The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-21
KELLY YRAvING MAD
SWearz at Accountant R1Wett
aud Calls HIM Liar.
Said He Would Whip Him if He
We're Bigger.
NOTATION ON BONDS.
InVestigatiOn of Time Il Was
Made SLirs Up Treasurer.
Mr.. ROWett Reluctantly Discuss
es the Trouble.
Peculiar Facts About Handling
of the Bonds.

State Treasurer T. T. Kelly late
Thursday afternoon went to the office
of State Accountant Rowett and called
Mr.. Rowett a liar, threat
ened to whip him and swore at him.
The trouble grew out of visit Mr..
Rowett and his assistant, j. d. Buck
ingham, to the treasury short time
before, to Investigate the notation
made by Walter Payne of the treas
urer's office on the Garden City bonds,
stating thai the first coupon was mis-
sing from the bonds when they were
received in the treasury.
Did you make this notation on
these bonds?" Mr.. Rowett is reported
to have asked Mr.. Payne.
''I did" said Mr.. Payne.
when did you make it?" asked
the accountant.
About January Is. 1903" replied
Mr.. Payne
Il understood differently from Mr..
Kelly" said Mr.. Rowett. 81 under
stood from him that these notations
were made since last June. Is that
not true?"
Il don't believe Mr.. Kelly said that
because he knew BETTER said Mr..
Very well, so let it be-" said the
accountant, and he dropped the mat
ter.
But Mr.. Payne reported to Treasurer
Kelly that Rowett had quoted Kelly
as saying that the notationS were
made recently Kelly became angry
and went up to the accountants ONCE
which is on the top floor of the state
house.
Did you tell my clerk" began Kel-
ly, addressing Rowett, that I told
you Payne did not make those nota-
tions on the Garden City bonds until
last June 81
Il did, replied Rowett THAT is
the way L understood you"
You deliberately lied to bolster up
your charge against me-" said Kelly in
a rage. You did not understand me
to say any such thing. You are -
- liar and if you We're bigger I
would lick you"
Rowett kept his temper and said,
Very well, Mr.. Kelly"
At this point Attorney General Cole
man opened the door to the account
ants office.
''Oh, I see you're busy he remark
ed as he saw Kelly.
No. we are just through" said
Kelly.
J. D. Buckingham and Miss Emma
Viets stenographer in the account
ants office, were both present during
kelly's visit When Kelly began to
swear at Rowett Miss Viets jumped up
and started to run out of the room
Just as Mr.. Coleman apparel.
Kelly then tried to apologize to Miss
Niets for swearing in her presence, but
she went on down to the state auditors
once and reported the occurrence. She
was considerably frightened. Miss
Viets was stenographer in the audi
tors office while George E. Cole was
state auditor.
This morning Mr.. Rowett was not
much inclined to talk about the mat
ter and give his version of the affair.
Kelly was in a rage and was not
responsible for what he said,'' said Mr..
ROwett, so there is no use of paying
any attention to it,
When was it you understood Kelly
to say that these notations were made
since last June?" a State journal re-
porter asked him.
1t was when l was on my way down
to Guthrie last August said Mr. Row
ett- I went to Guthrie on August 10.
When l got to Arkansas City 1 discov-
cred Mr.. Kelly Was on the train with
me. In fact he came into the coach
was in and talked to me. He said he
had found good many Irregularities
since he came into office, and that ne
had his force working nights and Sun
days making nOtatfOnS OF irregularities
on the bonds in his office. l under
stood him TO say that he had been do
Ing this since my appointment as state
June
L said to him, Mr.. Kelly. I would
not do that if 1 were you, because no
one has a right to write on the bonds
except as provided by law
I told him that was only a sugges-
ton he said he thought l was probu-
bly, correct and he would not have it
done that way any more. He did not
refer to these Garden City bonds es-
peclally, but l understood that the no
fationS were of recent date on the
bonds and naturally thought the Gar
den City notation wa. one of them. 1
was not inclined to dispute the matter
with Mr.. Payne or Mr.. Kelly either
for it really has no bearing on the mat
ter
Mr.. Rowett did not say what his trip
TO Guthrie was for. but it is supposed /
that he was looking up the payment of
Oklahoma warrants to Kansas for keep-
Ing Oklahoma prisoners in the Kansas
peuitentiary. 1t is reported that Treas
urer Kelly has paid into the treasury
over 81. 200 on Oklahoma warrants that /
had been paid but not accounted for.
If Mr.. Payne made this notation on
the Garden City bonds at the time they
were received in the treasury, and If
only one coupon was missing as he saws
cover that the second coupon was not
stamped as the property of the state.
Treasurer Kelly tries to have people
believe that the first coupon on each
bond, in which the shortage occurred
was not the property of the state, as il
was not so stamped The second cou-
pom was not so stamped either, but
there is no doubt about that being the
property of the state, for Kelly COL
lected it and turned the money into /
tine state treasury in February, 1904 |
just after it was due.
Was only one coupon clipped off. or