The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-07
Republican Leaders Flirt With
Topeka Democrats.
Effort to COncoct Plan to Defeat
John N. Wilkerson.
HEERY UPSET N ALL.
Called the Proposition an At
tempt to Bride.
Proposed to RIM Councilman
Simms for Sheriff.


The story of a big political deal in
tended. to secure the defeat of John NJ.
Wukerson, the Republican nominee for
sheriff, has just leaked out It is true
it failed but it is likely that the plan
hasn't been dropped.
A secret meeting of a number of the
representative Democrats of Shawnee
county was held at the office Of Robert
W Blair last Friday afternoon to con
slider the offer made through County
Commissioner William E. Sterne for the
withdrawal of P. ". Thompson, candi-
date for sheriff on the Democratic ticket
and the naming as his successor Coun-
Gilman F. B. Simms.
The meeting was a star chamber af-
fair and the secrets have been SO closely
guarded since then that they have just
leaked out. Among those present were
Robert Blair. w F. Rigby, NJ. Heer. W.
H. Kemper, treasurer of the Democratic
central committee; L. NJ. Penwen and
A. L Green The meeting was called to
consider a proposition which had been
submitted to P. W Thompson. the Dem
Ocradc nominee to withdraw from the
race for a consideration and permit
Councilman Simms to make the race
against John Wilkerson.
The committee was informed that the
offer which was made by w. E. Sterne
in the interest Of those who represent
the element which is straining every
point to defeat John NJ. Wilkerson for
sheriff and which is composed principal
~ of Republicans who fear that if VIII
kerson is elected that they viii not be
able to control his actions.
The offer reported to have been made
by Mr.. Sterne was that 2. w. Thomp-
son should withdraw and permit F. 3.
70 Z m 10 theory
that he is the strongest candidate of the
two. In return Thompson was to be
made office deputy in case of the cleo
ton of Simms and was to receive $500
and the Democratic central committee
was to receive a cash contribution for
campaign expenses of 81, 500. making q
total of $4,000 to be paid for the privilege
Of naming man to make the race
against John Wilkerson
When the offer was made to Mr..
Thompson he promptly turned 1t down
though he offered to withdraw from the
race if the Democrats felt that Council
man Simms would be the stronger of the
two men to make the race without any
consideration whatever. Besides the
offer made William Rigby, it is said
was to receive a donation of 500 for his
services to the committee.
NJ Heery who has been recognized as
one of the Democratic leaders in Shaw
nee county was incensed that such an
offer as the one made should be enter
tanned for a single moment or that the
Democrats should be called together to
take action on it and denounced it as an
attempt to bribe the Democrats of the
county to permit the election to office Of
man though q Democrat was favored
by the Republican ring
eve want none of the money of this
ring" he said, s'and I for one am
strictly against accepting q donation
for our campaign fund from them
even if it should be offered US. We can
not afford to accept It as it carries
with it the implied promise that our
candidates shall favor the ring and the
corporations which dominate it. I am
in favor of going into this campaign
and fighting it through on the merits
of our candidates and not on money
furnished us by our political oppo-
nents Their offer does not look right
to me, and if there is any such a thing
as tainted money, I should so regard
this offer which has been made to
bride us to place q man on our ticket
whom the ring has chosen as accept
able TO them"
The meeting was a lively one from
the start to the finish and wound up
by a vote being taken on the PROPOSE
ton which showed that the little clus-
ter of Democrats were true to their
nominee and they unanimously turned
down the offer of $4,000 which was
made by the Sterne element and
Thorn pSon viii remain on their ticket
Ever since the nomination of John
Wilkerson at the spring primaries
when one of the hardest kind of fights
was made on him by the brewing
representatives as we'll as the little
party of leaders which com
poses the ring which has dominated
the politics of the county for years
have directed all of their energies to
wards defeating him. This is only one
of the plans which have been devised
to accomplish the purpose and which
/ fell fhrn11pn even fhn1Iph the nffar ma q q