The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-28
SCANDAL INC.A.R.
Shortage at Department Head
quarters Is Unearthed.
Dates Back to Administration of
Charles Harris.
KEEPING ALL QUIET.
Neither Present nor Former
Commanders Will Discuss 1t.
VIII Probably Be Strengthened
Up Without Suits.
Talk of Errors in Bookkeeping
Being Responsible.
ALL QUIET.

In spite of the efforts of Commander
P. II. Coney and other officers of the
Kansas department of the G. A R. to
keep the facts a secret within the order,
it has become known that Irregularities
in the finances of the former admins
tration have been discovered, and THAI
council oe administration will proL-
ably be held within about a fortnight
to make a thorough investigation CT the
] situation, unless prior to that time the
| existing deficit is made good.
Reports differ as to the amount of
the shortage. It is learned from a 1e-
liable source that the amount may
reach $500. Another report is that the
total is about $780,
| There is proba bility that the present
| officers of the department may tr;ng
suit on the bonds OF the outgoing Off
GERS to recover the amount OF The al
| legged shortage. This will be decided at
| the meeting of the council of adninis-
| tration.
| Charles Harris, of Emporia, the for
mer department commander, was in To-
| peka a few days ago, and had a con-
ference with Department Commander
Coney about the situation. Mr.. Harris
| was asked to make a statement con-
| cerning the alleged deficit.
/ ut does not amount to anything" ;"
said Mr.. Harris. There were a few
bills, such as for telephone hire, which
| ran back into our administration, which
| were not paid; that's about all there is
| to it; there is nothing at all to say fo-
publication"
Mr. Harris seemed inclined to believe
/ that some of the present department
officials had Leaked concerning the
Lon a hos or h f11a
best of feeling between Harris and
! Coney for some time. Mr.. Harris was
assured that the information concerning
the deficit had come from a source en-
tiTely outside OF the department
/ TT is very unfortunate, he said,
''that this could not be kept entirely
| within the order"
/ When Department Commander P. H.
Coney was asked to make a statement
/ concerning the situation, he refused TO
This is something which concerns
only the Grand Army of the Republic, -
he said. IF there is anything to be
made public. it will come out at the
next eneamoment at SaIina."
1T seems that the first Information
concerning irregularities in the book
keeping of the former administration
came from the Grand Army post at
Cherryvale. This post claims that there
is due to it quite large sum of money
from the department. A year ago, the
Cherryvale post deposited with the de-
partment officers at Topeka the sum
of S100, which was guarantee fund
required for the loan of tents. The local
posts are allowed to get tents for their
county encampmentS in this way. On
the SAFE return of the tents. their
money is returned to them, less a small
sum for wear and tear on the tents.
The Cherryvale officers claim that they
never received back any of their 800.
The records of Gilbert Bedwe1l, the as
sistant adjutant general, show that
$28. 20 was returned to them.
There has been lot of talk about
the matter in Cherryvale. and of late
the story has gained considerable cir
Il culation among the G. A r. posts here
in Topeka. 1t has also become quite
generally known that the 80 days
given to the former department Off
, GERS to square up the alleged deficit is
about to expire, and that council OF
administration is then to be called tC
talk over the situation.
One old soldier, who claims to know
J a good deal about the situation, made
this statement:
I'm my opinion. the old officers o.
: the department will not allow this tC
go far enough to cause suit to bt
brought on the bonds. They will &c
down into their pockets and straighteI
the thing up. Department Commando
/ Harris claims to know absolutely moth
ing about the situation, and places tn,
.
Bedell, the assistant adjutant general
! who was in charge of the books 1t il
claimed by all the former officers.
I understand, that the discrepancies ar
: caused by errors in bookkeeping, ant
q that the mistakes can be found ant
: corrected
+ It is understood that when Com
! mander P. H. Coney took the office
there were about $500 in unpaid bill
on hand, which had to be Strengthened
up. This took all but about $500 O
the money on hand, and is said to hav'
left the department in rather a tigh
: place for funds to carry out the pIan
: for the national encampment.
IT was this situation which suggest
ed in part the extreme necessity of in
creasing largely the membership of tht
Kansas G. A R. in order to provide
more funds. Department Commands
Coney has kept up a great campaign
, for new members, and the department
has offered prizes of a silk flag and &
memorial album to the posts showing
encampment. One of Commander
: Coney's orders, issued on August 26
which relates to this matter is as fol.
lows:
s'I direct that special campfire re-
cruiting meetings be held by posts fol
this purpose, and make these meetings
real revivals, to which every hoqorably
. discharged soldier and sailor within
their radius should be sought out anc
personally invited, and stay persistent
: Ily with him until he is converted and
made a member of the order. BY do
ing this, every eligible person may be
brought into our order and all re-
creant members brought back to duty
Thereby our. membership will be more
than Inanifolded. which will increase
our revenue and relieve our heavily
entailed exchequer, which badly needs
rap1e0iShiT1Zs