The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-24

HAvEF0UND A Man
City Attorney Unearths One
Who Will Tell.
Promises to Make Some Sen
satiOnal Revelations,
UP TO GRAND JURY.
Everyone Will Then Be Given
a Hearing.
Sewer Scandal Grows as Inves-
tigatiOn Proceeds.

One of the contractors who has beer
doing work for the city for a number
Of years has under pressure finally
told of graft conditions in connection
with securing city. contracts that prom
Use to aid materially in the prosecution
that Will be started to clean house. This
is stated to be the first confession to
be wrung out of a city contractor.
1--WE have got n of these contrac-
tors" said F. G.. Dreaming, city attor-
ney, Ito come across. 1 don't care
to give his name out but he knows of
some interesting things that have been
going on What he has told us will
help out a great deal in our fight"
When the grand jury convenes next
January, before which will be laid the
information gathered by the city in
connection with alleged grating on city
contracts, former city officials will be
to appear and tell what they
know.
A drag net will be thrown out and
big and little will be made to appear
and tell what they know and contrib
ute towards the fund of information
with which the city administration
purposes to use in prosecuting it's
cases.
Mayor William Green announced to-
day that in all probability the city
would engage additional counsel to aid
the city attorney and his assistants
when the cases come up for trial in the
district court. The additional counsel
will have to be employed by the mayor
under authority from the city council.
Petitions for calling the grand jury
are now being circulated and signed,
the first signature secured yesterday
afternoon was that of Mayor William
Green. The petitions will be placed on
file with a number of merchants on
Kansas avenue where they will be ac-
cessible. Only tax payers are permit
ted to sign. The petition must have
400 signatures and must be presented
at least 40 days prior to the calling of
the grand jury. For that reason it is
essential that the signatures be secured
as quickly as possible.
From Investigations made by the
council committee on sewers in con-
nection with the Sixth ward 1--WE
members of the m have been
led to believe that the sewer inspec-
tors were changed from one piece OF
inspection to another without anyone
inspector going through and complet-
ing entirely his inspection on the first
work on which he had been detailed.
Only one set of field notes has been
discovered in connection with the in
.spection of the sixth yard sewer
which the COMMITTEES says
plete and satisfactory. These notes
it is stated bear out the measurements
taken last week and show that the
sewer tile of a certain diameter as
laid was less than that paid for.
The following Is the petition which
will be presented to Judge A. W.
of the district court:
Sir: We, the undersigned residents
and tax payers, residing in Shawnee
county, Kansas, respectfully petition
YOU to summon a grand jury to attend
the January, 1908, term or the district
court of Shawnee county, Kansas for
the purpose of Investigating charges
of bribery and fraud in the construc-
ton of the Fifth and Sixth ward sew
ers in the city of Topeka, Shawnee
county, Kansas, and to investigate
other offenses against the laws
of the state of Kansas as may be
brought to their attention by the pros
ecuting officers of the state and SHAW.
nee county, Kansas and the city of
Topeka."