The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-16

me to get him on at ToDeka and bor-
rowing money from me. He was con-
or Kansas City. I let him have small
sums and once loaned him SO was
glad to get him off my hands when
he was appointed to fill Williams
place. 1 don't know anything about
the resolution for his pay. 1 had moth
ing to do with that. being on the
minority side anyway. 1 think he was
appointed about three weeks before
the session closed. So far as I knew
he was sworn in, but L confess didn't
haunt the cloakroorns to see if he was
working after I notified him.
About the closing day of the legisla-
called me up by phone from Kansas
City. He said he had been unable to
get pass to Topeka and asked me to
bring home his money. l did so and
drew the warrant on the closing day. I
think it was for $54, but 1 am not cer-
tain. I cashed the draft and came
home. When 1 gave Harris the money
1 retained the SO he owned me and no
more I grumbled a little about the
trouble he had caused me and remark
ed it cost me SIS to get the money
This is the remark which Harris has
distorted to make me say L gave a clerk
$14 to get the position. What I meant
was that the trouble 1 had gone to was
worth fully $5. 1t always costs a little
to have messengers run errands and
such things The money 1 had spent
on the n6SfO'S account came out Oh my
own pocket. 1t is ridiculous for him to
say that I had to bribe the state audi
tor or the treasurer, or the clerk. I
didn't pay anybody a cent to get the
negro on or to get his pay
The Indictment of Dan F. Campbell,
one of the Bourbon county members of
the house, by a Labette county grand
jury on the charge of soliciting brfbe,
has been quashed by Judge F1annelly
in the Labette county district court.
| Campbell appeared promptly at Oswe-
go as soon as he heard of the indict-
ment- He was accompanied by his at
torney, j. 1. Sheppard OF Fort Scott,
and a motion to quash was Immediately
filed. The ground set forth was that
there is no statute against legislator
seeking money for the passage of bill
after the bill has been passed, if there
was no contract involving such pay
ment beforehand. The motion was sus-
! tanned ON technical grounds.
The indictment against Campbell did
not allege a previous contract. but
that an attempt was made to get
monev after the bill had been passed.
1t is held that the Kansas bribery law
does not make it a crime to rocaive or
attempt to receive money from the
beneficiary of a legislative bill after
the bill had been passed, unless there
was contract therefor made before
the legislature voted on the bill
In arguing the case the defense
stated that the matter of good sense
and propriety did not enter into the
case, and no excuse vas offered for the
acts done. but that no crime had been
committed under the laws of Kansas.
This does not end the matter, how
ever. It is stated that this is one of
the few cases that the state can carry
| to the supreme court and the county
attorney proposes to have the case so
reviewed. He also says if the Quashin g
of the indictment was based on the
wording of the indictment, he will have
a complaint brought aga&ust Campbell
before a justice OF the peace.
MASON WON'T TALK.
| W. P. Mason, chief clerk of the last
house of Representatives, arrived in
Topeka today to assist the state audit
or's force in making an investigation
of the frauds in the house pay roll
/ State Auditor Wells has not returned
from spending Sunday at his home in
Erie, and the investigation will not
proceed until he returns.
lication of the specific instances OF
alleged fraud. ''The only thing that
I have disliked personally" he said
was the statement in the State Jour
nal that 1 refused to let a State Jour-
nal reporter. copy a list of house en-
ploves.''
1T was the truth, wasn't it?" asked
the reporter.
Yes" replied Mr.. Mason, s'but the
reason was not that I wanted to keer
the list secret. but because I had not
copied the list on my books at that
time I still think I was correct in
refusing to let you copy the list until
had got it on to my books''