The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-01-14
STORY BOOK ROW
How F L. Williams Christmas
Present Produced Trouble.
Williams Made a Speech on
Subject of ''KnOckers."
VALENTINE REUSED UP
Came to the Defense Of J. L.
Bristow's Record.
History Of ''Se or SOapy in
Mr. Williams Book.
VALENTINE REUSED UP

All the people at Cls-- Center are tax
ing about the latest chapter in the clash
between Del Valentine editor ~ the
Clay Center Times, and T. L. Williams
the governors private secretary, VINO Is
also a resident Of Clay Center
1t all came up over
which Mr.. Williams received from Mr..
Coleman, his law partner, as
mas present. 1t is a very nice book, ana
e very entertaining one The title is
"Tatting of a Retired Politician and
well toward the end Of the book is a
story entitled. THE Calf and the
Graft"
In this story. thinly yelled by fictitious
names, is the history OF the otter row
between Senator j. Ralph Burton anc
Joseph 4. Bristow former third assist
ant postmaster general Hank Muir
ray, assistant postmaster general, is
the hero of the tale, and 'Soapy' is the
heavy senatorial villain who finally
lands i'm the penitentiary.
But all this is merely preliminary to
the subject which everybody at Clay
Center is interested in. the tiff between
Williams and Valentine.
1t came up at smoker held there
g few nights ago by the citizens of Clay
Center for the national officers of the
Triple Tie Benefit association, who are
planning to hold their next annual con
ventiOn at Clay Center. Tom Sheard of
Topeka chairman of the auditing com
mittee was there, and j. M. Miller, of
the state G. A. r. department.
Mr.. Williams was ON the programme
for a speech. Williams, by the way, is
a clever speaker or such occasions. His
subject was knockers, and he hand
led the knockers without gloves.
There is too much knOckine. was
the theme of Mr. Williams remarks He
said that the town of Clay Center would
be a good deal better off without some
Of the knockers there. Everybody took
this as slap at Del Valentine, who
has been knocking very vigorously on
a franchise proposition which Mr.. Will
Jams wanted to get through the city
Then Mr.. Williams took shot at the
people who have been knocking on his
law partner G. c.. Coleman. You peo-
pie here at Clay Center know" said
Mr.. Williams. that no tainted dollar
would ever stick to the hands of C. c.
Coleman. And yet see what the news
papers have done to him by their knock
iugl"
Mr. Williams then told about the book
which he had received as a present and I
the story in it about Burton and Bris-
tow. He took up the cudgels i'm defense
BristOW. Just the language used can
not be quoted, but i'm effect it was some
thing like this:
The picture of Burton which this
story gives is entirely erroneous; it
makes Burton out good deal worse
than he is. There's no advantage in
knocking on Burton until we know
more about the facts. And as far as
Bristow is concerned the picture is also
distorted We hear great deal about
Bristow now, but if we wait five years
it is highly probable that the people of
Kansas viii know Bristow in his true
light"
This stirred up Del Valentine, and
when his turn to speak came, he flew
into Mr.. Williams and made some very
pointed remarks i'm defense of knock
ers He didn't have any use for Bur
ton, and said so, and he defended Bris-
lows record staunchly,
After Mr.. Williams and Mr.. Valentine
had had their say. it took Tom Sheard
about half an hour to tell funny stories
enough to relieve the overcharged at
mOsphere.
The Picture of Burton.
In order that this story of 1.-THE Calf
and the Graft" may be appreciated.
few extracts are appended. The author.
Forest Crissey, tells his story by means
of a letter written by Bill Bradley. leg
islator, congressman. governor and
United States senator. retired. to his