The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-24
GODDARD ON STAND
Ex-AttOrney General Makes
Startling Admissions.
Gives Details of COmanche
County Bond Deal.
BOUGHT AT DISCOUNT.
Got the SI2S, 900 of 6 Per Cents
for $4,000.
Sold New Ones at 41-2 Per Cent
to State at Par.
Tells How He Got Necessary
"a H., V.oacurnT' II AilV.
BOUGHT AT DISCOUNT.
Tells How He Got Necessary
Money From Treasurer Kelly.

Some Of the most startling and SEN
sationaI evidence ever produced in
court room came out today in the
testimony Of A. A. GODDARD, former at
torney general. who was on the stand
as a witness this morning in the noel
suit for $4,000 damages brought by
Attorney General C. c. Coleman
AGAINST the proprietor of this paper.
Those who heard the words from
Mr.. Godard's lips could scarcely credit
their ears.
The witness had been called by the
plaintif. The cross examination was
conducted by Bale p. Waggener, one
of the attorneys for Mr. MacLennah-
MI GODDARD testified:
That he had bought s123.O00 worth
of six per cent Comanche county
bonds for 100000, and a few days
later exchanged them for $4,000 Of
A. per cent Comanche county bonds
selling the latter to the state school
fund commissioners. &. G. Coleman, j.
r. Burrow and L l. Dayhoff, for
S123,OOO and accrued interest.
That he had induced the county
commissioners of Comanche county to
refund the six oer cent bonds With the
y per cent bonds
That the commissioners had agreed
to pay County Attorney Rich of CO.
manche county $500 to assist him in
bringing about the refunding of the
bonds; that County Attorney Rich was
to use his influence among the people
to that effect.
That he. GODDARD. had gone before
the state board of equalization and
asked that board to raise the assessed
valuation as reported by COmanche
county so that he could sell certain
bonds in which he was Interested to
the state school fund commissioners
@9 which J. r. Burrow was a member.
Aar- Burrow being member of the
SChOOl fund commission which was to
buy the bonds and member of the
board of equalization which was TO
raise the valuation. so that the bonds
could be purchased within the law
That the valuation was raised follow
ing Mr.. Godard's own request by the
board in Mr.. Godard's presence on the
2lst day Of July 1904
That on the same day he submitted
to the school fund commissioners his
proposition to sell the AZ per cent
bonds.
That on the same day the commits
sloners agreed to buy the bonds
That on the next day he secured at a
bank in Kansas City, Kansas, accord
ing to an appointment made July 16
1904, the original s per cent Comanche
county bonds for $4,000 less than he had
agreed to sell to the school fund com
missioners. the AZ per cent bonds.
That he borrowed S115.O0O of the mon
ey from Kansas City. Kansas. bank
on his note for three days to pav for
the bonds. $4,000 having been paid in
advance
That in three or four days he came
to Topeka, and that T. T. Kelly. the
state treasurer, furnished the money.
Sl2S,eO in two checks on the state
f1H
take up the bonds which Mr. GODDARD
had put up as collateral behind his note
That he. Mr. GODDARD, thought it
would only be matter Of q few hours
until the state could complete the trans
actions necessary to take the bonds
That owing to delays. it was mat
ter Of about two weeks before the state
bonds.
That he, GODDARD had explained the
situation to Kelly and that Kelly
agreed to furnish the money.
That he, GODDARD. knew that this was
pot I me me rlght thing for Kelly to do.
but the state would be no loser. and
that the state treasury had previously
advanced money before bond transac-
tions we're finally closed
That about a year and 2 half follow
ing the transaction Mr.. Coleman had
suggested that he should refund to the
state certain interest that the state had
paid him in connection with this deal
Adl Id+ Dl QEAeIe1ce to Attorney
General Coleman he had paid back into
the state treasury about s24O in inter
est.
on his direct examination. Mr.. Goddard
was very good witness for the plain
tin. but on his crOSseXa ninatiOu he he
came such a good witness for the d.
fense that the attorneys for the pIaintier
declined TO ask him any questions OF. -e-
direct examination
Mr. GODDARD admitted that he was an
a -
that they lived in Clay Center together
for years. and while he denied fba4
there was any tacit understanding 4bn+
the school fund commissioners should
buy the Comanche county bonds. he ad-
mitted that be had no other prrcba cor
in view. He admitted that durine b5s
term as attorney general no bonds wers
purchased on the basis of valuation ~
ed by the state board of equalization.
He stated that he did not count The
$4,000 which Comanche county mad
agreed to pay him as part of the coun-
ty debt though he subsequently admit
ted that this $1,000 was to be paid N
the form Of county warrants
Mr.. GODDARD also admitted that he had
enjoined secrecy upon people in the
state auditors office and had told no
one about the loan of money rna5s
from the state funds
The same evidence of secrecy was
brought out in the testimony of stare
Auditor Seth G. Wells Mr.. Wells had
his clerks inform the State Journal re
porters that the must get their jDfor-
nation about school fund transa cfi,.,s
from the office Of the state suDerfpfer,.1
ent. and not from the auditors office
This mornings session introduced a
new attorney in the case. John + Hes
sin, of Manhattan, appeared on behalf
of the plaintiff. Mr.. Coleman, and cook
charge Of the examination of Mr.. Cod
aFoL Mr.. Hessln is a former state SEN