The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-09
JUDGE GARvER'S
Explains Reasons for Resigning as
Assistant Attorney General.

With the formal resignation of his
office as assistant attorney general for
Shawnee county which he filed with At
torney General Coleman on Thursday
afternoon, Judge T. F. Carver present
ed a cOmmunica ton, in which he de-
clares that lack of cooperation on the
part of the county and city officers,
and treachery has defeated his efforts.
His letter follows in part:
The provisions of the law for the ap
pOintment Of an assistant attorney gen
eral would be excellent, IT, when such
appointment Is made his assistance
would be welcomed by the regular Off
GERS and he accepted as a mere helper
in the work in which such heip was
needed. I rendered such assistance 10
the county attorney and also to the
mayor and chief Of police of this city,
but received no favorable response In
stead have had no cooperation, /
doubt whether I have even had sym
pathy, from the regular executive Off
GERS Of the county and city. The chief
Of police seems TO have merely taken
advantage of my appointment to shirk
all duty in this respect. making no sort
Of effort to aid in law enforcement. The
men under him, I believe. for the most
part were competent and willing to
perform any duty, and through them he
could have done most effective work in
the closing of the joints, while I could
have been of material teip in bringing
to his assistance the additional power
OF the state On the contrary, the joint
lists, apparently regard Topeka's CHIEF
of police as in full sympathy with them
in every effort to make any attempted
enforcement of law a failure. II his
public acts and utterances are consid-
cred they have judged rightly. Not a
single friendly or helpful suggestion has
escaped his lips in my presence. The
county attorney destined any assistance
sz.---
cerned.
Il regret that this has been so, be
lieving that had 7 been able to occupy
the place Of only an assistant, these
officials with my help would nave
been able to clean up Topeka; where
as, standing alone, I have accompltshed
practically nothing. while they have
been content to attempt nothing them-
selves.
Moreover. treachery has too often
defeated my efforts by apprising the
criminals Of the approach with war
rants for the search of their premises
Who is responsible for this treachery
do not know, but do know what the
results have been.
II am unwilling to believe that To-
peka is hopelessiy given over to the
vicious and criminal classes, though
they are certainly having their inning
at this time. Decent citizenship will
vet triumph. the orders Of the court
will be respected. and the laws will
be enforced Kansas is not the state
that VIII long endure corruption and
vice in its capital city; nor viii the
law-abiding people of this community
tolerate a reign of crime in their
midst. The overthrow of arrogant
law viOlators must come, however, in
nv opinion. through the efforts of
faithful officials whose duty it is to
see that obedience to law does pre-
vail and that violators of law are pun
/ ished. No private citizen should be
called upon to step into the breach
made by the delinquency of a public
/ officer. If the latter fails in the per
/ Torrance of his duty. there should be
! a different method adopted to transfer
such neglected duty to another. In
! stead of an assistant. there should be
/ a successor. who will devote his tai
I ents and energies to the performance
| Of duty without fear. favor or hope of
reward