The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-04-03
FIGHT ON CONEY.
His Old Enemies in Topeka Are
After His Scalp.
Would Prevent Reelection as
Department Commander.
FUSS OVER REPORTS.
Want to Know Why They Are
Not Sent Out.
Capt. COney Says He Has No
Postage Fund.
FUSS OVER REPORTS.

Capt. P II. Coney, department com
1nander of the Kansa G. a. r., is facing
s bitter fight on his reelection to his
present office at the state reunion to be
held in ] une at Salina. Coney's enemies
here III Topeka are getting their am
Tuu1ition together, ana propose to make
enarses OF serious nature, in case Mr.
Eoney is a candidate for reelection.
The leader Of the fnsurrection in Topeka
seems to be Ed G. Moore, and the prin-
etpal cause of the difficulty is the old
controversy about the dismissal Of
Judge J. q. Wood from the Lincoln
Ross G. A. R. by special order issued
1y Department Commander Harris
Capt. Coney declares that he is ready
50 answer all charges, and that while
ae ie not candidate for reelection TO
Ete o9Eice Of department commander, in
tHe sense Of making a fight for the
0Hfce. that he would accept a second
germ i it should be rendered to him.
TIE thing which has precipitated the
9oW at this time is the fact that Capt
Coney has not distributed the reports
Of the National G. A. r. encampment
at Denver, which are on hand in his
7fLice. These reports are In book form.
each book being of about 400 pages. E.
g. Moore says that the reason Coney
does not distribute the reports to the
different posts is because some Of the
proceedings in Che Wood case recorded
bis defeat for reelection. Capt. Coney,
however says that he is willing every
one should know what the report con-
tains, and that the only reason he does
not distribute them is because the post
age Is 10 cents per copy and the depart
ment has no fund for mailing. He says
that anyone who will send Is cents can
get a copy, and that he will have them
on hand to distribute at the Salina en-
campment.
the flesh Of the G. A. r. for some time.
3. g. Wood. the present U. S. land office
receiver, was a member of what old SOL
,diers call the "Ohio Squirrel Hunters. =
an organization OF state militia similar
10 the Kansas and Missouri militia
not been considered eligible for mem
bership in the C. A. r. because they
really had little or no active service in
the war Nevertheless, it is said that
there are about 100 such men already
enrolled in the Kansas G. A. R. One of
these was Judge Wood. When Charles
Harris was department commander. he
started to clean house, by issuing an or
der dtsmissing Wood from the G. A. r.
fyoney was Woods friend, and at the
state encampment a Parsons last year,
be introduced a resolution on the floor
81 the convention. after the resolutions
committee had turned it down. asking
the National G. A. r. to authorize the
OF the state militia The minutes of the
meeting show that this resolution was
turned down. The stenogra phic report
OF the meeting was made by A. c. Hui
fng and the copy was handled by Chas.
F3arris and Ed. G. Moore
But when Capt. Coney became de-
uartrnent commander, he refused to Ger
fifv this part Of the report of the pre-
vious encampment to the national en-
campment. He claimed that the re-
port was Incorrect, and so he fixed #
80 to show that his resolution had been
adopted, and certified it in the form
Whfch he wanted It.
The national encampment committee
however. refused to accept Coney's
version Of the affair, and there was a
very heated discussion in the commit
tee. with the result that the whole
matter was referred back to the Kan
eas encampnent for settlement This
~ the big fight which is brewing for
ehe encampment in Parsons next June
Moore Charges Forgery.
T. c. Moore claims that Department
Commander Coney was guilty of for
rerv ia certifying the record IN the
Essended form. Coney replies with the
declaration that his conscience would
aot let him certify to a lie. Capt