The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-11


/ proceeded to explain to me that he
| wanted permission for his client,
bates, 70 run by paying for protec-
/ ton And that, in addition, he want
eti a good, big fat fee from me. He
~ planned several times over that he
| did not care how many joints were
running in Topeka; that he wasn't so
- - -good,' but that he wanted
his client to run his joint and that
ne wanted money from me.
Ihat is simply blackmail, and that
IS all 1t amounts to.
Il told him very plainly that I did
/ not nave any money for a t- black
| leg; that I had trouble enough max
ing a living without throwing any
moneys away in that fashion. He told
me that he was going to bust the
Sch1tz combine or get protection for
ms client. I told him that it was up
to him to bust the combine then, for
he would not get any protection from
me.
about that time Mayor Bergund-
thai came into the Office and Lynch
leIt. he told me that he would see
me later, and has made several at
tempts to do 50, but I have never
seen him since"
Mr.. Lynch Talks.
Frank J. Lynch, attorney for Frank
Bates, today gave out the following
statement:
My frst information as to the Wolf
Bates deal came to me at the time
Bates alleges Wolf attempted to re-
turn the $50 Bates employed me as his
attorney. ] advised him to refuse to
take back the money and to give the
matter to the public and that such fur
/ ther proceeding be had in the matter
as might after investigation be deemed
advisa bic.
Bates did not want to let the mat
ter become public until he ascertained
definitely what these parties intended
doing. Threats to pull his place were
repeatedly made but no arrest was
made until the night after the polls
were closed. The reason of the delay
in making this arrest is quite obvious
to most of US.
Bates insisted stin before this mat
ter was made public that the whole
matter be taken up with McCollum.
He made this a condition to permis-
sion to allow the newspapers to secure
the story.
Il saw McColIum. talked with him
! friendly nature. The report of what
McCollum claims was said appeared
in the Capital If 1t is possible that Nc
| Collum made this statement I am
! at any falsehood I have ever heard
stated. The language referred to by
him was at no time used by either of
| us and the entire tenor of the entire
| conversation is false. At no time was
any demand for a dollar made upon
McCOllum. He himself voluntarily
SuggeS ted that he had no evidence
against Bates and that all he could do
whisky and he stated they all concede
me the right to keep that under all cic-
cumstances. but can return the
empties.' The only reference made to
money at all was that inasmuch as
the Sctllitz people had caused this ar
rest that If they expected to continue
to do business in this town as they
! had done they would settle that bill
and that would include attorney fees
/ and good ones at that, for I told Nc
Collun then that there was nothing
II 4 n,
bust this Schlitz combine. McCollum
admitted to me while we were talking
down stairs and after he had carefully
! examined every nook and corner of the
room in which we sat that the Bates
money had been brought to him and
that he had refused it. He did not
state who brought it. I did not want
to be too personal as the conversation
was a private one. supposed we both
understood who had brought the
money down. I regret that any at
tempt should be made to draw atten-
ton from the main fight in this case
own. The public has no interest in
me. Let the real question in this mat
ter be the center of attention.
! THE city of Topeka is being leased
and farmed out by a syndicate. The
I people pay the taxes and keep up the
4repairs and the syndicate collects the
rent. This whole fight is directed
against this liquor combination. Tt is
a fact well known to a number of the
/ most reliable friends of temperance
in this city that for two weeks had
hoped the opportunity would come to
! expose this graft and that I might be
| permitted to give this specific in
stance to the public.
1.-THE saloons in this city have been
wide open. Not even secrecy has been
| attempted. Whisky, beer and other
| Intoxicating liquor is sold openly by
the bottle, drink and bucketful. The
gambling fraternity protected by the
I syndicate have been unharmed.
I Houses of prostitution pay their dues
| and assessment with the regularity of
clock work. Collections of as little
as $40 per month have been made
from minor assignation houses. Act
uaI proof of this corruption is always
hard to secure, as the person who has
! paid knows that persecution will
promptly follow any exposure. An
printed policemen searched every cor
rer of his place even going through
his pockets. A gentleman called the
/ officers attention to the fact that right
/ across the street a Schlitz joint was
in full operation with a dozen men at
/ the bar but it was not on their list
Why2
Settled With Thompson
"a victim of the Royal gambling
| apartments came to McCollum with
the complaint that he had been
feeced of SIT in tn ompsons place.
1 Thompson was sent for and met the
victim IN McCOlluIn 5 ONCE mere IN
the presence of the chief of police of
/ this city Thompson asked the fellow
how much he wanted to quit The
fellow offered to take $40 and
Thompson reached in his pocket and
raid the $40. The entire matter end
/ ed there. This story does not come
from the victim, neither does it come
from Thompson. 1t comes directly
| from McCollum to me.
How long will good men be de-
ceived by this farce? How can men
of good standing lend their moral and
even financial aid to such outrages
What is necessary to undeceive them :?
J AL that is necessary for any one Of