The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-27

cation that 1 was inviting would dis
close the same and that a report Of 1t
would ruin me personally and destroy
ton soon to be held. staked my future
in my faith that an examination OF my
would show them to be cor
rect. The board found that on account
of certain irregularities l owed the
county 81, 1,32499. If I made a mistake
in 1890 and 1891, Hampson and Craw-
ford must have made a mistake. or
they made a mistake in 1902. They
can't be right in both cases. Their
findings in 1902 contradict their acts IN
1890 and 1891; contradict the findings of
Moore, the expert; contradict the re-
port of Cation. the expert; contradict
the findings of Stagg. the expert. There
can be no mistake about this, because
anybody knows that in order to draw
money from a county treasurer you
must go to him with an order from the
board of county commissioners signed
by the chairman of the board himself
and countersigned by the county clerk.
If these orders are Illegal, they come
back to the county commissioners for
comparison and cancellation four
months later, and they then have an
other opportunity to detect irregulari-
ties if there are any. A county clerk
is absolutely pOwerlesS to draw money
from the county treasurer except on the
order of the county commissioners. /
am said to have plead guilty to the
charge of wrong doing because l paid
this money to the county. 1 entered
into a written agreement in advance of
the investigation that I would abide by
their findings. l made my agreement
good, but it cost me 81 ,3z4 80, for which
l never received one penny's worth.
am the only injured party in the case.
I lost my money, and they are now try
ing to blast my reputa ton. These are
only the ex parte findings of the board
of commissioners. The controversy has
never been judicially determined. No
court or jury has ever passed on it's
merits.
If I took this money wrongfully and
appropriated it to my own use, I am
guilty of a crime and should be pun
ished. If the board will waive their
right to hold my money by reason of
the statute on voluntary payments, /
will waive the statute of limitation, both
civil and criminal, make a case of it
and try it on it's merits in the district
court.
IF the man who was county treas
urer at the time of these Irregularities
are said to have occurred either of
the three county commissioners who
were members of the board at that time,
were candidates instead of me, and
their candidacy conf1icted with the am
bitions of certain gentlemen in Miami
county, they would be compelled to an
swer for these irregularities instead of
me.
After my term as county clerk had
expired / went into the hardware and
furniture business in Paola. For four
years the firm of Kelly & Allen did a
business of about 1000 a year, and no
customer of that firm or no wholesale
house ever had a dispute or a lawsuit
on account of any business transaction
with said firm.
1.-The failed National bank of Paola
for which I was receiver. was wound
up by me after having handled a large
amount of money and gone through a
long series of litigation It was closed
up in a satisfactory manner to the de-
positors of the bank, and I received
especial commendation from the con-
trOller of the currency.
Since I have been assistant state
treasurer 1 have received and dispersed
more than $25,0OO,000, have been SUBJ
jected to periodical examina tions by a
board of which the state auditor, the
best accountant in the state, is mem
ber, and no question was ever raised by
them as to the regularity of the manner
of keeping the accounts of the state.
Il sought to promote harmony in
Miami county politics at the late
primary election held for the nomina-
friends voted for the nomination of
Major Remington for the legislature,
believing that his nomination, above all
others, would have tendency to pro-
mote the desired harmony. In the elec.
tion of the delegates to the county con-
vention, which elected delegates to a
judicial convention. I and my friends
were assured by Mr.. Remington, Mr.
GreaSOn, Mr.. Thomas, Mr.. Sherer and
nearly all of those who are leaders of
the opposing faction, that there would
be no hostile demonstration toward me,
that it would be county convention
solely for the purpose of nominating Mr..
Sheldon judge for the judicial district
Many of my friends did not attend the
caucuSeS. / was not in town when the
| caucus was held. There was no issue in
the election of the delegates further
! than that it was thought that if the Op-
posing faction were allowed to nominate
| the county ticket we could then join in
| and help elect it, will receive as many
| votes in that county as any candidate
| on the state ticket. I will receive as
many votes as Major Remington for the
| legislature, and we will all carry the
! county and be elected.
| "It has recently been suggested by
several newspapers that I should resign
| as a candidate for treasurer in the in
| terest of the whole ticket. In most in
stances the editors of these papers have
been prompted by the inf1.ences5which
| have sought my ruin in order to bring
about that result; with a few exceptions
I do not desire to question the honesty
| and sincerity of those publishers who
have taken that position.
Under no circumstances, however
can I accept the suggestion. Such a
| course would be a tacit admission of
! been maliciously and falsely made
against me and I can not conceive OF
any conditions which would justify call
! for such sacrifice on my part. I as
| sert again that 1 have never knowingly
| had one penny of the money of Miami
county which did not belong to me. ]
am not responsible for the political
| conditions which these charges have
created. I do not yield to anv man in
! devotion and loyalty to the Republics
party and sincerely and earnestly de
| sire its success. but I will not be -coerced
| by political assassins into doing that
which is not warranted by fairness and
! right. In justice to myself. my family
| my future, and to candidates who may
/ hereafter be subjected to the same crue
| and perniciOus persecution which have
suffered, as well as the best of loya
| friends who have honored me by their
unfaltering confidence under the most
/ trying circumstances and with absolute
faith in the sense of fair play never
| found wanting in the people of Kansas
| I shall remain a candidate until the
| Do1lS close on election dav'