The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-23

1
to stand on every word of It.
Hot hitter words were coming from
the warning factions and each round
they spat scalding epigrams at their
opponents that made the crowd in the
court room grasp the sides OF tf9lr
seats. and hold their breath. Gradually
4he room began to fill. Seemingly
Deople on the outside felt and knew
that trouble was brewing, visitors on
the benches leaned forward and listened
attentively lest they should miss some
scathing remark or significant gesture
The chair was ruling against thinner
man and the clerk and commissioner
counseled for the next inning
zimmerman was talking again He
was consuming much time, but the
crowd seemed Interested He was de-
fving Swayze to tell where he got his
Information about the $3.50 settlement
Of Koening's $500 claim
Again Lie Is Passed.
IF the chairman of that committee IS
not lying, if he has the facts, let him
tell-now. I challenge him to show
that a deal was made to put that claim
past the county auditor" declared the
do you know the facts?' someone
in the crowd asked Zimmerman.
Certainly, I do responded the clerk
''Then tell them yourself was the
answer.
This Zimmerman refused to do
L insist urged Zimmerman with Il
persistency that would not be denied,
that report is either true or a lie, a
plain unmitigated lie. Either that com
mittee has the facts or it brought in a
false report and I have a right to know
who are the crooks
Again Heery got the floor and beg
ged for peace. There was no peace on
the calendar and the Irish contractor
gave up in despair. Somehow the tenn
perature in the room seemed to be ris-
ing. People who declined to remove
their overcoats when they entered the
wiped the preparation from their
brows.
He Stands by Report.
I'll stand behind that report all
right" yelled Swayze, in a tone that
indicated the war was not nearly over
and I viii stand by it till dooms day
Every word of it is true and 1 can
prove it My information is just as
honest and just as reliable as that of
Mr. Zimmerman and never dodge any
word I ever say or ever write and you
Will find my name to it. I say the
county officials squandered the peoples
money and the people have a right to
know about it. Their present contract
with the special auditors now calls for
more than Si,60C and one office has not
been finished. Further than that l have
never met the man who intimates that
Dick Thomas owes the county one pen
L..
The settler ent of the Koenirg affair,
Koening either earned his $500 or not
a penny; and the settlement Of mis-
claim cannot be explained
Suddenly D. S Myers, a former coull-
Gilman, took hand in the game. He
is new league convert and had lis
tened attentively through the hour of
blistering arraignment.
The attitude of these gentlemen -
pointing to O'Neil and Zimmerman
leads me to believe there is a warm
srot somewhere. 1 have always voted
for them" Zimmerman and O'Neil
claDped their hands, but Myers didn [
tarry. They must not think" he con-
tinued, that the people are asleep.
They are not I am the more surprised
ct their attitude and what have heard
here tonight leads me to believe l have
made a mistake.
Again Zimmerman got a good start
and with O'Neil as clean up man, they
again ard again charged Swayze with
falsifying his report. Zimmerman SAN
Sweyze was prompted by political meth
| with pride to his own record of
three terms IN the clerks Office
Swayze Closes the Evening.
Then Swayze arose to demand q
| personal privilege. His character had
/ been attacked and he demanded the
right to say a few words in open court
| 1t was SWayze who practically closed
the hours word fight and told of Tim
! merman's 100 days as a lobbyist, whilr
4 drawing pay as county clerk
For the last two sessions of the leg
/ stature said Swayze, Mr.. thinner
man spent his time in the state house
4 lobbying for increase in the salaries ana
4 clerk hire of his Office. | think ] am
entitled tc mention these matters since
nv owl. character has been attacked
I have tried to be fair, but when | am
! attacked I feel I have a right to lei
The people know that their county
| clerk has drawn his pay while using
| his influence for higher salaries.
That is not all. When 1 was an as
/ sistant in the clerks Office, tod Mr.
Zimmerman that ms pred cessors hao
| drawn nay Tor writing the assessment
! rolls That year Mr.. Zimmerman Wen
/ before the county board ana loudly de'
clared he would not be q party to sucl
steals. Both newspapers gave him col
umns of space and laudatory notices
for his economy Of the peoples money
| The next vnar Mr.. Zimmerman laid n.
| bill for this work on MY desk. L asked
him if he really intended to ask Tor I'M
money after all that had been said h
| replied, Certainly 1 do. The money l.
lust as good to Sammy as to the coun'
ty
No Campaign Assessment.
And that isn't all. Zimmerman
wasn't n his office enough to know
what was gcing on. When mentionlns
his nav for the tax rolls, he said;
know you and Payton did the work
but 1 think 7 should keep the money
as / didn't call on you for campaign
assessment
Zimmerman's response did not have
the old fire in 1t. He never touched
the tax roll question, but admitted tina
lie had been registered lobbyist a
both the 1909 and 1911 sessions CT th'
legislature. As explanation OF ms &C
tons, he claimed for hlmseiI ne creCi |
1farrr a