The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-23
Tax Payers League Meeting
Scene of WOrdy Encounter.
Lie Is Passed Rapidly Back and
Forth.
STANDS BY CHARGES.
Swayze Tells OF Zimmerman $
Work as a Lobbyist.
Gets Money He Refused to Take
First Year.

short ugly fighting words Were
hurled Monday night at the meetiIis %
the Tax Payers league, Wheh
Swayze revealed questionable MENUS
used in the court house in connecIloA
with the special county audit FOR an
hour the air was hot with personalities
and County Clerk Zimmerman pleadeu
TO have references to his Once eA-
punged from the record. When sWayz55
refused to retract, ZlmmernlaIl sailu
commissioner O'Nen branded the ta4
lsao1er's statements as falsehoods anu
narrowly averted riot in the coui1
room. o,5
trouble started when Swayze reao
his report on the special audlt o. - u IL,
~ offices. as outlined IN MonGas
NIGHTS state Journal. Swayze 1lred lll9
charges right at Zimmerman aile Z
O'Neil, who sat within the rains
the court room. Blood was IN the eSes
of the two reform officials as SMaS -
took his seat O'Neil was the llIsl -
express his opinion of the report L1is
manner was mild compared Win IL a.
of Zimmerman, who first pledueu ~
have his office whlteWashed III tl IL .ri,-e
oorf When the league refused 70 CIV
him a clearance, the county clerk iose
his tenuer and upbraided Swayze, VINO
came back in a milder but equally cul-
ting manner - - die
courteous treatment which he received
at the hands of a deputy IN the co Il+
- c1e,i15r office He intimated that
the records in Zimmerman once
were not always up to date and pro-
ceeded to relate how certain cOuHly
officials had loaned Auditor hoelllns
money while he was at work Oh co uu-
tv records. Then, when the couHtS
auditor refused to audit this bill,
friendly suit was instituted. compro-
missed BY the county officials ana tIle
men in the court house received SzIo
of the $3.50 Koening drew in the COM
promise
Untrue. Is O'Neirs Retort.
"T lust want to remark" exclaimed
O'NeiI in turbulent tone, after
Swayze had finished the reading OIL
the report that the gentlemen VINO
compiled that report knew more lnlnss
not true than any man in the world
Michael Heery was on the flOOf
clamoring for recognition
s.If what the gentleman says is true, .
replied Heery, in distinct irish accent.
then it is up to Mr.. ONel 10 ten
when the auditors will be through with
their job and what it viii cost the
county. 81,
THAT is matter I can't answer
said O+NefI land one I wouldn't II L
could We have been criticised Tor
not hiring local accountants L want
to say that had We hired Topeka men
we should not have hired that man sit
ting there Indicating Swayze- as
he would have proven announcer Aoeii7
ing"
became uneasy. He felt someone
character and general reputation was
being walked on and the North To-
pekan appealed to the chair for order
President Kemper put on the SOFT
medal and suggested that the mem
bers handle each other with gloves: Il
did no good. BY the time Kemper had
unIoaded his harmony plea, County
Clerk Zimmerman's mental machinery
was white hot. He felt his official rec
ord had been assaiIed and he demand
ed relief. Further than this Mr.. Zim-
norman desired it should be known
that he is a candidate for fourth
consecutive term and wants all the
votes he can get
He seeks Personalities.
TT isn't fair: no stree" shouted
Zimmerman, Ito say that we shall not
deal in personalities when your order
allows a man to lie and vilify and drag
down an office and a mans reputation.
You permit this report to contain state
ments denOuncing my office because of
things said by deputies not charged
with that duty. ] say that if you want
to be fair. you will take those charges
out of the report"
No one asked for the scissors when
zimmerman sat down There was a
brief breathing spell of-say half sec
ond-then Swayze came right tack al
Zimmerman
THE county clerk was out of his of
fee" said the secretary of the league
He wasn't where the law said he
should be and where the people pay
him to be. So 1 asked the man who
represented him. That man said Just