The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-23
Attorney General Coleman Sc
cures Some Strong Testimony.
Witnesses Testify That They
Paid Out Money Monthly.
BARTENDER ON STAND.
John f. Steele Made a Star
Showing For the State.
Commissioner Larimer Allowed
Them Rights Like Rockefeller.

supreme court records some strong
proof Of the charges he has made
/ against County Attorney James 3. Glib
son, OF Kansas City, Kan. on the suit
to GUST him from office.
| The testimony given before Special
| Commissioner H. G. Lsrimer. in the
Office Of Hale & A1aher, Kansas City.
Kan, yesterday was damaging to Mr..
Gibson, and. while the attorney general
got a severe jolt the opening day of
| the hearing, he had many causes to
smile with satisfaction yesterday. The
charge Is that Mr.. Gibson, in his Off
4 w yaEdotte county, biacknail5d the
4 "5ointists' for IS a month each, and in
consideration for these monthly pay
nents. allowed the men to sell liquor
unnolested.
Several accusations have openly been
made that Martin MeHale WAS Mr.. Glib
sons agent In collecting these fees from
1 the H1OintkeeDers,' but not until yes
/ tss5ay afternoon was such an accusa-
ton made under oath and put into
court records.
George W. BY, a former bartender of
Rosedale, and John f. '-Dink" Steele,
former agent for the Imperial brewery
/ in Wyandotte county, mada star wit
nesses for the state, ana their emphatic
statements that Mr.. Gibson has held
up the liquor men created a sensation
among the men assembled in the
room to hear the testimony
DO you know Martin AIcHale?'
| asked the attorney neral OF Bly,
/ yes, sir. 7 know him WE'LL was the
reply And then the following ques-
lions and answers were put into the
/ records which the supreme court of
Kansas will read in passing on Gibson's
| case:
Q. Where were you working when you
knew McHa1e?
A At 1898 Kansas City avenue. Rose
/ dale, for Alexander Charles Holmes.
O. Did you see McHale in that place?
A Yes. sir. he called frequently,
| and his object, according to his own
| statements, was for the benefit OF Jas.
S. Gibson. He told me to he was col
Letting for Gibson
Q. what amount. If any, did he de-
mand Of you for Mr.. GibsonG
A He demanded SIS a month
Q. How often did McHale go into
the place where you worked?
A. Oh, he visited me quite often,
generally about the Stht of each month.
Sometimes would stay .nla on. g
week. 7 stayed him off one or two
times and It got Around to Mr..
Holmes, my neighbor, that did not
want to pay McHale. got sacked
up" for that.
At every question asked by Attorney
General Coleman. an objection was Of
fered by John Hale, attorney for Mr.
Gibson, and each time the objection
was overruled by Commissioner Lari-
q. About how often did you pay
McHale IS for the county attorney?
A I paid him IS eight different
Q. was your employer eve. present
when McHale was there2
! A. Yes, sir. Mr.. Holmes told me to
pay McHale and make a credit on the
books of IS for donation"
Steele Spoke Up.
John f steele. the brewery agent.
told all he knew in a decided manner.
In May 1903. he said, he went to
Mr.. Gibson in the latter's office in the
court house, and told him that the
Imperial Brewing company was ready
to open a large number of saloons IN
+ Wyandotte county. Gibson told him
the brewery would have to pay him
before a saloon would be allowed to
, run, said the witness. Steele was
asked to relate the experience he had
with the county attorney
Mr. Gibson said to me; GU know,
r Steele that the usual fee is SO q
: month for the privilege of running,
5 testified the witness II replied that
) IS each was too much for the many
fioirfs' we wished to open, but Mr..
Gibson reminded me that the other
= breweries paid IS a month for each
of their places. Finally we made a
compromise. and Mr. Gibson agreed
! TO let the Imperial Brewing company
onerata sioiuts' for SO each a. month.
an the summer Of 1903 I handed
/ Mr.. Gibson $500 as a starter. He was
in his Office, where always paid MIN
after that. William Lingerman, cashier
of the brewery, would hand me the
money in the Missouri office, and
. would take It to Mr.. Gibson. paid
Mr.. Gibson in a lump sum each month
, on the estimate of the number Of
: Joints the brewery was operating IN
: Mr.. steele said that Martin McHale
: got to butting in among the brewery
= ! s'foints'' in Armourdale, trying to rorce
: them to pay him for Mr. Gibson
Il steele made an objection to Mr. Glib
q son, but McHale kept on botneFlng the
!, IN many ways the hearing yesterday
= resembIed the Standard Oil hearing II
New York. and more than one witness
. stood on his constitutional rights anc
refused to answer Questlons, as "a
claimed to answer would lncFA1nAildt'
/; him. AS most of the witnesses are II
7 the liquor selling business, each was in
= structed by Commissioner LarlLl1er q
to his rights While George Bly, wa
being cross questioned, ne pIurLsd OUT
s, "I'll not answer that question.
e guess a Teller has as much right a
4 Rockefeller. and he stands on his con
< stitutional rights"
And he did not have to answer
2 either He told where he worked, ant
Y for whom he worked. but when the at
q .torney general asked him what he SOL
q Bly, wa scauuoned b yJohn Hale not Z
~ answer until the court instructed hin
e about his rights. Then he would no
d answer, saying that the answer woul'
n fncrininate him. The attorney gen
Re eraI kept making mistakes and asl5in
Y, the witness If "HaIe" demanded none
+ Of him.
= your honor, ask that the attor
FL nev general be instructed to put nc
before that name, and that the record
VI be changed to show sMcHale, and no
y Just plain Hale, for that IS my name,
% said Attorney John Hale. His reques
nj was granted.
= Mr.. Hale put Bly, under a sever
is cross examination. The conversatlo
Is was like this