The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-03

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A-Yes. it was the official county
paper.
Q-Is this a correct list therein as
certified by you as county clerk of the
bills allowed at the January session of
the county board
At is.
Q-How do you account for the Crane
& Co. bill appearing as only $46-25 in
this published account2
Al can't tell. Must have been an
other bill for 500 pinned to it.
Mr.. Kelly was handed a copy of the
Western Spirit, of date January II,
1894. showing the Crane g. Co. bilr~ to
be $46.25- He was then asked: What
were the items that went to make up
that extra 500?
ADO not know, except seven stat
utes, at SO each, and a few blanks.
Q.-Who was the salesman who sold
this bill to make up this extra
amount2
Q.-George Higgins.
Q--On what date was this bill pur-
chased by you?
A--On January 1. 1894
Q--Where was this order given?
A.-Here in Paola.
Q.-And the bill was allowed Janu-
airy 2?
A-Yes, sir.
Q.-Had the goods arrived January %
A.-Don't know; think not.
Odd the county ever pay for sup
plies before receiving them?
A.=NO.
Q.-AH goods bought after January 1
are usually paid for at the April meet
| ing, are they not2
! A.-Yes, generally.
Odd you ever know of an excep-
tion2
A.-No, not that I remember of
Q--Win you please explain, then, how
it was that this order was taken on
| the 1st of January and paid on the I'd
1 day of January, as is shown by the
records of your Office and by the stub
he 4trsa ant
Al can't explain that
Odd you make these figures.
| Sl46.25, on the back of this voucher and
on this stub warrant? Are all of those
your figures?
A.-Yes, they are. made all of them.
kelly's attorney, noting that his client
was being chased into a tight corner,
! protested. denOuncing the whole pro-
| ceedings as being irregular and without
authority of law, to give his client an
opportunity to get his bearings.
| Kelly was asked: How was this extra
\ 800 RENTED to Crane & Co.?
/ Al do not remember. 1 occasionally
paid money to Cranes travelling sales
man and charged the amount up
against Cranes account. Mr.. Crane
| employed George Higgins on my rec
Ommendation, and with the under
| standing that I would advance his first
months salary, which I did. I also ad-
| vanced Higgins money at other times.
1t is probable that this 800 item was
| paid in this way.
Greason claims he wrote to Higgins.
| who was located at Vinita T. T. tell
| ing him of Mr.. Kelly's testimony and
he publishes the following as Higgins
reply:
'evinita, L T.. Feb. 16 1902.
After my respects, I will say I am
| ready to make oath that never sold
| Miami county any statutes while rep
| resenting Crane & Co. I did sell the
county some blank books and sold the
county the booths, etc, required by the
1 Australian ballot law. Mr.. Kelly never
! advanced a months salary to me while
! working for Crane was not
IN the employ Of Crane at that time
| (January 1, 1S94)- If Kelly )
| innocence depends upon the truthful
| ness of his and Cranes statements
| with reference to my connection with
the matter, he must be more than
guilty. I was still working for Crane
| & Co when the bill for the booths and
election paraphernalia which 1 sold the
county was allowed, and was called to
Cranes desk one day and asked by Mr..
| Crane if had agreed to allow Kelly
a commission on the bill when I sold
| it. | told him I had not. Whereupon
| he showed me a letter from Kelly de-
manding 10 per cent commission on
| the bill, stating that other publishing
houses had offered him as high as p
per cent. If he would give them the con-
| tract. After talking the matter over.
and against my advice, he decided to
offer Kelly a lump amount, just how
much I do not remember"
In extenuation of his course in fighting
Kelly, Greason publishes a signed edi-
torial statement, addressed ito the Re
publicans of Kansas in which he says
among other things:
THE Miami Republican was establish
ed in 1866 1t has been under the pres
ent management for the past IS years.
It is today and has been for IS years.
the only Republican paper published
in the county seat of this county. The
Republican is financially responsible for
every statement it publishes, as the COM
mercia1 agencies Will show, and we cha1-
lenge Mr.. Kelly to disprOve any of the
charges made against him by this paper.
While rumors of crookedness on Mr..
kelly's part as county officer have
been current for years, the Republican
has refrained from in any manner Civ
ing circulation to them until positive
and indisputable evidence was present
ed to US, that he, as county clerk, rob-
bed this county, and became convinced
that should the Republicans of the state,
in ignorance of these facts, place him
upon the state ticket, and the opposi-
tiOn, who are in possession of evidence
of his guilt which cannot be disprOved.
should use it as they would do during
the campaign. it would greatly weaken
the ticket and possibly drag good men
who are candidates for other state posi-
tions down to defeat
1T will be observed at the outset that
this is not a personal attack of the edi-
tor of the Republican upon Mr.. Kelly.
The statements we make regarding him
concern solely his official record, which
is a proper subject of criticism by the
most humble citizen. It will naturally
be inquired why. if these charges are
true. does Mr.. Kelly have the delegation
from his county to the state convention
for state treasurer and the Endorsement
of his candidacy by resolution of the
county convention. It must be borne in
mind that when Mr.. Kelly was Informed
, that the investigation of the county
clerks Office was being made, he i'm
/ nadi2fpiW C9HSHd the nTIn11rias
county convention to be called and hello
: within "a week after the date of the
meeting Of the county committee anC
tire delegates were elected to the county
convention before 1t was known over the
county what the charges We're agains
him. Furthermore. the charges becom-
: ing public on the eve of the convention
his friends industriOusly circulated the
IL H.