The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-02-10

| fheTealLeIs
L that the committee permit C. E. Jor-
dan to fill the seat of Senator J. B.
Retts of the First ward, who was abb
| sent and failed to send in his proxy,
a substitute by A. d. Bauer that the roll
as called, with the addition of Mr..
c+ob1 he accepted as the committee for
+he dsy unless the absentees came in,
| was adopted by a rising vote showing
| 40 I'm the affirmative, clear majority.
chairman Van SAINT then read a per-
sonal statement regarding the charges
brought against his administration, de-
nyjne among other things, the declara-
tion Of sheriff J. NJ. Wilkerson that he
rad personally paid for the hacks and
ntbar vehicles furnished by Rome Col
win at the November, 1906. election
This bill amounting to 1915, Chairman
van SAINT claimed to have paid himself.
His statement in full was as follows:
Mr.. Van SAINTS Statement.
To the Members OF the Shawnee Coun-
ty Republican Central Committee.
Gentlemen: As there has been so
much criticism heaped upon the off,
GERS of this committee since the enact
ment of a primary law, by the special
session of the legislature. / wish to
in reply to the report of the auditing
committee, self appointed by few OF
the county candidates for the primary
that was 10 have been held on Feb
ruary %, 1908.
Calling your attention to my pre-
vious statement that there are always
some unpaid bills left over after a
campaign. l had reference to the fall
campaigns. After q primary there is
usually a surplus and that is used in
the fall election campaigns. No funds
have ever been turned back to unsuc-
cessful candidates after a primary
election.
AS to the chairman and secretary
hi xyfn a1Ifh n
always been customary for them to do
so, and at the meeting of the execu-
tive committee they were passed upon.
Previous to being elected chairman
was a member of the executive COM
mittee for eight years. but at no meet
ing did I ever participate in the an
thorization of one dollar OF expendi-
ture. Now. in regard to their report
state; if they had followed my sugges-
ton and went to the office wherein I
work a correct report could have been
obtained. The system Of paying my
and working on the plans of new
buildings for the various state institu-
lions (there are seventeen OF then),
my salary Is charged to the appropr1a-
lions for the individual building which
I have worked upon during the month.
and the record of my time is kept at
these Institutions. so if the auditing
committee will write to each of them
my assertion can be verified. 1t very
seldom happens that I receive single
warrant covering a full months time:
it Is usually made up in from two to
four warrants.
The salary of the secretary was 4
fair compensation and was paid with
due authority.
The warrant drawn for $4,000 COW
ering printing. issued to A. d. Bauer,
was for actual work done and l sub
nit account rendered. 1t includes
1000 petitions for the nomination of
our county candidates and they have
been approved by the attorney gen.
eral; 1000 letter heads; 500 blank
warrants; 500 envelopes; printed no.
tees on postal cards; etc. This was
warranted and paid with proper
authority.
In regard to the warrant issued to
Miss Nellie Ward for $500 The
work was performed by her in the Of
fee of Capt. c. A. Titus. election COM
missioner. This can be verified by
calling upon him or by telephoning to
his office. During the campaign of
1906 the committee had two or three
ladies in their employ at this same
office because the registration books
cannot be removed from his office.
Referring to the statement Of
Sheriff j. M. Wilkerson that he paid
for the forty odd rigs that the 1908
warrant shows I paid Rome Colvin
for, he is mistaken in that. as I hold
receipt from Mr.. Gown for same. he
being in the livery business at that
time, I contracted with him for the
above number Of surveys hacks and
carriages for that day. Mr.. wilker-
son or no one else paid for them, and
| challenge anyone to disprove it. Mr..
Wflkerson paid nothing more to the
committee than his assessment
NOW, in conclusion, 1 want this COM
mittee to examine carefully my re-
port of every dollar spent of the can
didates money since have been
chairman. The warrants that were
issued to me, but not specified on their
face for what the amount was used, 1
submit an itemized statement accom-
panied by cancelled checks covering
each item. REESE VAN SAINT,
Chairman.
R. F. Hodgins moved the appointment
OF an auditing committee of Ave to ex-
anime the report and tabulated state
ment of expenditures, which Chairman
van SAINT said would require but a few
minutes.
2. 81. Forbes said it was better to
nave the report made at a later period
as 1t was too long to be considered at
once.
Chairman Van SAINT said a committee
could cover it in twenty minutes and
he was prepared to verify it down to
the value Of a postage stamp; Hodgins
took the ground that the committee
was big enough to need no outside help,
and Forbes thought a report at the
next meeting would be time enough,
but D. W. Mulvane objected that there
probably wouldn't be any next meet
ing before the reorganization of the
committee after the primaries.
James W. Gibbons favored settling
this mater forthwith, even if it should
be necessary for the chairman to hold
the committee until after midnight in
order to be indicated.
These charges, if not true, are one
of the greatest outrages I ever heard
Of" said Mr.. Gibbons. IF the chair
mans statement in his own defense is