Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1902-09-04
Yslly Answer Charges.

Auo PVhucsl eoemiss,oI AuOmhs -
Kelley. Republican candidate for state
treasurer. have been villiiying and
trsducing him in an effort to get him
to withdraw. Charges Of malieassnce
In Office while county clerk Of Miami
county where bolstered up by ialsifed
records and the opposition press,
headed by the bushwacking Topeka
State Journal, have done oil In their
power to work up sentiment against
him. His statement just issued is
manly Straightforward reply and the
REFLECTOR In conjunction with all
fair. minded citizens believe him to be
not only innocent Of any intent Of
wrong doing but absolutely not guilty
Of any thing that was dishonest in bis
official life. The facts in the case, as
briefly stated by the Lawrence Jour-
nal, are as follows:
Mr.. Kelly was county clerk Of
Miami county for two terms, leaving
the office about 5 years ago. Just be-
fore his term Of office expired, the
board Of commissioners Of Miami
county had an expert examine the
accounts Of the county since its or
ganization, and the work was done
thoroughly, the board paying the ex-
pert $l,4O0 for it. He found the
books and accounts we're regular and
clean. There had been at that time
no charges Of misconduct against
any one. In 1897 another examine
ton Of the records was made by an
other expert, and he, too, found that
everything was regular, and that
there were no discrepancies or errors
in the county records. When Mr..
Kelly became a, candidate for state
treasurer, eight years after be had
left the office Of county clerk, charges
were made against him'by bis political
enemies, and 1t was asserted that he
was short In his accounts. MIR. Kelly
hired an expert to 60 over the books
and accounts that were made during
bis two terms Of service as county
clerk. This expert found that books
and records were missing from the
office, and he demanded them. The
then county clerk said that certain
A. L. Thomas, one Of the active enc.
mics Of Kelly, had taken the books
from the vault without authority, and
had them then. Some Of those rec
ords are yet missing. In the face Of
the charges against him, Mr.. Kelly
went before the people OF Miami coun-
ty as a candidate for state treasurer,
and was given the delegation with
but one dissenting vote in the whole
convention. He had carried, almost
unanimously, every ward and pre-
cinct Of the county. He was again
vindicated by the Republicans of the
county when the congressional con-
vention was held, and controlled the
delegation. So persistent did his
enemies become that Mr.. Kelly placed
1000 in the hands Of the board of
county commissic ners to pay any
shortage that might be found in his
accounts, and demanded an investiga-
ton OF the records Of his office, the
fourth that had been made. A part
OF the records that had been missing
from the Office had been returned in
the meantime, and when the board
examined them, it was found that a
shortage Of $l,S24 appeared against
him. Mr.. Kelly made bis word good
and paid. Upon this showing, his
enemies demand that be be removed
from the ticket. Mr.. Kelly declined
to withdraw for the reason that such
action on bis part would be confess
sion Of guilt. His friends believe
him innocent, and they have insisted
that he should remain on the tick,t.
His whole life and every act Of it goes
to show that be is and always has
been an honest man. Two expert &C.
without prejudice, and
without thought Of him personally,ex-
amiued every figure in his accounts
for four years, and declared they
were regular in every way. Not un.
til eight years had passed after be lett
the office was charge made against
him, and to substantiate those
charges books and records that had