The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-05
THE room OLD TREASURY.

THE POOR OLD TREASURY
The state treasurer of Kansas should
be in the penitentiary instead of in
charge of the states sacred funds.
Mr.. KeIly's record has been again
and again exposed in these columns.
The governors Office has on file posi-
tive evidence of his rascality. but
nothing hasabeen done.
The state has an attorney general,
weakened and unfortunate in his
opinions. Governor Bailey urged him
to prosecute Kelly, but he would not
He promised that something would be
done, but nothing has been done.
Now with the First National bank
collapse the expected has not only hap
pened now, but many thousands OF
dollars worse than the expected has
happened. No one thought for a mo-
rnent that through Kelly's carelessness.
dishonesty or chicarery, there would be
such a stupendous shortage as there is
today-over a half million dollars OF
the states money in suspense, with a
possibility of not getting more than
twenty-five cents on the dollar out of
a deposit, for that's what it was, in the
defunct bank of over half million dol
lars.
Kelly has always had some explana-
ton and what does he say today: To a
state Journal reporter that his safe was
entirely useless and had been since Feb
ruary goth; that he did not consider it
safe to keep any money in there and
that since February goth, st have kept
no money in the office except small
amounts I could not afford to take the
riskl"
What do you think of that?
Would child make such an explana-
tion2-
Would an ordinary business man
jeopardize thousand dollars for the
sake of lock to store safe?
Mr.. Kelly virtually admits that he
violated the law and deposited the
money in the First National bank
where his friend and bondsman could
use it. and a half million of it, and did
not keep the money in the vault pro-
vided for by law because few repairs
due last February were not made and
have not yet been made.
Think of it, too, that Governor Hoch
has made no examination of Kelly's
safe as. required by law every month
since he, Governor Hoch, has been in
office, six months.
nations, and however much of a
farce these examinations might have
been, they at least might have shown
Governor Hoch month after month
during the past three months that a
half million of the states money in
one bank merely as collections was a
bad state of affairs.
If Governor Hoch thought these
monthly examinations were a farce
before he came into office. he has had
something more than farce If he had
given attention to that department of
state which he knew was in most
shaky hands. He had been warned
over and over again of Kelly's short
comings and he knew that Kelly
should not have been nominated nor
elected to the office which he holds.
The shortcomings of Mr.. Kelly have
heretofore been shown to be mostly
| in connection with the school fund
in amounts ranging from a thou
sand up to $4,000 which was the
amount that Kelly loaned GODDARD to
finance the Comanche county trans
action. Now we have a case where
Mr.. Kelly has been loaning his bonds
man. Mr.. Devlin, a half million dol
lars affecting all of the funds and
making it likely that the state will
have to suspend payments.
Think of the poor wretches who are
in the penitentiary for stealing a forty
dollar horse when we have in the
treasury a man whose record has been
known for years handling in the most
indiscriminate way a million of the
states money.
Governor Hoch ought to demand
Kelly's resignation Immediately and
he ought to demand that Attorney
General Coleman prosecute Kelly. for
each and all of his criminal proceed
Iings.
KELLY'S BOND.
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