The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-13
THE KELLY CASE.

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When the Morris report was made
public showing large shortages in the
state school fund account an the state
treasury. this paper urged that actions
be brought to place the responsibility
for the shortages. and il bond brokers
confessed to receiving coupons which
should belong to the state that they be
compelled to return the money.
This is what has now happened in
the Kelly suit. Bond brokers have
shouldered the responsibility for
enough Of the missing coupons to war
rant Judge Dana to refuse to hold
Treasurer Kelly liable for the short
ages which are charged against his
administration. But the money Isl
sti1 missing and if the records show
that it belonged to the state. it looks as
though the attorney general should in
stitute proceedings to recover it from
the parties who received it
The Morris report went back over half
Of the time that D. H. Hehebower. Pop
ulist, was state treasurer. but no short
ages were found in Mr. Hehebower's ac-
[0QAlS4 YET curing the lSlILS OF
Grimes and T. T. Kelly that were in
vestigated shortages amounting to many
thousands Of dollars were discovered,
according to the accountants. These
shortages began soon after Mr. Grimes
and MI Kelly went into the treasury,
and this in itself looked suspicious.
Mr.. Kelly is fortunate in being able
to clear himself IN the suit brought
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and the State Journal desires to give
give him due credit therefor. He still
has enough burdens Of official miscon-
duct to carry without adding to them
any of which. he Is not guilty, and this
paper would not for a moment hold him
responsible for any wrongdoing of
which he is innocent.
Mr.. Kelly is in a position to realize
the truth OF the proverb, "A good name
IS rather to be chosen than great
riches" Had it not been for his bad
record as county clerk of Miami county
people would not have been so ready to
believe that he was connected with the
shortages reported by the state account
ants. And Mr.. Kelly's acts as state
treasurer were not such as to allay that
suspicion. His Illegal depositing of
I IlbIt LndH AdlL IIlllA0A QOl1aIS III the
shaky First National bank to aid his
bondsman, his misuse Of funds appro-
priated to pay for surety bond, his
connection with the Comanche county
bond deal, and other things, were not
calculated to aid the public in disbe-
/ lieving that he had some knowledge of
the coupons that were missing from the
state school fund.
mt -
fortunate in being able TO show that he
did not get the money involved IN the
suit brought against him by the attor-
ney general
AS to the Oklahoma warrants, little
weight was given to any financial
claim that the state had in that mat
ter, although there was serious aues-
ton as to the legality OF the treas
urer's action.
The "A. r. Brown matter and the
mysterious return Of the Garden City
shortage to the state treasury is still
unexplained. What makes it seem
more mysterious Is that no one ex-
cept the state accountant and persons
in the state treasury knew of the
| shortage. yet the money was returned
under the name of IA r. Brown -
This is the money, S1.402.5o. that was
sent directly to Mr.. Kelly by the fiscal
agency in New York, according to his
written request. but which he denied
getting. If he can reveal the identity
of "A. r. Brown and tell why the
money was returned. Mr. Kelly will
have done much more towards re-
1ieving his name Of the stigma that
has attached to It.