The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-10-16
BRO WN TELLS ALL
Details His Conversation With
Frank Willard.
Ex-Cashier Told Him of Dealing
With Mr.. Grimes.
CALLED TO HIS OFFICE
Said Treasurer There Made a
Proposition.
Wanted to Earn $4,000 or
$4,000 Above Salary.
FIGURE THE INTEREST
Carried the Money to the State
Treasurer.
Amount Paid Was Charged to
Expense Account.
FIGURE THE INTEREST
Carried the Money to the State
Treasurer.
Amount Paid Was Charged to
Expense Account.
Assistant U. S. Attorney Bone
COrrObOrates Mr.. Brown.

Leavenworth, Kan, Oct. 16.-Harry ].
Bone and Frank L Brown. who have
been here ten days attending federal
court furnished the following signed
statements today regarding the suit
against Treasurer Frank Grimes and
concerning Frank Willard:
1.-The Topeka Capital last Thursday
charged H. ]. Bone and myself with an
attempt to bribe Frank Willard to make
a false statement concerning the charges
against Frank Grimes, state treasurer
relative to the deposits of the state mon
ey and such charge carried with it an
insinuation that this was being done by
US for the purpose of defeating a candi-
date on the state ticket. It is with re-
luctance that make the following
statement for the reason that in some
quarters my motives will be purposely
misconstrued.
"The Capital article was unjust, but 1
would yet refrain from making this
statement had not recently learned
that Mr.. Willard, himself had given in
formation of our conversation to the
friends of Mr.. Grimes, who in turn, gave
it to the Capital, evidently for the pur-
pose of trying to make the Republicans
of this state believe that on the eve OF
election we were in a plot with Mr.. Le-
land to obtain evidence for the purpose,
as Mr.. Grimes says, of prosecuting him.
Neither Mr.. Bone or myself saw Mr..
Leland from the time of our conversa-
ton with Willard until day or two af
ter the suit was brought against Mr..
Grimes. Until the Capital article ap-
peared had not detailed the conversa-
ton we had with Mr.. Willard to any
one. The interview was more for the
purpose of protecting a Republican Off
cial from exposure at this time than
otherwise and but for this reason the
Capital article would have been refuted
Immediately on its publication.
so far as am concerned, if Mr.. VIII
lard had not talked about this matter to
Mr.. Grimes friends or if they had not
used the information gained from Mr..
Willard to my detriment with the Re
publicans of Kansas, the conversation
would have been as though it had never
occurred.
.'Since Mr. Grimes and mis- friends have
chosen to distort the facts as to the
matter in such way as to injure me, I
feel it my duty to tell what the facts
really are.
s.some days before we met Mr.. Will
lard it had become rumored that pro-
ceedings were to be instituted against
Mr.. Grimes regarding the conduct of the
state treasurer's Office. 1t was also ru-
mored that at least a portion of the ev-
idence against him would be procured
from Frank Willard, formerly cashier of
the Merchants National bank. 1 knew
Mr.. Willard well and because of certain
statements he had made to me about the
conduct of the treasurer'S S office, / was
the truth. it would do Mr.. Grimes much
harm and possibly injure the Republi-
can ticket. Mr.. Bone and myself met
EIr. Willard and told him what we had
heard concerning proceedings aginst Mr..
Grimes.
"I stated to him that if the rumor was
true and he was called to testify
knew from things he had said to me it