The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-20
ASTATE SCANDAL
Trouble Breaks Out in Hutchin-
son RefOrmatOry.
Charles J. Peck Brings Troubles
to Governor.
HE'S AFTER A SCALP.
Makes Charges Against Superin-
tendent E. E. Marshall.
Governor Hoch Refuses to Take
Up the Quarrel.
HE'S AFTER A SCALP.

atorv at Hutchinson. which may result
in the dismissal of Superintendent E. E.
Marshall The claim is made that
superintendent Marshall called for the
resignation Of his assistant Charles J.
Peck, to satisfy personal dislike, and
appointed James A. Cady of Mound City
to succeed him. When Peck refused to
resign, Marshall discharged him, and
Peck stepped out last Monday.
Mr. Peck came to Topeka and laid his
case before Governor Hoch. Governor
Hoch said today:
I talked this matter over with MI.
Peck, and the result of our conversation
was that I informed him that SO long
as Mr. Marshall is superintendent
shall be obliged to sustain his actions
He is responsible for the conduct Of the
reformatory. 1 liked MI. Peck's ap-
pearance, and regard him as very
able man. There have been some ex-
pressions of dissatisfaction with Mr..
Marshall, but the question Of any
change in the superintendency is in the
hands of the board, which has charge
of the Hutchinson reformatory- | don't
care to express any opinion at this time
on the merits of the controversy.
Superintendent Marshall was in To-
peka on June 6, but Governor Hoch says
with Mr. Marshall.
The fact that Governor Hoch offered
the superintendency Of the reformatory
to superintendent Shirk of the Newton
city schools before he appointed Mr..
Marshall indicates that there is some
foundation for the belief that Marshall
may not have a very solid grip on the
position.
A few weeks ago L. ". Knowles, one
of the teachers at the school, became IN
ee{cr
Later he tried to recall his resignation,
and Marshall would not permit him to
do So Knowles appealed to Governor
Hoch, and as Knowles is Marion
county man, and Governor Hoch was
well acquainted with him, he ordered
that he be reinstated. Marshall COM
piled with that order. This serves TO IN
dlcate that all is not harmony between
Marshall and Governor Hoch-
The Hutchinson Independent takes up
the story OF the conflict between Mar
shall and Peck in detail According to
that paper Mr. Peck was asked why
Marshall discharged him. He said:
Il know of no reason why Mr.. Mar
shall should have discharged me unless
it was because of his hostile feeling
against me because 1 was q candidate
for the position of superintendent at
the reformatory at the time Governor
Bailey appointed Marshall.
The Independent goes on to say:
AS a matter OF lnIOTInaI1On lQe con-
nections Of the two men are of inter-
"E E. Marshall was a country school
teacher in Indiana He was later
cigar drummer. After that he came to
Kansas and taught school in Nemaha
county, the home of Willis J. Bailey.
Later he went to Ellsworth county.
taught school and then served as coun-
ty clerk. After that he was appoint
ed to the superintendency of the re-
forrna tory by Willis J. Bailey, then
governor, in the fall of 1903. George
Cole, then auditor, besought Marshalls
appointment to help Cole make a. point
in the senatorial campaign pending.
When Governor Hoch was inaugurated
he evidently did not want Marshall to
remain, for he offered the superintend-
ency to Mr.. Shirk, superintendent of the
Newton schools. Shfrk declined, so
Marshall was permitted to remain. Ru-
mors of trouble at the Reformatory
have reached Mr.. Hochs ears at differ
ent times and he has been asked to
remove Marshall. He Will probably
be asked to do so again.
Peck Is from Salina.
Charles J. Peck lived in Salina and
ten years had been a real estate and
insurance dealer. He was secretary of
the Republican central committee and
did the hard work when Saline county
was wrested from the Populist column
and delivered to the Republicans, by a
good majority for Governor Stanley and
the entire ticket. J. s. Simmons ap-
pointed Peck assistant superintendent
of the Reformatory in March, 1899, on
Governor Stanley's recommendation.
He served four years under Simmons
and had no trouble. Peck and Sim
mons were good friends and there was
harmony between them all the four
years. Peck served under Marshall
three years under a load Of trouble
imposed by the superintendent, and
now he has fred him uuceremOnfously
] chance a afo -
friends Of Peck are very sore over the
treatment he has received. Peck has
many friends in Hutchinson. He is
known as a manly kind of man. one
poses. He married a Hutchinson girl
and has mingled with Hutchinson peo-
pie socially and in church life and is
! universally respected The news of the
ing to Hutchinson people generally.
'FWhatever Mr.. Marshall may be per-
sonally, and in this connection no one
has brought up the question OF Mr.
only as a public official, Hutchinson
people are pretty we'll agreed that he
Is not the man for superintendent of
the state reformatory. In this thev
at the Reformatory have souls and lives
and the lack of proper treatment tells
on their lives.
Many OHcers Have Quit
MarshallS s experience with Peck is
another of the series he has been run
ming. It is said that in the three years
I he has been superintendent, about
! thirty-seven officers have resigned or
been fred. while under the previous
| five years Of John Simmons admins
| tra.tion some fifteen officers were dis
charged or quit. Marshall seems TO be
| having trouble with his officers con
tinuously- Among the officers who
have left have been the following. since
Marshall's regime began.
&C. Howard, Wyandotte county.