The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-15
Urging County Attorney to Take
Action Against Commissioners
For Sale Of Missouri Pacific
Stock at Too Low Figure.
CHARGES ARE SEVERE
Petitioners Want Commissioners
Ousted From Office.
Are Willing to Sign Call for
Grand Jury to Investigate.

The discomfort in Shawnee county
over the sale by the county commits
sioners of Missouri Pacific railroad
stock valued at $4,000 for 100000, of
which the county gets $500 and the
agents $1,000 has eliminated in the
circulation of petition urging County
Attorney John Schenck to take legal
steps to GUST the commissioners from
office. The petitioners also want the
county attorney to prosecute the COM
missioners if he thinks such action
advisable in the premises and to re-
cover from them the money the county
is supposed to have been defrauded
of in the transaction.
The petition is signed by over 100
taxpayers and representative citizens
and these men have signifed their
willingness to also sign call for
grand jury to investigate further the
sale of this stock
The case has many sides and future
developments may warrant the action
of these petitioners. Some of the
western Kansas counties are also pro-
testing over the sale of this stock by
their commissioners at 20 cents on the
dollar The following is the text of
the petition and the names of the
signers:
1--WE, the undersigned residents.
citizens and taxpayers of Shawnee
county, do hereby petition the Hon:
John Schenck, county attorney, TO at
once make a thorough investigation
into the recent Missouri Pacific stock
deal wherein in violation of all law
and precedent the county commission
ers entered into a contract with the
| firm of Kelly & Kelly, bond brokers,
| for the sale and disposal of the afore-
said stock and wherein the commits
sioners agreed to pay the said Kelly &
Kelly an enormous commission con
| conducted in an absolutely illega!
| manner and the commissioners did not
sell to the highest bidder In cash or
county Indebtedness. And wherein
the said commissioners showed 1nde-
cent haste in closing up an unlawful
| sale at price that was clearly only
| two-thirds of the open market price
| of the county's property so Illegally
sold.
your petitioners furthermore de-
mand that you as county attorney will
take such steps legally as may be
necessary to remove from office the
county officers who have proven them
selves false and unfaithful to the
| trust reposed in them by the electors
of this county, and should you as
prosecuting attorney of this county
| deem it advisable to have a grand jury
to probe this transaction to the core,
we the undersigned stand ready at
any time to sign the petition for such
grand jury.
M Heery. Joseph Bromich. c. A
whittelsey. ]. B. Hoag, H. r
Whittelsey, manager Whittelsev Mer-
camille CO., Second and Madison; G.
P. Whiteker. F. L. Ross. G. Messick
w. w Manspeaker, Geo. Hanley, Gil
bert & Nicholson. John G. Cooper. j
M. Leeper, NJ. c. Magill, l. s. Curtis
r. S. Graham. H c. Root. A. A. Dun
lap, E. H. Hewins. G. w. Carrier
Geo. w. Hewins. Chas. Longaker
Ira Romig, L. K. Bowers. M. l.
Holloway, Thos. Owen, Bent Hollo-
! way, H B. Cowles, A. M. Cowles. %
w. Tatman, Thos S. Lyon, =. !. Belt
M. Bishop. H. S. Allen, w. T. Burrell
q w. Veale, sr, J. w. Reagan, c. ]
Rosen, ]. H. Seybold. Chas
Youngreen, VIM. Deere. H. H. Miller
R n Town. F. L. Peacock, G. p
Baker. J. H. FOUGHT. R. H. Eddy
Ed. Conkling, M. J. Edmonds, J. A
Lukens, l.. c. Boyce, Q. A. Pratt, 6
7 Groshong. B. \. Retter. A. J
Berry. Geo. Curran. Geo. Young
Geo. Knott. J. H. Barte. j, r.. NC,
| Grew A Sheetz. @. A. FernStrom. M
r. White, A. E. Robinson. Theo- a
| WiIkie. E. L. Gertz. A j. Proudnt
r. M. Campbell, c. M. Blanchard, II
NJ Cline. ]. o. Wolfe, A. H. Slayton
n s. Pruessner, R. L. Henderson, X
B. McMaster. G. Urban. A. G. An
trim. G. S. Howard, L. c. Bets, w.
Howard, A. M. Petro. r. D. Johnson
J. B. Russell, H. H. Beir, j. d PratI
G s. Matthews. F. R. CONVEX p. =
p Rude, W. S. Willis. H e. Green
Daniel Dunlap. F. O. Morns; M
Shellabarger, ]. @. A. Peyton, JONI
) Nvstron1, L. H. Neiswender. FREQ
ericl< Dauber, A. v. Hayden. a.
Rankin, M. c. Holman, H. j. Gran