The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-21
UP TO GOVERNOR HocH.

From Governor Hoch's statements
concerning the treasury shortages in the
State Journal Saturday it is evident that
he is contemplating allowing F. E
Grimes to pay back s7.215 which Mr..
Grimes says is all that he cannot ex-
plain, and letting the treasury investi-
cation drop with that.
Governor Hoch should know that it is
not sufficient that a part of the money
should be recovered. The guilty should
be found out and punished. The plan
proposed savors too much Of the getting
the money returned and no questions
asked
Mr.. Grimes explanations do not ex-
plain Certain brokers say they were
allowed to clip coupons That is con-
coded, but the question is, were they
| allowed to clip coupons that belonged
to the state?
It may be assumed that there is doubt
about $4,000 of the $4,000 shortage. This
much was neither stamped as state pro
perty nor was it traced to the state
treasury. 1t may have belonged to the
state and it may not. In this class
would have belonged the 81, 402.50 of the
Garden City coupons, had not the "A.
r. Brown" incident led to an investi-
]
was paid to the fiscal agency. and bv
the fiscal agency sent to Kelly at his
personal request. Otherwise it would
nave been credited to the account of
the state treasurer in the fiscal agency
and Kelly would simply have checked
it out
But counting out that $4,000. there
Is still a balance of $4,000 which was
either stamped as state proDertv or
Where the money was traced to the
state treasurer, or both. That s37 0oo
1 must certainly have belonged to the
state whether it went to Kelly or ~
brokers', OF to some one else.
now II brokers aelI owIedge getting
mat money they should be compelled 10
snow now they got it, and as it belong
ca 10 the state they should be compelled
10 pay 1t back. That looks simple.
more than rigid investigation
sllouiu pc made concerning the doubtful
9zS'VVO- Two Of the bond brokers' whom
L. l. Kelly says are willing to sboul-
der some Of the shortages charged to
hlnl' themselves bear a somewhat shady
reputation.
but good many of the tracks lead
directly to the door of Thomas T. Kelly
1t is known that Kelly has repea te5I,,
violated the law
He committed embezzlement in CON
nection with the Comanche county bond
deal and he cannot plead the statute
of limitations on that.
He deposited a large amount of state
money in the First National bank con-
trary to law, and the statute of Hmita-
tons has not run on that.
He deposited large sums in banks out
side of Topeka contrary to law. for
which there is no possible defense. and
the statute of limitations has not run
on that.
He took $4,000 illegally from the state
treasury to pay for a bond that he
never gave, and although he paid the
money back when caught, the statute of
limitations has not run on that
The Garden City money was traced
directly into his hands. but he might
possibly plead the statute of limitations
on that
He embezzled over $1,000 from the
state treasury to loan to his friends on
worthless checks and on due bills; the
statute of limitations has not run on
that.
How much law viii Governor Hoch
permit Kelly to violate before he does
something about it?
Governor Hoch is now trying to GUST
Mayor Rose of Kansas City. kan. from
office for not enforcing the prohibitory
law and the governor is right in so
doing. But Governor Hoch took the
same oath of office as Mayor Rose
and if he allows 7. T. Kelly to flag
! rantly violate the laws of the state
without punishment, how much better
is he officially than Mayor Rose?
The State Journal predicted some
time ago that if Governor Hoch allowed
himself to be guided by c. c. Coleman
in following up the Morris report, moth
ing would come of it, and the State
Journal regrets that the prediction
l seems To he coming tr1e