The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-18
Accountant ROwett Finds Facts
I'm New York.
Wired Governor Bailey He Had
the Information.
ONLY ONE THING.
Which That and TOday's Con-
ference Means.
That Kelly Got the Garden City
Cash.
Attorney General Coleman
Simply Playing for Time.

t T. Kelly, state treasurer, got the
money, 81, ,402.5 SO, on the Garden City
coupons paid by Garden City over a
year ago. and not reported In the state
treasury until September Z. 1904, after
State Accountant Rowett had discov-
cred the shortage.
The state accountant has just return
ed from New York city, where he went
to see who cashed the coupons
Accountant Rowett was in confer
ence with the governor this afternoon.
Mr.. Rowett wired from New York
Saturday that he had accomplished
what he went after. What did he go
for? He went to see if Kelly had not
cashed the coupons as the indications
seemed to be.
After Governor Bailey had received
Mr.. Rowett's report whatever it was,
he refused to divulge anything about
1T, but at once called in Attorney Gen
eral Coleman into conference.
After this conference Governor
Bailey absolutely declined to say a
word about the report, except this:
Attorney General Coleman and my
self have been in conference this after
noon over the report and it has been
agreed that 1 do not make anything
public today"
This can only mean one thing.
T. T. Kelly got that money.
Mr.. Rowett beyond a doubt has found
that Mr. Kelly's name is endorsed on
the back of those paid coupons.
Governor Bailey had expected to give
out the report this afternoon. He has
since seen Attorney General Coleman
and the latter, with his usual delay, has
evidently begged the governor to with
hold the r00Orf for dau 1r two Ior car
Mr.. Coleman is slower than molasses.
He is mixed up in the iniquitous Co
Inanche county bond transaction and
the State Journal has proven by sworn
evidence that T. T. Kelly loaned the
money out of tho states funds to finance
the deal.
Mr.. Coleman has got his hands full
in the Comanche county transaction
and he will have his hands full in all
the T. It. Kelly embezzlement cases
This paper has proven by sworn tes-
timony sufficient criminality to have
caused the immediate arrest of T. t
Kelly at any hour during the past ten
days. That is, since the publication
of the evidence of the Kansas City
bankers.
The accountants report, as printed
in this paper. was sufficient to war
rant the arrest of T. T. Kelly for en-
bezZlement.
What is Coleman waiting for?
Governor Bailey is certainly a very
patient man. or he would have told
Coleman to have acted instantly be-
fore this.
1t has been up to Coleman for many
days.
1t is up to him now.
After the state accountant had dis
covered that there was a shortage in
the Garden City bond account, a nys-
terious letter was received by c. r.
Richey. assistant state treasurer, con-
tanning a draft to cover the Garden
City shortage. This letter was mailed
on the train but the draft for the
money was purchased in Kansas City.
Mr.. Richey asserted from the first that
he knew no man by the name of A.
r. Brown and that he did not know
from where the money came
This explains the portion of Mr..
Kelly's letter in which he says that he
sees no occasion for all this agitation
because the money has been paid back.
1t apparently seems like a long
time since State Accountant Rowett
began his investigation of the accounts
between the bond accounts of twelve
counties Mr.. Kelly in his statement
published in the State Journal Mon
day says he hopes he will not be ex-
peCted to answer charges that it took
six months to make without having
time and an opportunity to make a full
and fair investigation of them. Attor-
ney General Coleman is also quoted as
follows:
Il am waiting on the matter
can't be expected to digest in twenty
four hours a report that has taken the
state accountant and a hired expert six
months to make.
State Accountant Rowett was ap-
pointed June 1. He first checked up |
the bank commissioners Office. He
did not begin on the bond accounts
until along in July. He first had to |
acquaint himself with the methods of |
doing the business and the conditions
of the records. 1t developed that il
would be a considerable job and on |
August Is J. D. Buckingham, of the
Edward p. Moxey Audit company, was
secured to assist him.
had been discovered and had been
made good. Treasurer Kelly has had
since then to get his explanation
ready. The dates when the other short |
ages were found is not known, but
more time was spent by the account
ants in trying to discover some possi- !
bic explanation for them than was
spent in finding them in the first place. /
When the accountants We're satisfied /
that there was no explanation for The i
shortages, a formal report was made |
Co Governor Bailey about the first of