The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-15

total amount of tire shortage at his
| own suggestion, and that the difference
between the face of the note and the
endorsement represents what was
loaned to Mr.. Richey by Mr.. Grimes
to make good the shortage. Mr.
Grimes, according TO- to his own story
Mr.. Grimes today entered into a
lengthy explanation concerning his
knowledge of the Abilene transaction.
He said: 81 had been out of town
for a week and when 1 returned
was told that Captain Gibson, who is
an old friend of mine and is employed
in the auditors office, had been in to
see me. I thought little of the matter
until I went out to get on a car to
go home when Gibson, who was COM
ing down the street, called to me. 1
said I would see him later and went
on home. The next day I went UP to
heard that an error had been diScov-
cred in the treasurer's office. I at
once went to Roy Richey and asked
him what there was in the story of
an error in the office. He said that
he hadn't ha dtime to look it up
he hadn't had time to look it up
God, Roy, you don't mean to tell me
that you haven't taken time to look
up matter of such great import
ance.' 1 thought that when a thing
like that had occurred that he should
have dropped everything and found
out what the error was.
'After that I went into the private
office to see Kelly, and I told Tom
that I wanted to know the truth; that
I was entitled to know what had hap
pened, and that I did not propose to
rest under a cloud, and that 1 had a
reputation in the state which I pro-
posed to defend.
tom looked me right in the eyes
and says, Frank, 1 don't know a thing
about this error. I am telling you
the truth Then we called in Roy
and I put it up to him. 1 told him
that the entries were all in his hand
writing, and 1 wanted to know the
truth about the error Il called it
error then instead of shortage, and I
prefer to call it an error stilI). He
said that it was true that the entries
were in his handwriting, that he was
responsible, but that he had not taken
the money. 1 then asked him if he
had any money, and he said that he
had some. 1 asked him how much he
could raise, and he said he thought he
could get 5000 or $7OO. I then told
him that I would loan him the rest of
the money, and 1 believe that Tom
also offered to do the same. Roy said
that he had a note for $500 that was
not quite due. 1 told him to take it
to a bank and discount it by all
means; that the error must be cor
rected at once. He agreed to do so.
In few days I saw him, and I then
loaned him the 1888 in cash. the differ
ence between what he had and the
amount of the error"
1nen Mr.. Grimes continued: Il SAID
to Roy, Now I want to know when I
go home tonight whether this is all the
error you know anything about
said did not want to get up in the
and see big flaming headlines
which might involve my reputation,
and he said, 4 don't know a thing about
any other mistakes. This is the only
one there is so far as know
This is the whole story about the
affair so far as 1 know. do not know
anything about the other items in Mr..
Rowett's report and 1 viii say that Mr..
Richey never admitted to me that he
took any money that did not belong to
him. I have had confidence in him and
I do not know what to think about
this"
Mr.. Grimes says that he required a
bond from all his clerks while he was
state treasurer. Mr.. Richey'S bond was
for $25, 900 and Mr.. Grimes says that it
is the only one that is missing from his
files. He does not remember who were
the sureties on the Richey bond. Mr.
Grimes says that he did not know the
Rfchey bond was gone until he had oc-
casion to look for it a few days ago.