The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-17
DUM0NT
SMITH IhTHE NET.
Continued from Preceding PageJ

/ is said to have been a matter OF COM
+ mon report that there was some col
lusion and connivance going on, but
I no one ventured to openly lay the mat
+ ter at the door of those now brought
+ to earth.
/ It is known, however, that smith,
I wilson and Ryan were suspected by
+ Colonel Green as soon as he got into
/ the field and nut on his working clothes
/ when he came to Kansas about SIX
weeks ago. Mr.. McKeever did go as
/ far as to say last night. that when
/ Green came the matter broke loose.
/ Senator Smith is said to have re-
/ ceived the larger share Of the 2,200,
but just what the exact amount was
| is not known. He is also said to have
J handled most of the money and that
most of the checks were made out to
+ him.
He and Wilson are law partners.
/ the former living at kinsley and the
/ latter at Jetmore. Smith has been
employed as the attorney for cattle
men in western Kansas for quite a
number of years past and was eX-
pected to have been their main repre-
sentative before the court when the
cases come to trial at Kansas City,
Kas., next January.
The charge of the indictment declares
/ that they made the Overtures to john
son, Hannah, Montague and Palmer
first. of their own accord and without
solicitation Wilson is said to have
T been the 81 ol1esman in the matter.
He " sad one of the federal officers
last night, event to these four and
told them that he with Smith could
fix things with Ryan. the special
agent, SO that they would not be prose-
eUted and sent to the penitentiary.
They took Wilson's offer and paid
him money with which he might sub
sidize Ryan. Matters were apparently
smOothed over for a time. That hap
pened almost a year ago But Ryan was
q
agent came in. He preferred a case
against Hannah for perjury in making
a proof, and indicted him before the
grand jury at Wichita in March. This
was the only one of the four caught,
and may have led up to the unearth-
ing Of the present sensation.
Ryan Not in Service.
T. z. Ryan, who was indicted with
Smith and Wilson, is not now a MEM
Der of the government land depart
ment, though for eight years he was
a special agent. He resigned less than
His home is. at St. Charles Ill.
where he was formerly the law part
ner of United States Senator Hopkins.
The firm was dissolved when Hopkins
succeeded BILLY Mason Through the
influence of Hopkins Ryan was ap-
pointed a special agent in the territory
of Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska He
held the position continually for eight
years.
When the present grand jury began
its work, Ryan was summoned here by
/ Colonel Green as a witness. Upon his
arrival he gave out an interview in
which he made light of the whole IN
vestigatiOn and said that Mr. Green
was trying to make it appear that he
could find things which no one else
had yet found who preceded him"
Ryan said that ne had unearthed
over 400 illegal fencing cases in Kan
sas had worked hard to get them into
shane and then was transferred from
his position here without a moment OF
warning to New Orleans I never got
more shabby treatment from anyone
than I did from the United States.
Ryan left for his home in St Charles
several days ago. He IS tan, state
ly man. with a distinguished bearing
and looks like a United States senator.
He seemed however to be very much
worried about the fact that he was
brought here before the jury.
Only Three Indictments.
These three Indictments represent
the entire work of the jury during the
past three days, save a little minor
case of postOffice robbery, which was
heard during waits for witnesses. 1t
was questionable up to Saturday
morning whether the effort to indict
Smith, Wilson and Ryan would sue
coed. On Friday the situation looked
rather gloomy. one of the officials
day night Colonel Green got little
sleep. He spent part of it on a train
going to a nearby town for additional
evidence, and part OF It IN his Office
at the federal building. Saturday
morning things seemed to run more
smoothly and by yesterday noon the
case was complete. Johnson, Hannah,
Montague and Palmer were all willing
to testify after enough of the story
had been obtained to make the Off
Z s-.H -
in getting evidence. from these four.
The jury threshed over the matter
with the utmost care and left not a
single detail uncanvassed. It was
found upon simmering the whole mat
ter down that the evidence was suffi-
Gent to return the Indictment.
Waited ON Judge Pollock.
The indictments were returned just
a little after Z o'clock last night. The
jury was ready a o'clock, but Judge
Pollock has been holding court in
Kansas City all week and did not get
back to Topeka until quarter of seven
last night.
Foreman Constant arose and said:
I'VE have here our final report
The court took it, made a few no
tatiOns, knOwledged its receipts. and
then said Y on have worked faith
fully and well. You have made sac
rifices to do this work. You have
earned the Communications of every
officer of this court. I wish to thank
YOU on behalf of the court, and wish
/ you the compliments of the season.
+ And with these words the jury per
manently adjourned.
I'VE are only just started into this
/ work said J. S. Dean, United States
/ district attorney last night. "I
should say that it is not one-fourth
/ through yet. When it will be taken up
again, of course, can not say, but the
+ investigation is just under way and
/ that is all"
1t really represents the final work
of both Mr. Dean and Mr.. MeKeever
who win give way to their successors
soon. Mr.. Green took occasion to
| thank them both last night for their co
operation with him. He said: Il have
- L - Z IL. =.