The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-11-28
General C. Z. Coleman
Takes No Action.
MIR. WHITE WONDERS.
One of Mr.. COleman's Defenders
Doesn't Understand.
Says That He Has Had Ample
Time to Act.

Some time before election Attorney
General Coleman wrote newspaper
letter in. which he gave as his reason
for refusing to bring legal proceedings
relative to the state treasury shortages
before election the allegation that he
did not propose to have his office used
for political purposes-either to adj
vance himself or to injure T. T. Kelly;
that the people of Kansas believe in
fair play.
1t has now been three weeks since
the election, but still there is no per-
ceptible inclination on the part of Mr..
Coleman to bring any actions to cover
into the state treasury the money
which has been stolen from it, or to
punish those who are guilty of thefts.
That there has been money stolen
no one pretends to deny. There was
not only the money on the Garden
City coupons, which "a. r. Brown"
mysteriously returned, but there have
been thousands of dollars taken on
coupons which have borne the stamp
of the state as the states property.
No one pretends to deny that in all
such cases the money was PAID INTO
the state treasury, that 1t belonged to
the state but was never credited in
the treasury. There is no possible
reason why suit should not be insti-
tuted to recover this money into the
sponsible parties are certainly good for
the amount, and if T. T. Kelly is not
criminally responsible a suit of this
kind would probably fix the response
bility and remove suspicion from
Kelly.
why, then, does Attorney General
Coleman not make a move? He need
no longer fear using his office for po-
it for the benefit of the state and the
recovery to the state school fund of
the money that has been stolen from
it
the fact that Kelly loaned $4,000 of
the states money to a private ind1V1d-
ual to carry through the Ubiquitous
Comanche county bond deal 1t is ad-
mitted that this was contrary to law
but Kelly'S defenders claim it was only
technical embezzlement." 1t was en-
bezzlement just the same, however, and
there is no good reason why the attor-
ney general should not bring proceed
ings against Mr.. Kelly on this count.
Kelly even paid his friend interest out
of the state treasury on the very money
he had loaned out of the treasury.
Before the election William Allen
White was a persistent defender of At
torney General Coleman. He insisted
that MIR. Coleman meant all right ana
that as soon as the election was over
Coleman would proceed. Now White is
beginning to get anxious and he pub
lished the following editorial in the
Emporia Gazette:
How does it come that nothing is
being done in the case against Tom
Kelly? He is charged with either steal
ing or helping some one else to steal
a coupon on the Garden City bond OF
over 81 400. He also took $115, 900 of the
states money without a legal warrant
from the auditor, paid an outsiders
note, and allowed the outsider to col
lect interest from the state on the
states own money.
These two things Kelly has never
tried to deny. He did not include
them in his statement before the
election, and none of the experts hired
by him or his bondsmen Strengthened
these matters up. The election did
not vindicate Kelly. He ran disgrace
fully behind the Republican ticket,
and the people believe that he is
thief.
Attorney General Coleman has had
ample time to act. The cause should
be brought into court. There is just
one way TIC Vindicate Tom Kelly, and
that is before a jury. Attorney Cen
eraI Coleman, who has had the sup
port of all people who desired to see
the law upheld. now should either fish
or cut bait. This is only a fair way
to look at it.
1.-The Republican party cannot af-
ford to let the Democrats make Tom
Kelly an issue two years from now.
The Republican party cannot win two
years from now in Kansas, if this
Kelly business Is whitewashed, and