The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-13
WAS 1T FIXED UP
B. p. Waggener's Sensational
Charges Against Board.
Says A. d. Wilcox Was Victim
OF Confidence Game.
IN CURTIS INTERESTS.
Claims Deal Was Arranged by
Kelly, Mulvane and Crisham.
Board Rejects All Proposals
Made by Wilcox.
will Ventilate Whole Affair Be-
fore Legislature.
IN CURTIS INTERESTS

Bale P. Waggener, of Atchison,
charges that a fraud was perpetrated
on A. d. Wilcox, the Democratic can
didate for the legislature from Atchi-
hson, in the lottery" which took place
on Wednesday afternoon before the
state board of election canvassers-
1T was a regular confidence game
declared Mr.. Waggener this morning
"a prearranged deal; put up job by
the Curtis gang, which wants to gel
ingalls, into the legislature.
Every proposition which was made
by Mr. Wilcox for fair casting Of lots
was rejected; the Nfulvane-Kelly CHS
ham crowd ran the thing to suit itself.
ingalls, was not at the meeting at ALL
It was not necessary for him to be
there The whole thing was prearrang-
ed Mr. Wilcox was there and was
accompanied by his attorney, w. p
Waggener. I myself was not present
Mr. Wilcox and Mr.. Waggener MADE
several propositions to the members OF
the board. They offered TO have ball
lots put into a hat and drawn out until
the name of the lucky man should ap-
pear. They offered to have a handful
of matches selected. each man to draw
one from the handful in turn, the man
getting the last match to be the win
which would be fair and on the level
The method adopted was adopted over
the protests of Mr.. Wilcox.
And the only reason which the can
vassing board gave for following tho
plan that it did follow was that it had
already arranged how the drawing
should be made, and wouldn't change
Mr.. Kelly fixed up two matches, one
long and one short; Mr. Wells drew
one of the matches. Of course he drew
the ingalls, match. Nothing hard about
that"
will Wilcox contest this election ~
was asked Of Mr.. Waggener.
he certainly VIII cOntest-it," replied
Mr.. Waggener. And moreover he viii
ventilate tl.is confidence game which
was played on him by the canvassing
board. That matter will be aired some
before we are through with this
Mr. Wilcox viii demand of the leg
islature a recount of the ballots cast
in the recent election. Mr. Wilcox has
repeatedly proposed to Mr.. ingalls, that
he submit to a recount of the ballots;
MI ingalls, has consistently refused to
consent to such a plan. Why2 Because
ingalls, felt confident that he would get
the office without" j."
How the Drawing Was Held.
The state board Of canvassers Is COM
posed of the governor. the attorney gen
eral, the secretary Of state. the auditor
and the treasurer The board was sched-
uled to meet at , o'clock in the secretary
of states office and at that time only
Mr.. Burrow and Mr.. Wells were the
members on hand. Mr.. Wilcox was
there with his attorney. w. p Wag-
gener. Governor Hoch. who was at the
executive mansion. was telephoned for
but said that he could not get down to
the state house for some little time
Finally Mr. Kelly strolled in and there
was a quorum of the board present
They got down to business right away
and concluded it in two or three min
utes
There was no discussion as to the
method Of holding the lottery to decide
the tie. It seems that it was agreed he
forehand among the mem 6ers to draw
straWs for it. Nor curing the course of
the brief meeting did Mr.. Wficox's at
torney make any formal protest that
any one could hear against this method
Mr. Kelly broke the heads off of two
matches. one longer than the other. 1t
was decided to name the long one In
sails and the short one Wilcox Mr.
Kelly then shuff1ed the two sticks up in
his hand. held them protruding between
his thumb and first finger of his right
hand Wells picked out the match TO
the right. he4I it up and said to Kelly
'aI Let's see yours % Kelly opened his
hand and it was found he held the short
one. so ingalls, had won.
Mr.. Burrow then asked if there was
any objection to the procedure and
therebeing no response from anyone he
moved that a certificate of election be
granted to ingalls,. This motion was
unanimously adopted and while it was
bein~ adopted Mr.. Wilcox and his at
It seems that the reason that there
was no open protest at the meeting
from Nj Wilcox's attorney was be-
cause that before the meeting he had
intsrrogated the members Of the board
as to how the lottery was to be decided
and had been told that it was to be
done by drawing straws- Mr.. Wag-
gener suggested to some of the mem
bers that fairer way would be by
putting say twenty blank pieces of
paper in a hat together with two other
pieces containing the names of the
candidates and the first name to come
out would prove the lucky man He
also suggested that a number of
matches be thrown on table and that
a cent be tossed to see which man
should have the first choice Then
each man, or his representative was
to pick up a match in turn and the
man getting the last match was to get
the prize. These suggestions were not
adopted by members of the board. as
they had already decided to draw
straWs. but these protests were made
before the meeting to the members Of
the board individually and not at the
meeting