The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-01
They ARE DODGINC
Treasurer Kelly'S Explanation
Of That Assessment.
Says He Really Didn't Want
Committee Furniture.
nNN On mHENID OWN
ONE OF THEIR OWN.
Burton Machine Evidently Plans
Private Campaign.
Chairman Stubs Not Consulted
About Arrangements.

There IS all sorts of hedging today
on the ATTEMPT to levy an assessment
on the state house employees for the
coming campaign. State Treasurer
Kelly enters a fiat denial, not only that
he is behind the assessment but that
he attempted to get possession of the
furniture of the Republican state COM
mittee in order to open temporary
headquarters. Here is what he says:
THE publication is a lie without the
merit of being artistic have not
levied any campaign assessments How
ever. when the time comes, I shall pay
my assessment, and it is the intention
of everybody in my Office to pay an
assessment. I don't know how 1t is in
0ther state departments, but that's the
way it is in mine.
= asked the man Sharpe, who stored
the state committees furniture, if he
knew whether the volume Of township
maps was with the other stuff. 4
wanted to see some of the maps.
Sharp didn't know anything about
them. That's the extent of the con-
versatiOn.'
On the last proposition it seems to
be simply a question of Veracity be-
tween William Sharp, who has been
state house messenger for several
years. and Mr.. Kelly. Mr.. Sharp says
that Kelly requested him to get the
furniture and take it to the Copeland,
just as stated in the State Journal
Thursday and that he took the request
furniture. In return Sharp took a let
ter from Albaugh to Kelly, of which
the following is a copy:
Topeka, March % 1905.
m. 7 t Kelly.
Mr.. sharp informs me that you re .
Quested, this morning, that he transfer
the furniture of the state committee
from storage to the ordinary of the
Copeland hotel I have instructions
from Mr.. Stubs, the chairman of the
state committee, to only turn this far
nitDre over on instructions from him.
1t will be necessary for you to secure
an order from him before the DISPOSE
ton you request can be made of it.
Respectfully.
MORTON ALBAUGH."
Mr.. Sharp says that when he took
this letter to Mr.. Kelly and Kelly had
read it, the latter remarked that he
would write to Stubs and he guessed
Stubs would have no objections
AS to whether Mr.. Kelly has any
thing to do with the assessment pro-
position which was sprung on the state
house employees Thursday, it seems to
lie between Mr. Kelly and the secre-
tary of states office. The first infor-
nation of the assessment came to a
State Journal reporter that Mr.. Kelly
had informed Henry Fuel, one of the
state house janitoTs, of the assessment
and instructed him to pay his assess
ment as published in the State Jour-
nal Saturday. Mr.. Fuel made COM
plant about the matter to some of the
other state house employees. Later Cap
tain Collins, custodian of the state
house and Mr.. Kelly's appointee, was
designated to notify all of the janitors
of the assessor ent.
Hill p Wilson, assistant secretary of
state was selected to notify the balance
Of the state house employees, and he
made the rounds of some of the depart
ments Thursday with lists of the vari-
Gus employees and the amount each
would be called on to pay at per cent
of his yearly salary
Today Mr.. Wilson was exceedingly
uncommunicative about the matter.
Who authorized this assessment" he
was asked.
well, nobody authorized it, I guess, ,"
said Mr. Wilson.
Then did you go ahead and make it
on your on motion?"
'sOh. no, I didn't do that. I advised
that it be made, though
Whom did you advise? Who was it
that talked about it2"
well, now that's getting too close"
said Mr.. Wilson.
THE fact is" he continued I'VE have
always had to pay an assessment, and
so we thought it would be a good idea
to start in now and raise the money in
small installments instead of having to
pay it all at once"
Why was the assessment made 5 per
cent?"
'sWel,, we don't know how much it
viii be but of course nobody viii have
to pay more than his share. It we col
lect on the per cent plan now and the
assessment isn't that much, why they
won't have to pay so much later on"
LAS a matter Of fact" continued Mr..
Wilson, mo assessment has been made,
but we Just thought we would give the
boys warning that it is coming.
J. w. Ffnaey. the janitor in the