The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-05
Senator TrOutman Takes Gov
ernOr to Task on Pardon.
Accuses Release of Stalnaker as
an charlottesville Act"
mot FIT TO LIVE IN VIRGINIA"
TrOutman Says Capper's Re-
ward Aggrayates Wrong Done.
Split in Opinion Between For
mer Political Friends.

Senator James A. Troutman of To-
peka. chairman of the commission
| which recommended the discharge of
Warden J. d. Botkin, is enraged be-
| cause of the action of Governor Cap
| per in giving a pardon to Wayne X.
| Stalnaker Senator Troutman is a
staunch Republican, has been per-
sonal friend ard ardent political sup
porter of Governor Capper, but be-
| lieves that the governors action in
the Stalnaker case aggravates the
| wrong done.
Warden Botkin's favoritism for
Stalnaker-convicted of crime
against his young niece III Ellis couu-
Twas one of the principal charges
against the Democratic prison head.
Evidence showed Botkin had urged
clemency for Stalnaker, that Govern
or Hodges had refused to take a hand
in the case, that Stalnaker violated Il
temporary parole and that he crime
of which he was convicted was most
grave. All of these facts were covered
in the evidence in the case printed ir
the governors own paper. The COM
mittee devoted 4 special finding to
the case. That, too, was printed in
Governor Capper's paper and the re-
port was approved in a special edi-
torial in the governors paper.
PardOned Conditionally.
Then, two weeks after the commit
tee report, the governor gave Stalna-
ker a pardon. The pardon was issued
on condition that Stalnaker go to Vir-
ginia and never return to Kansas. If
Stalnaker is unfit to live in Kansas,
he is not fit to live in Virginia or any
where outside prison walls, Senator
TrOutman declares.
The Stalnaker pardon has aroused
INDICATION among men familiar with
the Botkin case. To such an extent
was the investigating committee i'm
posed upon by the governors action,
Senator Troutman believes, that the
chairman today voiced his sentiments
in plain, simple, unvarnished language.
THE release of StaInaker was indie
fensible," said Senator TrOutman to-
day in an authorized interview. 'He
is one of the most remorSeleSS crooks
and criminals in the penitentiary and
ought to stay there for life. One of
Warden Botlxin'S serious offenses was
his pernicious favoritism for Stalnaker
and his constant opportunities to Gov
ernor Hodges to secure his release.
Governor Hodges very properly re-
fused to let him out
Conditions in the Stalnaker release
did not justify the pardon in the least,
Senator Troutman believes.
Aggravated Wrong
The condition that Stalnaker leave
the state, aggravates the wrong DONE"
declared the senator 'If Stalnaker is
not fit to live in Kansas, he is not fit
to live in Virginia, or anywhere outside
of prosin walls"
L
gests, the governor was merely i'm
posed upon in the face of the bulk
of evidence regarding the Stalnaker
case.
The governor must have been i'm
posed upon," suggested Senator
Troutman with an apparent display of
kindness. But the senator is inclined
to look at the facts as we'll as the gov
ernors official act.
The Stalnaker ce Sc wes one of the
charges against Mr.. Botkin," he ex-
planned. TT was covered by a spe-
cial para graph in the committees re-
port, and all of the facts printed in
the governors own paper. StaInaker
mad violated his temporary parole be-
fore and had to be brought back un-
der a requisiticn issued by the govern
or of Missouri, at a lot Of trouble to
the attorney general of Kansas, and
good deal of expense to the state. Mr..
Botkin was justly condemned for his
connection with the affair, and was
dismissed for that and other offerses.
Two weeks later Governor Capper
turned Stalnaker loose-just what
BOtkin insisted should be Cone"
Stalnaker was a Methodist minis
ter. So was Botk1n. For that reason,
1t was urged, Botkin took an especial
interest in his case. Stalnaker was
used as a witness against BOtkin