The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-29
HE'S ExONERATED.
COMMITTEE of 900" Looks Into
Mr.. VOLTS Record.
Sign a Statement That He Is
All Right.
HOW 1T WAS DONE.
HOW 1T WAS DONE
E. B. Cowgirl Explains Nature
of Investigation.
They Took Mr.. VOLTS Word
for 1t.

Last Sunday afternoon the Commit
tee of Two Hundred which seems to
still have a sort of phantom existence,
held. political meeting and 'investi-
gated" the charges against c. V. Wolf,
which having been done, the following
coat of whitewash was applied:
Charges having been made and
published rejecting on the character
of Councilman c. V. Wolf to the effect
that he is frequenter of joints and a
drunkard and that he was guilty OF
Wrong-doing in connection with Inc
distribution of flood relief funds, the
committee of 200 has carefully inves-
tigated said charges and has found
them and each of them to be without
justification and that said charges
were inspired by base and selfish mo-
tiveS.
Further, Mr.. Wolf has been active
and faithful in the discharge of Lis
duties as a councilman and especially
in regard to the prohibitory law ana
ought to receive the support and vote
of every law and order voter in he
Third ward. 81 (Signed)
IS. G. STEWART, Prest.
"E. b. Cowgirl, Secy."
The State Journal has gone to con-
siderable trouble to Investigate these
charges, too, 1t investigated tie
charges before the COMMITTEE of Two
Hundred" ever heard of them. It is
therefore with great pain that it OBJ
serves how all its work has been over
turned by the committee in just one
sitting.
An interesting interview took place
this morning between e. B. Cowgirl,
who drew up the above document OF
vindication, and State Journal repOr-
ter, which shows what kind of IN
investigation was made by the Com
mittee of Two Hundred.
1t appears that the chief witness was
Mr.. Wolf himself. The other witnesses
were some of Mr.. VOLTS personal
friends.
I'VE made as thorough an investiga
ton as we could" said Mr.. Cowgirl.
I'VE called before US people who have
known Mr.. Wolf for a long time, and
are familiar with his personal habits"
Mr.. VOLTS frfends?'' was asked.
Yes, Mr.. VOLTS friends. We also
had Mr.. Wolf before us, and he was
questioned by one of the best
lawyers in Topeka. l think if there
that examination would have brought
it out
Who were the people examined be-
sides Mr.. Woif2'' 517
Il don't believe could say" said MT.
Cowgirl after some hesitation. They
are business men, and would not want
to give their names without their con-
sent"
Were any of them men who are ac-
customed to being in joints ?"
No, none of them were that class of
people,
Then, if Mr.. Wolf is playing a double,
game, they might not know of his fire.
qucnting joints?"
"Oh, 1 suppose a man can deceive his
friends" said Mr.. Cowgirl The COM
mittee investigated as thoroughly as it
could, and made rs report accordingly
After the discussion was finished,
drew up the report, which was adopted
with a few slight amendments. We
then placed the report in the hands of
Mr.. VOLTS friends~to be used as they
might think best
TOOK VOLTS WORD FOR IT.
The investigation was supposed to
cover the manner in which Wolf issued
orders to himself at the time of the
flood, and absorbed nearly all of the
hardware business while the other
hardware stores were obliged to return
their surplus goods to the wholesale
houses.
Why weren't those charges made a
long time ago?" said MIR Cowgirl.
What is the use of bringing them up
now, when an election is on? 1t would
seem that if Mr.. Wolf had been doing
such things, the other merchants would
have roared about it, and it would have
made a sensation at the time"
Some of the merchants did roar and
it did no good Some of them were too
self-respecting to even mix up in the
dirty work which Wolf was practicing.
They would not even ask for share of
the orders. They had no show.
Il am free to confess" admitted Mr..
Cowgirl candidly, that if I had been
treated as it is claimed these mer-
chants were treated, l would have
kept my mouth shut and said nothing"
Then Mr.. Cowgirl put question to
the State Journal reporter. He said;
What do you folks say to VOLTS
claim that he was the only hardware
man in town who had the goods to
supply this demand? ?"
I'VE say it is absolutely false"
Then it is your word against
Wolf's?'
NO. it is VOLTS word against the
word of practically all of the hardware
men in Topeka
Mr. Cowgirl admitted that he had not
made any investigation of the situa
ton. The committee seems to have
simply taken VOLTS word for it, and
applied the whitewash.
BASE MOTIVES"
What does the report mean by at
tributing the origin of these charges
against Wolf to base and selfish mo-
tives % was asked of Mr.. Cowgirl.
II don't believe I care to say any
thing on that point was Mr.. CowgiE's
first response. Then he changed his
mind and said:
1--WE believe that the whisky men are
back of this fight on Wolf. We think
that they are partly responsible for in
spring these charges. We are also in
formed that Mr.. Wolf is supposed to
be pledged to vote for one of the
papers for the city printing. The other
papers are not friendly to him for that
reason. People out in the Third ward
believe that this has a great deal to
do with the fight on Wolf. | suppose
that these are the reasons for attribut-
ing the charges to base and selfish mo-
tives.''
We suppose that the committee will
admit that the State Journal has been
fighting Wolf about as much as any
other paper, and in order to set the
committee right, we will say that the
state Journal is not a candidate for the
city printing, and its fight on Wolf is
made without the Slightest knowledge
as to how Mr.. Green stands on that
comparatively unimportant matter This
charge is scarcely a degree removed
from hair1er Sil1v