The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-04-12
HAzEN FAVORS IT.
Thinks Present Conditions Jus
tify a Grand Jury.
Will Call One When Petition Is
Presented.
MUCH TO UNEARTH.
Paving Scandals Might Be In
Vestigated.
Some of the Big Joints Run
ming Today UnmoIested.
PAID 1926 A MONTH.
Was Tax Levied on Keepers of
DisUrderIy Houses.
City Council Gets Into Line for
Grand Jury.

Judge z. T. Hazen. of the district
court. today announced that if a Pc
tition is presented to him asking for
a grand jury to investigate Doodle
charges in Topeka. he will call the
| jury.
"I am opposed to grand juries on
general principles . said Judge Hazen
today, but under existing conditions
I will say that 1 viii call one If the
necessary petition is filed with me.
have called two grand juries during
my term on the bench. both under
protest Whether or not it is discre-
tionary with the court to call a grand
jury on petition, can not say.
Judge Thomson once refused to call
one. The law has been variously in
terpreted on that point. If anyone
has any evidence in regard to these
matters which have been discussed,
| they will be given a chance to pro-
1 duce it.
| 1t is not necessary. that the petition
| for grand jury should be filed prior
| to July 26, as the September term of
court does not begin until September
/ 6. The petition must be filed 40 days
prior to the beginning Of the term.
| Mayor Albert Parker. whose ad-
ministration closed just a year ago,
j and whom the present administration
/ hopes to mix I'D in the scandal in
some way, said today:
| IF they want a grand jury, I am in
! favor of it, and viii probably sign
| the petition if they bring it around to
/ me. There is nothing in my admin
! istratiOn am afraid to have investi-
| gated. I never heard that any Doodle
/ charges were made against the pO-
lice department when I was mayor. 1t
rather looks to me as though this
! effort to reach back into nv admins
| another
| part of those fellows to taking a part
! ing slap at old Parker Well, old
| Parker is right here, and he isn't go
| ing to run away. The only reason I
can Sc efor not having a grand jury
IS that it will cost the county a good
deal of money"
No petition for a grand jury has
| been started yet, so far as can be as
certained. but one certainly will be.
| There Will not be the slightest trouble
| in getting the signatures of 400 tax
get the petition complete in day or
so.
Investigate Paving Contracts.
1t is not unlikely that when the
grand jury gets down to business it
will summon a lot Of witnesses to in
| vestigate the numerous rumors of
Doodle in connection with paving
! contracts.
It has been repeatedly charged that
paving contractors have been in the
|
to get people to sign paving petitions
| Their method has been to get all the
slgners possible for pavements. and
then, II they lacked enough, to ap-
! proach some person owning enough
| property to turn the scale in their
favor, and offer him a large reba+ to
on the cost of his paving provided he
! would sign their petition. Sometfn es
property owners have, it is said baen
| given their pavement absolutely free
SIMPLY IN exchange for signing a pc
Iltloh and forcing other property
owners TO have the pavement laid
Direct charges of such corr1Intior1
We're MADE at one time by people living
on East Eighth street, but the matter
was hushed up, and no Investigation
was made. II led the city council to
pass resolution, however. recurring.
that all paving petitions should be ac-
companied by an affidavit of some
property owner living on the street to
be paved, to the effect that he himself
without compensation or inducement
circulated the paving petition. It seems
that this provision is no particular OBJ
stacle to the work which contractors
do IN stirring up new pavement.
Big Joints Closed.
The Royal. the National and George
klauer's, the three big Kansas avenue
joints are closed up tight today. They
will probably stay closed for some
blows over. Last night the police went
through the Royal and Klauer's. Both
places were wide open, the lights were
out, and nothing Illegal was going on.
If it is so easy to close up the joints,
why didn't the police do it year ago.
when Mayor Bergundthal first took Of
flee?
The Miller joint, at 115 East sixth
street, across the street from Bates
restaurant, was running full blast to-
day. 1t is evidently only the big and
notorious booze parOlrs which are
forced to suspend business for a while.
The Comet, another SchIitz dispensary
further down Kansas avenue. was run
ming as usual today. The beer combine
no doubt figures that if it loses some
business on account of the Royal and
Klauer being closed, 1t will make up
the loss by the increased trade of the
minor places.
Why have not the police raided Lon
ITownsends uptown wholesale depart
ment. situated in the rear of his drug
store2 This is where the Schlitz peo-
pie keep a big supply Of liquor on hand
and from which they supply their up
town joints. tt saves hauling all the
beer from the cold storage warehouse.
At the drug store so barrels of whisky
are generally in storage, together with
a days supply of keg and case beer.
The beer wagons back up to the rear
end of this drug store and load their
wagons. Would It be a difficult mat
ter for Chief McCollum to have ascer-