The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-05-17
KELLY'S SIDE.
Gives Out Statement About
Commissioners Report.
Claims He Was Not Conscious of
Act to Defraud.
WITHDRAWAL STORY
Wanted Him to g Get Off Politi-
cal Earth.
Makes Statement That Enemies
Are Trying to Get Even.

Thomas 7. Kelly, assistant state treas
urer, has returned to Topeka from Pa
ola, where he has been during the in
vestigation of his record as county clerk
by the commissioners Of Miami county.
He has issued the following typewritten
statement concerning it.
The examination completed by the
board of county commissioners OF Miami
county on May IS was made at my re-
quest. after L had deposited 81 go to
cover any claim the county might find
against me, at the same Lime waving
the statute of limitations Had been
conscious of any act on my part to de-
fraud the county I would have been very
foolish TO have asked Tor an eXaLlnatlOn
at this time. Four months before the
expiration of my last term as county clerk
an expert employed by order OF the board
OF county commissioners completed an ex-
animation Of my accounts and found them
absolutely correct. None of the lrregu-
larities found by the present board oc-
CURED after this experts examination.
Nearly ten years have elapsed since 1
a candidate for a state office has any
question ever been raised as TO my OF
became candidate for state treasurer
records kept by me while county clerk
tored ana vouchers ana fecofds stoIeh anu anu
destroyed Some were taken TO Kansas
City to be photographed without the
knowledge of the officers or the county.
Draft registers belonging to the defunct
National Bank OF Paoia which contained
the only evidence OF renlttanees OF money
to outside parties, except by personal
check, have been stolen from among the
books OF that bank ard can not be found
So systematically have those pursuing me
done their work that they have not only
abstracted and destroyed the vouchers,
but have stolen and destroyed all the old
bank books which contained all the neces-
sary evidence to explain these transac-
tions. When the investigation began the
commissioners called for the warrant stub
book used during my term. They We're in
formed by the county clerk that two OF
the books had been stolen. The commis-
siOners instructed the county attorney to
4 ~l--
He began an investigation In a short
time the missing books were found in the
basement of the court house, where they
mad been thrown that very morning. Ihey
were all wet and the commissioners were
certain that they had been returned that
morning curing ram storm IheSa
books had been missing from the office tor
about four months. Not only were the
draIL registers stolen, ut also the re-
turned drafts. That VS. the situation !
had to confront was charged with the
amounts of all the missing vouchers
which could not be otherwise explained.
"One OF the principal items well Illus
trates how the findings showed against
me. On January 4, 1881, a claim was al
lowed to T. NJ. Hobson for s753 .95 and a
warrant dawn for the same. which Mr..
This warrant was duplicated a day SO
afterward- When it was discovered to
be duplicate a notation was made by
me on the. duplicated stub in the warrant
register, duplicate destroyed l certainly
believed it had been destroyed. Fifty-two
days after, on FEBRUARY q, 1891, the du-
plicated warrant showed up in the county
1reasurer's office as having been paid by
the county treasurer to the King Iron
Bridge company. The board holds that
I am responsible because of the duplica-
ton and must therefore pay the money.
The board knew that 1 did not get the
money This is simply illustration of
many of the other items for which 1 am
held responsible If the vouchers that
have been lost or stolen could be found
they would explain these apparent irreg-
ularities and completely exonerate me.
II have no criticism to make on the
county commissioners. but it is plainly ev-
ident that these Irregularities might have
occurred in the county treaSurer'S Of
flee well in mine.
These charges were made just prior to
the county convention in my county in
February, yet I received the unanino Gus
endorsement of the Republican convention