The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-01
ONLY ONE Way.
Miami County Republicans Talk
About 7. T. Kelly.
Feeling Is Intense and Opp0si-
tion Is Bitter.
WON'T VOTE FOR HIM.
Claimed He Won't Get Over
500 Votes in County.
People Will Not Support an
Embezzler.
MIR. GREASON'S OFFER.
Asks Committee to Visit PaOla
and Investigate.
If Records Are Mutilated Will
Forfeit 81, 900.
How the EmbeZZlement Was
People Will Not Support an
EmbeZZler.
MIR. GREASON'S OFFER.
Asks Committee to Visit PaOla
and Investigate.
If Records Are Mutilated Will
Forfeit 81 900.
How the EmbeZZlement Was
First Unearthed.

tAlC ltcliIlS against Thomas Nelly .
Republican nominee for state treasurer,
in Miami county, his home, can scarcely
be realized until one meets and talks
with the farmers of the county and MIR.
kelly'S old neighbors on the subject.
Since the facts concerning Kelly'S en-
bezzlement of county funds have been
made public by the county commission
ers his candidacy has formed one of the
principal topics of discussion whenever
two farmers have met. They have talk
ed of it in their fields, on the streets
when they have come to town, and be-
fore and after church on Sundays.
With practical unanimity they believe
that Kelly robbed them through his Of
ficial position as county clerk and they
feel deeply on the subject.
A reporter from the State Journal Wis
tied Paola for the express purpose of
determining the sentiment of the Re-
publicans of Miami county-what his
old neighbors and those who have
known him for many years-think of
the charges against him and what they
propose to do about supporting him.
There were 1868 votes cast for the head
of the Republican ticket two years ago,
yet members of the Republican county
central committee and prominent Re
publicanS generally estimate that Kelly
will get only from $50 to 500 Republican
votes in the county. The general esti-
mate is about 300 Republican votes.
This is not the full vote he will receive,
however, because there is an element
him.
The feeling that Kelly is guilty is so
strong and the men who have investiga-
ted the county records are so sure that
he has done just what the county COM
missioners charge him with that W. D.
Greason, editor of the Miami County
Republican, the leading Republican pa
per of the county makes this proposition
to Mr.. Kelly in his issue of last Fri
day:
.J LOT q co,,,r,i++oo oor,pocod Of A. rth,,r
Capper of the Topeka Capital, Tom Me-
Neal of the Mail and Breeze, Rev.
Charles NJ. Sheldon of Topeka, William
Allen White of the Emporia Gazette,
Henry Allen of the Ottawa Herald, C..
o. Smith of the Burlington Republican
A. ]. Basye of the Belleville Telescope
Ewing Herbert of the Hiawatha World,
John Seaton of Atchison. E. w. Hoch
of the Marion Record, Victor Murdoek
of the Wichita Eagle and John S. Gill
more of the Fredonia Citizen, any three.
five. seven. nine or all of them, or a
like number of men whom a majority
of these men may suggest, come to
Paola, inspect the records and docu-
ments in the Kelly case, and if they
find any of them missing, altered or
mutilated or differing in any respect
from the findings made thereon by the
county commissioners. the editor of the
Republican will forfeit $1,000 to T. T.
Kelly, Frank Grimes, w J. Stagg.
Frank farrell, the Topeka Herald.
or public or private charity that these
latter individuals may designate. We
impose no conditions upon Mr.. Kelly, all
we ask being that the Topeka and Kan
sas City papers publish such report as
this committee might make. All are
honorable men. who have the unbound
ed confidence of the people of Kansas,
and their verdict would carry convie-
tion. The people of Kansas have a right
to the truth. They do not want to sup
port grand larceny candidate for state
treasurer
Greason is financially responsible to
the extent of many times a thousand
dollars. He makes the proposition with
no strings attached to it. Some of the
men named are friends of Kelly and are
supporting him in their newspapers.
them, or any other committee which
they may select 1t allows Mr.. Kelly
the widest possible latitude.
Miami county is one of the richest
counties, agriculturally, along the east
ern border of Kansas 1t is county of
diversified farming. Next to corn it's
largest crop is flax Last year it grew
over $1,000 acres of fax, more than any
GELS in its acreage of timothy clover
and tame grasses generally, aside from
alfalfa According to Secretary Co.
burns recent population figures, the
population of the county is 20,004 1t is
pre-eminently an agricultural county
and the people are prosperous and
happy.
Paola, the county seat has a popula-
tion of 3.O67. Osawatomie the other
large town of the county, has 1889. 1t
Is the seat of the largest state hospital
for the insane. Paola is one of the old
fashioned towns which are built around
central square. the business houses
facing the square. The square in Paola
is made into a park. There are large
number of big trees which give an
abundance of shade, and scattere.!
about over the grass are plenty of park
benches. No town in Kansas has
finer feature for the benefit of the coun-
try folk who support the town, and that
the farmers appreciate the square IS
shown by the way in which it is pat
ronized by them during the summer af
ternoons
The blocks are long. yet the four
sides Of the square are filed with busi-
ness houses. The stores are attractive
and some of them are large enough to
do credit to large city. The streets
are filled with farmers wagons on Sat
urday and the tsores and shops do big
business.
These are the people whose county
commissioners spent ten days in going