The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-03

| but fairly begun. The entering wedge was
| found when Lieutenant Governor Lee
| confessed. Every day since that time
| has brought forth some startling dis
covery, opening up fresh and widerfields
for Grand Jury exploration. One after
| another the legislators who were known
! to be "grafters" and ''boodlers,' though
they never had been convicted, are being
I dragged into the open; one by one they
| are weakening under the terrible pressure
brought TO bear upon them by the States
| two ablest prosecutors: one by one the
! links in the chcain OF evidence which
may send them to the penitentiary are
being picked up through the double
header Grand jury investigation; one by
| one the charges, oft repeated but never
before investigated. Of reckless, open and
| persistent boodling in Missouri's State
! Assembly are being proved true
Circuit Attorney Folk remarked one
evening last week that the facts dis
closed by the examinations of witnesses
| by the local Grand jury On that day
alone were sufficient TO keep the Attorney
! General OF the State busy for the entire
summer. He also stated that when
certain witness who testified before the
Grand Jury on that day, should take the
stand in public trial half a dozen di-
vorce suits would be fled.
This person is a neted woman about
town-Hattie Stewart-beauUful and IN
teIIigent. advisor and friend of legislators.
familiar with their personal and legisla-
tive habits.
She told the Grand Jury what legislators
had flashed thousand dollar bills at her
where they claimed to have got them;
she repeated boasts made in her presence
by these legislators, boasts which those
legislators may bitterly rue. This woman
vii go before the Cole County Grand
Jury later in the investigation at that
end Of the line.
Thousand dollar bills have played an
important part in the Doodle scandals to
date When the first investigation-that
conducted by a committee appointed by
the last house-was ordered by the Legis-
lature it was because of charges that
two men-Cole Hickox, assistant Clerk
of the Senate, and l. L. Page, manager
Of county press bureau at Jefferson
City-had attempted TO pass bills of 1000
and 500 denomination.
When Circuit Attorney Folk, of st.
Louis, first took part in the Doodle in
vestigation it was because of assertions
that 81 900 bills We're distributed 10 mem
bers of the last Legislature at the Plant
ers Hotel, in this city, the day after the
Legislature adjourned.
When Daniel J. Kelley was arrested in
New York 1t was because Of Lieutenant
Governors Lees sworn statement that
Kelley had sent him check for $1,000.
When Ctate Senator Frank Farris, head
Of the alum combine. was taken before
the Grand Jury, it was because of asser-
tons that he had changed a $1,000 bill in
Parles Saloon, in this city.
When Colonel William Phelps, legisla-
tive agent for the Missouri Pacific Rail
road, was subpoenaed as a witness before
the local Grand Jury, it was because of
Farris' assertion that he, Phelps had
given Farris the $1,000 bill.
When Senator John P. Collins, of st.
Louis, was called before the Cole County
Grand Jury, it was on the sworn testi-
mony of more than one witness that
Collins had flashed" seven $1,000 bills in
this city the day after the Legislature
adjourned and had deposited five of them
in the Lafayette Bank, of this city.
Senator's Orchard. Sullivan and others
are said TO have possessed thousand dol
lar bills. Page and Hickox had them
and they were not even members of the
Legislature They refused TO tell where
they got their bills. So did all the ssna-
tors except Farris. Farris says Phelps
gave him the big bank note for -favors."
Phelps has not been served with a sub
poena, and therefore has not testified be-
fore either Grand jury. but he has denied
in newspaper interviews that he gave
Farris a check. Some of the State sena-
tors have tried to explain their big bills
by amusing stories of big poker games;
others have denied all knowledge of the
same.
Circuit Attorney Folk and Attorney
General Crow will endeavor to indict
some of these legislators for perjury as
well as bribery. The net is tightening
Several have turned SCtates evidence.
it is believed. Others are said to be on
the point of breaking down and making
complete essions-confessons which
viii give the Grand Juries all they need
TO indict the whole boodling gang.
watch out FOR Folk" one Of the So
called alum senator's is said 70 have adj
Z
Louis Circuit Attorney entered the doodle
Investigation.
Mr.. Folk working with that same tire
less patience that same masterful hand
ling Of the threads of q tangled slIein.
which he displayed in the prosecution of
the local boodiing investigation. an inves-
tigation which resulted in the Indictment
of every hoodler in the Municipal Assent
" and out OF il who could he indicted
| under the statute of limitation. Folk
does not expect 20 be able TO in5ict many
= the state Legislatures boodlers in
50. Louis but he viii try 10 place such
evidence in the hands of the Cole County
Grand jury that il can indict every man
who accepted brihe for any bill or
J against any b-l which came M IN either
n the last two sessions Of the legislature.
tt IS an enormous task but those who
know Folk and Folks methods believe
IL IS equal 10 II
Folk says ne is astourded by the revo-
lauous already made in She local Grand
Jury room. "Purrid" is the word h. APP
/ Plies u the legislature of Missouri RE
Thought he had studied and assfrlated
/ the entire science Of Ie-islative b7odling
/ whcc be prohed = the very heart Of the
/ system as jt WAS practised in the NUM-
! cirll ASS ~t,y Of ST Louis He IS now
/ learning s--~e new things about the sci
/ ence. or art. or profess. or-wbatevsr It
/ r,av he Folk does not believe Missouri
/ IS the only State cursed by hoodlers. but
J be believes shat the lat which has been
/ 6.sEracin- the State At Jefferson CRY
! Tor SOM years IS about The most brazcH