The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-08
THE INJUSTICE or TT.

There is still some talk that the
state is a preferred creditor of the
First National bank and that it can
| step in and take the first half million
dollars or so that comes into the hands
of the receivers leaving the other de-
positors and creditors to take what
| they can get.
The only ground on which the state
| can possibly be a preferred creditor is
that State Treasurer Kelly put the
money in the bank illegally, and that
| the bank therefore had no right to use
it or loan it. which would make the
state a preferrsd creditor.
From standpoint of justice the
| other creditors ought to be paid their
claims and the state given what is left
If anything. Then his bondsmen
could be made to put up the deficiency.
OF course this will not be done. The
law may make the state a preferred
creditor for all the State Journal
| knows, but from a standpoint OF Jus
tice the state ought to come last.
Unfortunately for the state the
states money was listed in the 'fndi-
viduaI deposits subject to check"
Kelly says the money was there since
March 18th.
The state entrusted its money to T.
I. Kelly, we'll knowing just what sort
of man he is. Kelly loaned more
than a half million dollars to his
friend, c. ]. Devlin, using Devlin's
bank as the medium for making the
loan. The bank failed, tying up this
| money, but also several hundred
thousands of dollars that had been
| legally deposited in it, much of it be-
| longing to poor people who can i'll
afford to lose it. In the face of that
to have the state of Kansas step in,
after entrusting it's money to a man
whom it knew was a thief, and claim
its money as a preferred creditor,
| thereby perhaps depriving some peo-
pie of their savings, savors of injus-
tice.
A widow who had little money in
| the bank saved up for her old age has
written a. touching letter to the news
papers on this subject. She says:
Noticing the article in which Gov
ernor Hoch used the expression, That
| he thinks the state will not lose any
of the money deposited with the First
| National bank as he considered the
states claim a preferred claim stop
ped to think, that this great, free
hearted state of Kansas would stoop
so low to help to rob orphans and
poor widows out of their little all.
They are the states own citizens and
many have paid taxes into its Golfers.
What do our officials think they will
gain by such work?
lone poor widow, with consump-
tive son to care for, told me she had
to live in a cheap back room and took
in washing for fifteen years and had
| by strict economy saved 1915. She
deposited this money in the First Ma
tional bank Tuesday, just seven days
before the bank closed it's doors. This
woman was IS years of age and had
only her own hands to help her to
support herself and invalid son.
| ''I have over $500 in that bank and
am IS years of age and still have to
work for my living. The money I had
in the bank was the money my dear
son left me to be used to care for my
self in old age. He was the last of my
family to pass away. I now have no
home only as I rent cheap rooms and
I have to deny myself every luxury.
Is this great state going to send such
| old widows as we to the poor house !?
| This state that has the name of being
SO liberal when there is a call of dis
tress to other places.
''I see that Mr.. Devlin and his family
are not denying themselves of any
comforts to help pay these orphans.
1.-THE good book tells of the punish
ment to those who rob the orphans
and widows. He is just God and
we may be cheated out of our money
but those that cheat us will get their
punishment in the next world, il not
in this. We need our money to live
on now. We would like to taste a
good steak once a week but even this
luxury is denied us.
Talk about the oil king. Did he
ever do any worse than what the state
is aiming to do? If he has, please tell
it to the public. No. Kansas must
have it's money. It is not willing to
take it's dividend like the rest of the
depositors, to wait and give time to
see if we could not get back dollar for
dollar, but our glorious state, or the
officials that run the state, want all.