition. If another
system of partisanship was in force the
affair would probably not have happen
ed Persons who hold positions because
of "fiooence" are apt to be independent
of their employers