The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-22
..pERsECUrIoN,, or KELLY.

|HE1lSELCO1lONf OE' AEAAL
T. T. Kelly asserts that the failure
of the First National bank "has re-
suited in directing a vicious assault
upon him by certain newspapers
The State Journal suspects that
Kelly may have had it in mind when
he made that statement and for that
reason it will endeavor to say a few
things on the subject.
Did you ever know a criminal who
did not think the newspapers were
'viciously assaulting" him if they hap
pened to tell the truth about him? That
seems to be a common falling among
the criminal class.
Another failing among criminals is
that they do not usually attribute their
misfortunes to the right source. Kelly
says that vicious assaults on him
are result of the First National bank
failure. That is an entirely wrong
diagnosis. What Kelly calls vicious
assaults are the result of Kelly's
criminal actions in handling the state
funds entrusted to his keeping. The
failure of the bank only let the public
find it out. Kelly's idea, therefore, is
that his misfortune is the result of be-
ing found out, instead of the result of
his crime. That is the usual criminal
view.
Both Kelly and his friends, includ-
ing a great many Kansas newspapers
have abused the State Journal in sea-
son and out of season because it told
the truth about Kelly. They have
whined that Kelly was being "perse-
cuted."
Let us see about that:
When the people of Miami county
first found out that T. T. Kelly was a
thief and that he had robbed that
county while holding the Office of
county clerk, some of them came to
the State Journal and presented the
evidence of what they had discovered.
Up to that time the State Journal
knew nothing wrong of Kelly. He was
occupying the Office of assistant state
treasurer. was secretary of the Repub-
lican state committee, and the STATE
Journal thought we'll of him. But he
was asking the nomination for state
treasurer at the hands of the Repub-
lican party, and the charges against
him in Miami county seemed so serious
that the State Journal deemed it its
duty to the people of Kansas to tell
them of these charges. Before doing
so, however. the affidavit setting forth
the charges was shown Mr.. Kelly by
the State Journal, and he was invited
to refute them in the same issue in
which they were published. Was not
this fair treatment?
But Kelly's explanation did not ex-
plain. 1t was extremely unsatisfac-
tory. It looked to the State Journal as
though Kelly was not telling the truth
Futher investigation by the county
commissioners of Miami county re-
vealed the fact that Kelly had sys-
tematically plundered the county dur
ing his term as county clerk, and he
was compelled to pay back into the
! county treasury over $1,000.
Because the State Journal told these
facts Kellys friends abused it and
claimed Kelly was being prosecuted -
He was elected state treasurer, how
ever, and since then he has continued
in his criminal course. And because
the State Journal has told the straight
forward truth about him-or as much
of it as it could find Quickly has
whined that he was being prosecuted.
The State Journal believes that its
duty to the people of Kansas demands;
that it publish the facts concerning the
official acts of its public officials, and
that if it does any less it will be
derelict in its duty. This may be an
old-fashioned sort of an idea, but the
State Journal cannot get rid of it,
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