The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-13
THAT SMILEY PARDON.
H. S. Fish, of La Crosse, Talks About
Effort to Secure 1t.

Another effort is being made to get
a pardon from Governor Hoch for E.
J. Smiley the secretary of the grain
dealers association, who is serving
time in Jail for being connected with
the operation of trust. The new
petition which is said to be in cir
culation. has not yet reached Governor
Hoch.
H. 8 Fish, in the La Crosse Chief
tain, takes a hard fall out of Smiley
and his association, as follows:
"A movement is on foot to ask the
governor a second time for the pardon
Of z. J. Smiley, and a petition adj
dressed to the governor was circulated
in La Crosse yesterday. No new rea-
son is alleged why the governor
should interfere with the sentence Of
the court. It was argued before the
governor when the application was
considered thirty days ago, that the
rich man arrested with Smiley got
free. Evidently that had little weight
with the governor. If the local pools
We're managed as testified to in the
trial of Smiley. he would have the evil
dence in his possession to convict the
rich man, and therefore could not
complain if he refused to tell what he
knew and thereby shield those con
cerned with him in the violation of a
state law. There is no positive evil
dence that the members of the State
Grain Dealers association have
ness in Rush county. At shipping
points where Independent shippers
are doing business the association men
are compelled to pay more for grain,
but there has not been any evidence
to the seller of any connection
among the association men for the
( business. It is the boast of the Smiley
men that he transacts the business of
the association from the jail, and of
Smiley himself, if he is CORRECTLY
p -,v43r--
bind more closely the members of his
association, and the men in this town
who are supposed to be members of
/ MS association visit the Jail almost
daily. Moses Bros. issued a letter 30
/ days ago in which thew denied being
member of the association at the
present time, but admitted having
been a member some time ago, there
! by inferring they had Quit the asso-
citation, and still this Smiley petition
for pardon was circulated here yes
terday by their representative at this
station Smiley is treated with more
consideration than any ordinary pris-
oner, and everything has been done bv
the sheriff that circumstances will
permit to make his confinement as
+ pleasant as possible. His friends can
not complain to the governor on that
/ account There is no new reason for
/ the pardon of Smiley. In view of the
/ above and much more that could be
I
who is approached on the subject of
signing the petition should demand
conclusive evidence that the State
/ Grain Dealers association is obevin Q,
the law. Ask what the State Grain
Dealers association has done and is
/ doing to prevent car service to the in
/ dependent shippers. Does the state
/ Grain Dealers association use its in
| 1uence to prevent the independent
/ dealers from securing sites on right Of
way of railroads, and a few more such
proper r and reasonable questions as
seThe officers of Rus7 at lo1,-il7,,.
able expense to the people and great
inconvenience to many citizens. who
have been vilifed and abused bv
strikers of the outfit, secured the con
vletion of this man Smiley, and the
people of the county and state should
not be deprived of the benefit of this
conviction of Smiley. If there are
others who, are equally guilty with
them, he and his friends cannot com
plain"