The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-19
THE DOWNFALL OF KELLY.

in Topeka now regard the downfall
of t. T. Kelly, treasurer of state. az
complete.
Nothing remains but the duty Of
) Attorney General Coleman, in the
states name, to prosecute the treas.
urer and recover all money stoler
from the state. The evidence of State
Accountant Rowett, gathered in New
York, is the last straw which has
broken the backs of the tottering Re-
publicans who have supported Mr.
Kelly UP to this day.
Mr.. Kelly's supreme nerve has kept
him in line until Rowett's report to-
day completely annihilates his last
statements made in this mornings To-
ital, and published elsewhere in this
paper.
The return by Mr.. Kelly of various
missing moneys after the shortages
were discovered, simply reduces Mr..
Kelly's bank account. without miti-
eating the original crime.
| But there are many shortages not
yet covered into the treasury. The
state accountant has been too quick.
Kelly has not been able to keep up
with him.
There will be thousands of dollars
of other shortages discovered, but they
will constitute other stories.
The evidence against Kelly in TAX
ing the states money to redeem a note
of $123,O00 in the Comanche county
bond transaction was indisputable.
The evidence of State Accountant
Rowett made public today is another
piece of proof which is conclusive.
Now that the case against Mr. Kelly
has been proven, it may be we'll to
state that there has been nothing per-
sonal in the attitude of this paper to-
ward the state treasurer. There has
been no politics in it. so far as we are
concerned. There was no desire to
persecute, Notwithstanding the whole
sale charges of that kind.
The State Journal today has no per-
sonal feelings whatever against Mr.
Kelly, other than it has against any
other man who makes himself crimi-
nal by the abuse of confidence placed
in him by those who elevated him to a
position of great trust and response
bility.
Ever since the books and records of
Miami county, Kansas. were placed
before the editor of this paper, along
with vouchers and other records,
showing the forgeries of T. T. Kelly,
as clerk in Miami county, the State
Journal has not hesitated to speak
against him as an unworthy candi-
date for the high and responsible Office
of state treasurer of Kansas. T. T.
Kelly acknowledged those forgeries by
refunding the money, just as he has
convicted himself of the recent short
ages, discovered by the state account
ant, by refunding within a few short
weeks several thousand dollars
The State Journal can forgive a good
many of the hard things said against
it, because there were evidently some
people who did believe that the con-
tinued attacks against Treasurer Kelly
were made for political purposes.
Truth comes out in the end and |
abuse sinks into oblivion by it's own
weight.
So far as the State Journal is con- |
cerned, there has been no politics in |
the charges it has made and proven |
against the state treasurer and the |
state school fund commissioners in con-
nection with the Comanche county |
bond deal. Concerning this latter trans
action, as matter of defense, it may
be said to the reader that there is
much additional evidence ready in the
shape of testimony.
The State Journal has made it's
charges and exposures in the Kelly |
business and in the Comanche county
transaction in the interest of good |
government and the pride of the state, |
without any hope or desire for any |
party, personal or political preferment, |
or pay, except the satisfaction of do
ing a good thing and for the regard |
and confidence of its readers. Many |
people who misconstrue newspaper |
motives will not believe this, but it is |
left with the public whether or not the |
facts that have been de-
have not proved that the
State Journal was warranted in pur-
suing the unwavering course it has
taken and followed.
JAYHAWKER JOTS.