The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-23
IFcAI.

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davit, believes that the urgent demand
immediate vituperative arraignment of
one Of the parties named IN connection
with the affidavit was beneath the dignity
Denials and protests Of innocence al
ways come as q result Of intimations OF
Wrong-dolng from innocent and gullty
alike, and your committee respectfully
submits that il the lives and character
OF the members Of this council and OF the
prominent citizens Of this citv mentioned in
said affidavit have not been and are not
now of a kind to ward off innuendoes cast 4
by unthinlzing or unscrupulous persons,
then denlals viii avail them little in de-
tense no matter how fervent and caustic
the language used may be-
Scandalm lmongering is no new thing. It
IS probably coeval with mankind, the
those IN private as well as in public life
Only few days since the Speaker of
the House Of Representatves-one of the
most honored citizens of the nation-had
to descend to the floor OF the House IN
order to resent imputations made by a
political opponent. Right thinking people
will not accept statements derogatory to
their fellow men unless they are sup
ported by some sort of evidence
'Whosoever lends a greedy ear to a
slanderous report is either himself of a
radically bad disposition, or a mere child
in sense"
The result of the Investigation made by
your committee is a conviction that the
lnnuendoes and imputations Of the so
called Moller statement have fallen
harmless insofar a affecting the stand
ing of members of this body and of the
other persons named IS concerned. New
ertheless a serious offense was committed
which should not be passed over
ments were made. which to the unthinl.-
! ing might appear to reflect 1,noT7 tl1a
honor OF members of this council and
upon that Of other reputable citizens Of
body was assaIled and the people of
! Topeka as a whole were insulted because
neither better nor worse than are the peo-
/ PIE who put them in places of public
trust For these reasons the execution
and publication of the affidavit cannot
be too severely criticised
I The persons who were named in connec-
ton with making and publishing of the
paper were asked to appear before your
committee at a meeting recently held.
Mr. Maunseu and his attorney, Mr..
Mr.. Doran. representing Mr.. Meyers The
/ sworn affidavit of Mo1ler was before the
committee. Moller himself being absent
The statements made by Mr. Maunsen to
your committee were not under oath. but
were treated 50, as z Willingness to be
sworn was expressed by him. Mr. Maun-
sell made suchs statements as he desired
and answered all questions put to him
by members OF the committee by his at
torney, Mr.. Overmeyer, and by Mr.
Doran, attorney for Mr.. Meyers. Mr..
Maunsell positively and earnestly denied
that he had made the statements at
tributed to him by the affidavit and espe-
cially those relating to members of this
council. He also submitted afterwards,
letters telegrans and other documents
to substantiate his statements Maunsen
Iepulaoie business man or Topeka. and
has been associated with some of our
most prominent business men whose in
tegrity cannot be questioned.
Mr.. "A1o1ler'' is a stranger to the peo-
pie of Topeka, and his<history and char
acter are wholly unknown. Admittedly he
was a hired detective and experience has
taught that such persons are often very
As between the two men, with the evil
dence before 1t, your committee must be-
neve Mr.. MaunselI.
m ho a -
the streets and walks committee by Mr.
i Myers, he announced that he believed the
I citlzens OF Topeka to be without founda-
ton, and wholly false, and he has since
81 confirmed that position by Interviews
published in the press of the City
While Mr.. Myers may not have in
tended by the publication of the affidavit
or by other acts to reflect upon the per-
sons named in the affidavit, other thar
Mr.. Maunseu, yet the tendency of his acts
was to affect all who are named; there
fore, your committee feels that he has
committed grevious wrong if not z
nbellous offense.
This report is made at this time because
the Council at its last meeting so oil
rected, and is based upon developments
up to the present time. As other lighi
may be shed later upon the transaction
your committee does not think that this
Incident. should be considered as CLOSED
and believes that the council should be
ready to act in relation to others involved
in the procurement and publication of the
/ affidavit, should occasion arise.
In view of what is here stated, you
| committee recommends that the resolur
tions herewith submitted be adopted as {
| substitute for all resolutions heretofore
referred to the committee.
} RESOLVED, By the Mayor and Coun
Gil of the City of Topeka, that the re
fections upon members Of this body con
tanned in the "MOller'' affidavit now II
the hands Of the streets and walks com
nittee. are wholly unWarranted and un
justifiable, being false in every particu
Z lar; that all parties who have given rist
to, or who by word or action have in an
manner contributed to the preparation
and publication of the said affidavit havi
assisted IN perpetrating an outrage whicl
should be severely condemned and re
bukeds and
RESOLVED. That L. E. Myers be here
5 after denied the privilege of the floor O
3 this chamber until in open council he shal
e have apOlogized in q manner satisfactor-
( to this body for the outrage he has helpei
t to commit.
z. MONTGOMERY.
SAML. T. HOWE.