The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-25
WHO OWNS STORE
That's Question Facing Kansas
City Election Fraud.
Seems To Be Only Point In
yOIyed in Testimony.
STEAM LEAKS OUT OF PROBE
Some One, Somewhere, Drank
Liquor Election Day.
Fifty witnesses to Discover
Naughtiness in Politics.

: Most of the steam has leaked out
of the Kansas City, Kan, election
frauds investigation, according to men
who are following most closely the in
quiry ordered by Governor Capper.
From a probe which the governor de-
cIared would make Terre Haute look
like a Sunday school town. the in
duiry has simmered down to the TAX
ing of testimony as to the ownership
of a grocery store at the mouth of the
Kaw.
More than fifty witnesses have been
examined by ]. l.. Smalley, special as
sistant, appointed to conduct the in
vestigation. Some evidence was intro
duced to the effect that some of the
voters drank liquor on election day.
Other evidence was to the effect that
one or more key parties had been held
Still other evidence indicated that
some one had heard that some one
violated some election law.
Then the investigation took a new
and sudden turn. Who owns a gro
Gerry store formerly run under the
name of Mayor Green? That became
the issue in the election fraud case.
For nearly a week the attorneys and
witnesses have quibbled and argued
concerning the admission of grocery
store ownership testimony in an cleo
ton probe.
Spot Light on thinner.
2 Election Commissioner thinner,
against whom the governors charges
were directed, has not been mentioned
in, the press dispatches for more than
a week. Governor Capper asked for
Zi1nmer's resignation. thinner po-
lttely and firmly declined to quit.
Then the quiz was started. The spot
light was turned on thinner 1t was
Zinimer's personal actions, Zimmer's
guilty knowledge, Zimmer's associates
which were to be aired in the Wyan
dotte hearing.
Once. early in the game. Mayor
Green gave out an interview in which
he expressed confidence in thinner.
He asserted that if Governor Capper
desired to conduct an investigation he.
Green, would be a most hearty assist
ant. Then the governor stated that
no charges were being directed
against Green's office record or the
question of his election.
Wind Out of Sails.
But that was nearly a month ago.
In the meantime much of the wind
has apparently been taken out of the
sails in the alleged fraud probe and
evidence is now being sought to show
that Green owns a grocery store in
Kansas City. Proof of Green's owner
ship would subject the mayor TO re-
moval, since this store is said to have
sold much merchandise to the city. But
followers of the election graft inquiry
are having a hard time figuring a
connection between the Green grocery
and an election fraud.
This week S. NJ. Brewster, assistant
attorney general, was sent to Kansas
City to aid Smalley. Governor Capper
also sent one of his reporters to the
scene of activities to write of the pro-.
ceedings Later, and when the evil
dence is concluded, Governor Capper
will himself make a trip to Kansas
City, he has stated
At the state house there is a decided
lack of information as to the amount
of testimony yet to be introduced. OF
course Smalley may be holding his big
cards until the last. Yet political OBJ
servers and followers of the investiga-
ton are puzzled regarding the run
ming of the hearing on a side track