The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-27
KELLY EXPLAINS
Issues Another Statement in
His Own Defense.
Claims His Undoing is Caused by
Political Enemies.
MAKES A BOLD BLUFF.
Would Waive Right and Be
Placed ON Trial.

Placed ON Trial.
Claims Convention Which Re-
pudiated Him Was Packed.
The long awaited statement from
Thomas 7. Kelly, Republican candidate
for state treasurer. has appeared. 1t is
an attempted defense of himself against
the findings of the board of county com
miSsiOnerS of Miami county, charging
him with defrauding the county out OF
$1,324.99 and against the resolutions OF
the recent Republican county conven-
tion in Miami county upholding the ae-
ton of the commissioners and repudl-
atfng Kelly's candidacy
The findings of the county comm1s-
Sioners were as follows:
And whereas, pursuant to said Or
der, the said board of county commls-
sioners of Miami county. Kansas. met
in the city of Paola. on the 4th day OF
May, 1902, and did, with the assistance
of the county clerk and county attor-
ney, make a thorough and careful IN
vestigation of all matters pertaining TO
the office of county clerk of Miami
county. Kansas during the four years
that Thomas T. Kelly was clerk of said
county, using in said investigation the
records of said Office, the records OF the
county treasurer sof said county. the
records of the banks of said city so Tar
as obtainable verbal statements when
the same could be obtained and the re-
ports of two experts who have recently
examined the records of the office OF
said county clerk. and after such care
full and thorough examinati ton the mem
bers of the board of county commits
sioners of Miami county, Kansas, unan-
imously find as follows:
THAT the irregularities which have
ir1or fbo a6 ,iY,fS Sfr.af iny1 n
Thomas T. Kelly as county clerk of Mi
ami county, Kansas, amount in the ag-
gregate to S1.324.9s. and that portion
of said irregularities has been caused
by the said Thomas T. Kelly's lack of
experience. And because of said irreg-
ularities the said Thomas T. Kelly is
indebted to Miami county, Kansas, in
the sum of s1,324.99. Witness our hands
this 18th day of May. 1902.
(SeaD r. HAMPSON, Chairman; i;
THOMAS CRAWFORD,
REUBEN SMITH,
County Commissioners.
Attest: L. FLANAGAN,
County Clerk.
A detailed report was made June 5,
a week after the Republican convention
at Wichita.
In making the detailed report of its
findings in which Kelly was found short
on sixteen counts, each Of which was
described in detail, the board says:
THE records upon which these item
1ZoQ nndlnSS are maze are DeIOf6 U.S.
NONE OF THEM ARE MISSING.
ALTERED OR MUTILATED. Where
warrants have been drawn for larger
amount than was allowed by the board,
out, the stubs of these warrants ARE
ALL IN THE HANDWRITING OF
THOMAS T. KELLY
The resolutions of the Republican
county convention in Miami county.
which was held August is, and which
were adopted by vote of 1S0 to 20, re-
pudiating Mr.. Kelly, are as follows:
IS. We endorse and commend the
action of the board of county commits
sioners in unearthing the frauds COM
mitted against Miami county, in the
sum of 81, SO, by Thomas T. Kelly
while county clerk. and we pledge it
LEGATIONS.
'6 We, in view Of the disclosures
made in the findings of the board OF
county commissioners in which it found
Thomas T. Kelly guilty of embezzlins
more than s., 800 while county clerk of
Miami county, and his repayment of
that sum into the county treasury, be-
ing in itself the crowning proof of his
guilt, do repudiate the nominal ton of
Thomas I. Kelly for the office of state
treasurer. Because of his corrupt Off
cial record we consider his nomination
a misfortune and his further candidacy
a menace to the success of the state
ticket"
Mr.. Kelly's Stateme 1T.
Mr. Kelly now makes the following
statement:
''The term of w. D. Greason as post
master at Paola expired July l. Con-
gresham Bowersock will not make an
appointment until after the election.
The term of G. c. Clevenger, postmaster
at Osawatomie, expires December 81
and the term of s. r. Estel, postmaster
at Louisberg, expires at about the same
time.
These postoffices are the cause of all
the trouble in Miami county. A fight
was made on me in the county conven-
ton in February, because all of the
postoffice candidates in the three above
named places lined up with me and my
friends in the hope that they might
control the delegation to the congress
slonal convention and thereby induce
Mr.. Bowersock to make a change in the
various postoff1ces Mr.. Greason and
Cievenger both publish Republican
newspapers, they are fighting to save
their jobs and still doing it. The
fight is being made on me at this time
In that county in order to force me to
run behind the ticket and thereby dis
credit me with the appointing power.
Mr Greason has diligently sought
through his newspaper to make the peo-
pie believe that / am dishonest and
ought not to be trusted to handle the
FUNDS of the state, yet he is qualified on
my official bond for $1,000, as is also
Major Remington for the same amount
and If they believe in my dishonesty
they should know that they are in dan
ger though neither one of them have
up to this time requested to be relieved
from responsibility on said bond
IF l had given Mr. Thomas 5000 as
he demanded in February last and
promised him place in the office in the
event of my election the fight never
would have been started.
Thomas and Greason met B. f.
Simpson and myself in room No. 5
Laclede hotel, Paola, early in May last
and proposed to drop. the whole fight:
discharge the expert from Kansas City
and forever close up on the subject if !
would retire from the race for treasurer,
assist them to control the delegates from
Johnson and Miami counties for their
friends in the state convention, they to
name the number of the state central