The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-06-14
RICH is GRATEFUL
Emp0ria Man Mixed Up in
Cuban Frauds Writes.
Declares That He Is in No Way
Implicated.
THANKS HIS FRIENDS.
Governor Stanley and Others In
THANKS HIS FRIENDS.
Governor Stanley and Others In
terceded in His Behalf.
Record of Young Man Is Good
at Home.

During all of the period in which he
has been accused with being connected
with the Cuban postal frauds ana
charged with having personal knowl-
edge of the transactions on the part
of Nicely, c. NJ Rich, the Kansas man,
has not raised his voice in his own
defense.
Soon after the investigation was set
on foot it was announced that Rich
would not be arrested, while men who
had worked all around him were placed
in custody. The statement was made
that Rich was not informed as to the
frauds and had no personal profits &C
cruing thereby, but the progress OF the
investigation made It apparent that -
would prove a valuable witness and he
was placed under $1,000 bond as Wit
ness.
The investigation is still in progress
but the condition of mind in which Mr..
Rich now finds himself is explained in
a letter to a Topeka friend received to-
day. Mr.. Rich says:
Let me say this much once and for
all; neither directly nor indirectly was
l in any way Interested in nor did l
profit by the stealings from the Cuban
government to the extent of one single
cent.
1T was my great misfortune to be
associated with a man who has not only
proved false TO his official trust put
false to mis- friends.
when this case is settled my posi-
ton will be clear and satisfactory 10
my friends and will need neither apoI-
ogy nor explanation"
When Rich lived in Emporia he was
for several years employed as reporter
on local newspapers, having previously
attended the state normal school. his
parents were long residents of Douglas
county, the Quaker town of Hesper be-
ing their early home. Removing to
Emporia fifteen years ago they have
since resided there
Later Rich attended a Quaker school
at Muncie, Indiana, and while there met
Miss Goddard to whom he was after
wards married. Mr.. Rich and his wife
then came west but soon returned TO
Muncie where he accepted a position as
a travelling salesman for his father-ln-
law who operates a large wholesale
establishment at Muncie. When NeeIy
who is a Muncie man was given the
position at Havana he took his friend
Rich under his protecting wing and
gave him a good position. The puble
knows the result
When the trouble was discovered the
friends of Rich in Kansas thinking that
he was perhaps a stranger in cuba ana
might not receive fair treatment all
around interested themselves in seeing
to it that the officials knew that he
was a Kansas man with reputation
Accordingly a large number of letters
were sent TO J. L. Bristow explaining
=,
that Rich, in Kansas, was KNOWN a.
man of integrity and that he had ar
excellent reputation for honesty ano
uprightness.
Letters of this character were sent t.
Mr.. Bristow by Governor Stanley. State
| Treasurer Grimes, J r. Burton, George
| A. Clark, secretary of state, and othel
prominent Republicans
| These letters were not sent with 9
| request to shield Rich in any manner
/ but by them Mr.. Bristow was informed
that the stealings recorded in Cuos
were not a part of his usual conduc
and the opinion was expressed tha-
/ Rich was innocent of a criminal pur
pose. and doubt that he had knowledge
/ so far as personal profits were concern
ed of the frauds, were expressed
The arrival of these letters at Ha
| yana brought, in letter of grautud
to his friends, the statement of his in
nocence made by Mr.. Rich in the lette
| nuoted IN the foregoing.