The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-09-16
C0ncOrdia Editor Discusses
Davies-Albaugh Controversy.
Says That Deal Arranged Was
DisgracefuI.
GIVES A NEW VERSION.
Tells Part Leland Had In the
Deal.
Why George A. Clark Ended
the Negotiations.


gan at Concordia, gives a new version
of the alleged dickering a year ago be-
tween the Republican state central COM
mittee and Conner Davies of the Con-
cordia Kansan for the turning of that
papers influence from the Populist to
the Republican state ticket.
First Chairman Albaugh accused Da-
vies of offering, through the late Lit
Crum, to flop from Populism TO the Re-
publicans for $1,000. Davies took about
four columns OF space to enter a general
denial The Concordia Blade then
chimed in and said that the deal had
been decided upon. the consideration to
be $1,000. but that George A. Clark had
put a stop to it.
The Press now comes forward with =
story of the transaction in which It i'm
partially roasts both sides. 1t says:
In a ludicrous and verbose effort to
reply to Mort Albaugh. chairman OF the
Republican state central COMMITTEES.
who charges him with having offered to
sell himself to the Republican party last
fall, Mr.. G. T. Davies. editor of ths
kansan, devotes a page in the last is
sue of his paper. His effort to justify
his unprincipled offer might possibly
pass muster at a pink tea. but certainly
will carry little weight with politicians
and those who are wise to the methods
pursued by them.
TO call a man liar and a thief does
not make him one, neither is il q vindi-
cauon OF the charges preferred.
In order to impress his great honesty
on the people. Mr.. Davies says he left
election of William Mckinley when n
required nerve and courage to quit
Men who are in position to know where
OF they speak. assert that when Davies
sold
TO Concordia it was for the purpose or
purchasing a Republican paper. He
even went so far as to thus inform 4,
lew OF his Republican friends on arriv-
ing mere. 1t was the ConcOrdia Dav-
light he came from Republic to buy, but
on arriving here and learning through
Seward Jones that the Kansan office
could be purchased for less money ana
was better equipped plant he began
investigating the possibilities of a PoDu-
list paper in Cloud county II rnt1st
nave proven satisfactory. for he imme-
diately purchased the paper and Dlant
and continued its publication along
Populist lines. This first and somewhat
sudden acrobatic flop must have took
nerve ana courage of the nerve-destroy-
ing kind. But did Mr.. Davies expert
ence this change of heart before leaving
Republic City or after his arrival in
Concordia?
Then again in refutation of Mr.. Al
baugh's charges that he wanted to sell
his influence for $4,000, Mr.. Davies calls
him a liar, thief and dog. and saws
that it is dirty malicious lying at
tack, and yet he furnishes no evidence
to prove that such is the case. 1t is
easy to hurl TRADE of abuse and bill
lfngsgate at the head of another, but it
proves nothing, neither is it a mark of
ability, nor does it elevate the profess
sion. The diTtiest. most ragged little
street gamin in town can probably give
the brightest newspaper man in Kan
sas cards and spades at the game of
billtngsgate and then beat him out of
the game by many points
THE whole affair is disgraceful and
for the sake of one of the most honor
able of professions 1 had hoped 1t
would not be given publicity, and when
the whole matter is probed and the
story is given to the public, as it GER
tainly will be now. the question of who
will be entitled to the greatest con-
tempt, Messrs. Albaugh, Leland and
Crum, or Mr.. Davies, will think, be
a matter of opinion. based on personal
friendship for the parties involved. The
facts. stripped of verbiage, show AL
baugh, Leland and Crum to have traf-
ficked in that which is a credit to no
man. In fact one who attempts to buy
anothers honor. is little better than the
one who seeks to vend or hawk it.
In his accusation Mr.. Albaugh does
not tell the whole truth. He does not
tell the part that he and Mr.. Leland
played in this miserable transaction.
He seekseto hide their contemplate
work The facts are that when Mr..
Crum. who was evidently the go-be-
tween in the transaction, conveyed the
| tidings to Albaugh and Leland that
Davies would flop for 81 900. they mere
| ly thought the price too high and for
that reason only refused to consider 1t,
no sense of honor or right entering
their deliberations when it was being
considered.
Then, again, Albaugh does not tell
the public how the matter was brought
up at later conference of this trio and
! how it was agreed to accept another
4 proposition made for Davies by Mr..
Crum, which was for 81, 200, to be paid
as soon as the goods were delivered or
when Davies should have made his
grand stand flop, which was expected to
startle this corner of the world and
wipe the Populist party Off the political
map. Neither does Albaugh tell how
\ few days later, while en- route from
! Kansas City to St. Louis, it occurred TO
him for the first time that George Clark
/ had just purchased the Concordia En-
pire. Republican paper, thus becom-
| ing a competitor of Davies, and how
it also occurred to him that to buy
Davies would be to injure Mr.. Clark.
AIbaugh evidently thought OF this mat
ter so strongly that Immediately on his
arrival in St. Louis he wired Leland
thus: DO not close deal with Davies
until you see George Clark, positively
\ Mr.. A1baugh could have told how
Mr. Leland sent for Clark. showed him
the telegram and asked him to explain
\ it, He could have also told the readers
/ of his Kingman Leader how after the
matter had been explained by Mr.. Clark.
Mr. Leland called the deal of, but not.
however. until after Davies had done his
second acrobatic stunt and had landed
again in the Republican party
This is the true story of Davies flop
and nauseating one 1t is too. It also
/ accounts for the icicles that freeze, even
on the hottest days. when Mr.. Davies
| meets either Albaugh, Leland or Clark"