The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-01

through Kelly's records and accounts
and then announced that he was short
81, ,324.9 SO. These are the people who
know all the circumstances surrounding
Mr.. Kelly for many years. They have
also known A. L. Thomas and w. D.
Greason, two of the Republican leaders
of the county. who are largely respon-
sible for opening up Kelly's record. 1t
Is these people, too, who announced
their faith in their commissioners and
their district by repudiating Kelly and
commencing the action of the farmer in
the Republican county convention, by
vote of $50 to 2S, 13 not voting.
block to the south of the public
square in Paola is the Miami county
court house. 1t is a handsome brick
structure and would be a credit to any
county in Kansas. Just inside the main
corridor IS beautiful and expensive
marble tablet erected by the public
schools ard citizens of Miami county to
the memory of the seven Miami county
boys who fell in the Philippines. At
the head of the list is the name of Jay
Sheldon, son of Judge Sheldon, who was
renominated Saturday by the Republi-
cans for judge of the Tenth judicial dis
trict.
When the reporter for the State Jour
nal called at the court house only one
of the board of county commissioners
was present. This was the chairman
of the board, r. Hampson. Mr.. Hamp-
son is a substantial farmer of Miami
county who has been there since 1871
and consequently is thoroughly ac-
quainted with the history of the county
He is the owner of about 1000 acres of
rich land in the vicinity of Hillsdale,
in the north part of the county.
Mr.. HampSOn was asked for state
ment of what he thought of the Kelly
matter.
I'VE have made statement of what
we think about it, replied Mr.. Hamp-
<o l1x-
that. The charges were made against
Kelly and we made the investigation
in the interest of the taxpayers of the
county. We did not do it az the insti-
cation of any faction, but only to find
out the truth of the matter. We have
| made our statement and will stand by
| it,
The records in the Kelly case are kept
in the vault of the county treasurer.
The findings against Kelly were only
on items where the records showed con-
clusively that Kelly got the money out
of which the county was defrauded. 1t
is said that there are discrepancies in
the records aside from those reported
in the findings of the county commits
sioners, amounting, it is claimed, to
several thousand dollars more, but
where it was not conclusively shown
| that Kelly got the money taken from
the county, he was given the benefit of
| the doubt and it was not charged
against him These discrepancies may
De investigated Sui Uy Tie COIIl-
misSiOnerS.
KELLY THREW DOWN GAUNTLET.
| Mr.. Kelly and his friends claim that
the recent Republican county conven-
tion, which repudiated his candidacy for
state treasurer was packed by his
enemies and that he did not expect any
such action. G. L. Robinson is chair
man of the Republican county central
committee of Miami county. Concern
ing this claim of Kelly Mr.. Robinson
said:
kelly himself threw down the gaunt-
let. He was working in the county for
ten days in order to get control of that
convention, and the first talk about any
resolutions came from Kelly'S friends.
Seventy of the delegates in this last
convention We're also in the convention
last spring which allowed Kelly to
name the delegations to the state and
congressional conventions. This shows
the change of sentiment among the
people here since the commissioners
have shown up their findings. Many of
Kelly'S friends have gone completely
back on him once they have found out
about these things.
Here is another thing" added Mr.
Robinson. 1.-THE vote on the anti-Kel1y
resolutions stood $50 to %, but that
does not mean that 20 delegates were
for Kelly. Some of those 90 will vote
against him when it comes to the cleo
tion. Albert Lonecker made one of the
most vigorous speeches against the res
olution in the convention because he
was afraid it might injure the county
ticket. but he told me right afterwards
that he was not supporting Kelly and
would not vote for him.
There are % members of the Repub-
lican county central committee. They
are elected at the primary election
which nominates the county ticket. Iri
the recent primaries Kelly had a can
didate for committeeman in practically
every precinct, yet only three out of the
22 were elected In the Fourth ward Of
Paola A. L. Thomas, who is one of the
Republican leaders who is pushing the
fight against Kelly, was candidate for
committeeman. Kelly made a special
fight on Thomas, but Thomas was elect
ed by a vote of two to one.
HOW THE REPUBLICANS FEEL.
P. l.. Ware is Republican committee
man for West Valley precinct. I'VE
have about so Republican votes in West
Valley" he told tie State Journal re-
porter, but I think that Kelly will get
only one of them.
j. w. Brantner, Republican commit
teeman for East Valley precinct, said ::
We have about 40 Republican votes III
East Valley. No one is talking openly
in favor of Kelly, but 1 think he Will
get one and possibly two votes in the
precinct I do not believe he will get
over 300 Republican votes in Miami
county, out of total Republican vote
of nearly 2,700. He will get some DEM
ocratic votes, though
When one talks with these committee
men and other leading Republicans
about the number of votes Kelly win
get in their respective townships they
generally count the number on their
fingers, naming each man. In a num-
Der of townships it takes only the fing~
ers of one hand. The farmers have
talked the situation over very carefully
so that the sentiment of nearly every
farmer in each township is known. In
a number of townships a careful poll
has been taken.
J. M. Manner. an old-time Repub-
lican of Stanton township and former
member of the county committee said !:
We have 120 Republican votes in our
township 1 think know what nearly
all the Republicans of Stanton township
think about Kelly, and 1 don't believe
he will get over 16 Republican votes in
the township"
Mr.. Manner here turned to neigh
Dor and counted the Kelly men off on
his fingers