The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-14

there is in it the State Journal does not
know.
In regard to the Rowett report: Mr.
Rowett and his assistant, the Moxey
Audit company. simply gave the facts
as they found them in the records.
For instance, in recording an Irregular
ity they simply stated that certain
bonds We're purchased by the state
/ school fund commission on a certain
date; that a certain number of cou-
/ pons were recorded on them; that GER
! tain of these coupons were paid on a
given date but that the money was not
accounted for in the state treasury. In
some instances these coupons were
stamped as state property and in some
instances they were not.
The State Journal is under the i'm
preston that the name of T. T. Kelly
does not appear in the Rowett report.
The report does not attempt to say
who got the money. It only gives the
instances in which, according to the
records, coupons were paid and not ac-
counted for. The ROwett report, which
covers only SIS of the 105 counties, is
said to show that something like S14.-
600 of these coupons We're stamped as
5LdLG properly UuL AlGNGL aCGOA4AtE4
for; about $4,000 more was paid into
the treasury secretly or under sus-
picious circumstances when the thefts
were discovered; and over $4,000 of
additional coupons were not stamped
as state property but were purchased
by the state, according to the records.
It is true. too. that the greater part
of these shortages found in the SIS
counties by Mr.. Rowett were under
the Grimes administration. Why then
was Kelly suspected of the thefts?
First, because of his record as an
embezzler in Miami county. in connec-
ton with the fact that, as assistant
state treasurer, he actually handled
the money during the Grimes admins
tration.
Second, in the Garden city case.
which was one of the few shortages
found since Kelly became state treas
urer, it was discovered that Kelly had
the coupons in his possession and per
sonally sent them to the fiscal agency
in New York, where they were paid,
and directed that the money be sent to
him personally. The money was so
sent to him and he cashed the draft.
That placed the money in his hands
and that is as far as it was traced
until the mysterious "a. R. Brown
letter turned up over q. year later, pur-
porting to pay this money into the
treasury.
That money was the property of the
state school fund and if Kelly paid it
to "A. R. Brown" he is responsible for
the theft. furthermore "a. R. Brown
had no way of knowing Mr.. Rowett
was investigating the Garden City
matter unless he was informed
through the state treasurer's office.
Unless the forthcoming report clears
up these matters it is dfficult to see
how Kelly is ''vindicated.'' Incidentally
it might be remarked that Kelly. sent
in three other sets of coupons along
with the Garden City coupons, with
the same instructions concerning them.
What became Of them the State Jour
nal has never found out
Again, it was Kelly who knew all
about the $500 of Bourbon county
taxes that was not accounted for early
in the Grimes administration, and It
was Kelly who hastened to make it
right when it was accidentally discov-
cred by the Bourbon county treasurer
IN correspondence with the state audi
tor. The money was not accounted for
for over two years after it was paid into
the treasury and Kelly wrote the treas
urer that it was zone of those things that
you cannot explain Then he tried to
explain that it was credited TO some
other county, which was contradicted
by Treasurer Grimes.
Where was the Bourbon county $1,000
during those two years. and why was it
Kelly and not Mr.. Grimes who hastened
to make it right when the shortage was
discovered?
These are some things that need an
other ''vindication.''
In addition something might be said
Of Kelly's well-known misuse Of the
states funds during the past few
months, incidents that have nothing to
do with the Grimes administration;
such matters as his embezzling s1230oo
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