The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-22
STITT ON WAR PATH.
Thinks That Part of Flood
Money Not Accounted Fer.

H. w. Euler, a North Topeka attor-
ney. visited Governor Bailey Thursday
to make inquiries regarding certain
money contributed from Colorado to
the state flood relief funds distributed
through the governors office last sum-
mer Euler is acting for Jacob Sttt,
a North Topeka travelling evangelist,
who claims that a thousand dollars in
subscriptions raised in Denver and
placed in the hands of Governor Bailey
has never been accounted for. AS all
the funds received by Governor Bailey
were turned over to a general relief
committee or were forwarded to places
designated by the donors, Stitt is I'M
doubtedly laboring under a delusion.
The further fact that Stitt did not han
die the money himself. but, when So
Letting funds requested that all money
be placed in the hands Of some other
trustee. made it impossible for Stitt to
know how much money he really Sc
cured through his own efforts. In re-
Spouse to the visit of Stitt's attorney
Gov. Bailey has requested Stitt to
come and make an inspection of the
flood fund records. Stitt, however. re-
fuses to go near the governors office.
He has grocery on Saywe1 and Kan
sas avenue, in North Topeka, which he
says he is thinking of selling so that
he may campaign the state in the in
terest of Bailey's defeat. He says that
the Hoch managers have requested him
to do so.
Stitt has been a well known charac-
ter in Topeka for years. Until ten
years ago he was a police court char
acter and was regularly in trouble for
intoxication. Some years ago an evan
gelist of the Church of God, an unde
nominational creed. held a revival in
Topeka and Stitt reformed. He turned
evangelist and has since Travelled over
the country preaching the gospel. He
is striking speaker. At the present
h<,i In l7e a
ing invested in a stock of goods last
fall and now appears prosperous. His
reformation has evidently been lasting.
When the flood struck North Topeka
Stitt was in California on an evange-
liStic tour. He came home and after re-
naming here a few weeks decided to
go west again and raise money for the
flood sufferers. By the time he start
ed out most Of the subscriptions that
came in from over the United States
fore starting he procured frQkn the gov
ernor a letter of introduction giving
assurance of his reliability. This letter
he says was signed by Congressman
Charles Curtis. Stitt was accompanied
by another evangelist named Gurley.
Gurley stayed in California.
Together the two men worked IN
Denver. At that place they made ar
| engagements that the secretary OF the
Chamber of Commerce, Arthur Will
Jams, should handle all funds contr1bu-
! ted through their solicitation. St1tt ana
Gurley preached and begged through
the city of Denver for two days and
then went to Salt Lake City They
handled no money and paid their ex-
penses from their private funds FROM
| their own observation they never knew
| what fruit their work in Denver really
| bore. Subsequently the two men went
| to California but secured little assist
| ance for the flood sufferers. St1tt
brought back about $40 which he di-
vided among the needy in North Tope-
ka. In telling why he thinks the gov
ernor misappropriated the money ne
| raised Stitt said today:
when I got back 1 went to Cover
nor Bailey and asked him how much
money had been sent in from Denver
He told me $192.65. I said that
| thought there was more than that bul
! he asked his clerk, who made the same
| answer. am confident THAT young mar
| told a lie when he said that think
! Bailey made him tell the lie and think
| Governor Bailey is a bad man. L wrote
| out to Denver and got a reply stating
| that the chamber of commerce sent II
| 81. O92 65. There, you see, was just $500
missing and Bailey couldn't answer me
| when I asked him where it was"
The letter exhibited by Mr.. Stitt is
signed by Arthur Williams, secretary
of the Denver chamber of commerce
but there is nothing in it to indicate
that the s., 09265 referred to was re-
| cefved solely as a result of Stitt's ano
GurIey's exhortations in Denver. The