The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-08
AN OPEN LETTER.

Your position at the head of the
legal department of the state govern
ment makes you attitude in the pres
emit crisis in the affairs of the state
of Kansas a matter of great public
concern. So far as the public can
judge, you are and have been for many
months, in close league with a man
who is known to be a law breaker
Up to the present time you have never
done single act to indicate other
wise, and as this law breaker has now
brought upon the state, apparently a
tremendous loss of funds entrusted to
his care, the people of Kansas are de-
sirous of knowing just what your at
titude is towards him.
Are you, or are you not, so closely
tied up with T. T. Kelly. politically or
otherwise, that he exercises absolute
dominion over you and your acts?
Why is it, when anyone suggests the
prosecution of Kelly for his crimes.
that you apparently play for time in
Kelly's behalf? In the present crisis
for instance, why have you fastened
to ask County Attorney Hungate not
to issue warrant for Kelly's arrest
unless you were first consulted?
Have you not in your possession,
and have you not had for more than
six months, a report and data show
ing that there is a shortage in the
state treasury of Kansas amounting
to many thousands of dollars-data
which prove absolutely that more
than fourteen thousand dollars has
been stolen from the school fund of
the state of Kansas?
year ago. place in your hands con-
elusive evidence that shortage ex-
listed in the state treasury, and give
you instructions to bring suit to re-
cover the shortage from those civiIly
responsible for it, and to take steps
to bring to justice the thief?
Have you ever taken a step in that
direction, Mr.. Coleman?
Did you not, on the contrary, trump
up every excuse possible to delay mat
ters? Did you not take advantage of
every subterfuge you could find to
avoid doing anything about the state
treasury shortages?
And, Mr.. Coleman, did or did you
not, after every conference you had
with Governor Bailey, communicate
with Kelly as soon as possible, keeping
him posted as to what Governor Bailey
had discovered, and what he proposed
to do?
What knowledge, Mr.. Coleman, did
you have of Kelly's embezzlement of
1890 with which he purchased the
note of your friend, A. A. GODDARD,
something less than a year ago? This
embezzlement, you will remember, Mr..
Coleman, was to enable GODDARD to I'M
load upon the state school fund those
notorious Comanche county bonds,
bonds that the people of Comanche
county are no more morally bound to
pay than you area deal in which you
had a part, not only by voting to pur-
chase the bonds at u per cent when
they had been offered to the
state at 6 per cent, but also by giving
an unheard of opinion to enable the
purchase to be made at all.
Did you, Mr.. Coleman, know any,
thing about that embezzlement?
Did you not know of it, as long ago
as nine months, at any rate, when the
sworn testimony was made public
proving it to an absolute certainty :?
Why did you not prosecute Kelly at
that time, Mr.. Coleman?
And why. Mr.. Coleman, in this eli
max in the states affairs do you OBJ
ject to the prosecution of Kelly? Why
do you request the county attorney of
Shawnee county not to issue a warrant
for Kelly's arrest without your con-
sent?
Mr.. Coleman. why are you so anx-
ious to protect this criminal, Kelly?
Has he some sort of a hold on you
that you dare not move against him
yourself, nor allow any other officer
| to do so?
The people of Kansas are interested
in these things, Mr.. Coleman. This
man Kelly has been breaking the laws
of the state under your very nose for
months, and you not only have not
lifted your finger against it. bur you
have apparently protected him in it.
Even aside from your connection