The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-05-19


ture."
"Jim' and George
Jim" and George" referred to in
the letter were probably James M
kirkpatrick and George Crawford
Exhibits offered today show that both
men sent letters to Reed under dats
of January IS
Kirkpatrick in his letter referred to
his heavy political correspondence and
charged that his father had violated
his agreement. The alleged agreement
was to the effect that the senior Kirk
patrick would not be a candidate for
reelection at the meeting of the ma
tional council in June Here are some
extracts from Kirkpatrick's letter in
which he is alleged to- have laid plans
for his election to the presidency and
the defeat of his father:
Brother Crawford has shown me
your letter to him of the 18th. 1 was
very much surprised to find from the
contents of your letter that you had
never been appriSed of the fact that
father had gone back on his agree
ment. My political correspondence
has been so exceedingly heavy that it
has been almost impossible to keep
track of all of it, and because of con-
ditionS here, I have had to labor I'M
der many difficulties so that 1 have
not had my correspondence always
available when answering letters. In
fact, / have not my last letter to you
mere at the Office now.
1T is not to be wondered at that
you were surprised on receiving
Brother Crawford's letter. I gather
from your statements and what 1
know of the situation that W.-B. would
take a chance shot on appointing you
on the law committee, if by so doing
he could get two appointees confirmed
whom he felt sure he could control
Il would suggest that if the appoint
mentS on the law committee are not
confirmed before the district conven-
tions and do not think fhey will be
you go as delegate from your council
to the district convention and secure
the election, being careful to select the
right kind of an alternate so that IL
later matters should so shape them
selves that it was thought best to have
you on the law committee, your alter
nate would be all right in your place
George" Also Writes.
The same day James N. Kirkpatrick
sent his letter. George NJ. Crawford,
editor of the official lodge publication,
was also writing to Reed. The three
letters are to be used in an effort to
establish the theory of an organized
move within the order and among its
officers to bring about w. B. Kirk
patrick reelection. This is a por-
lion of CraWford's letter to Reed:
From your letter. it appears that
none of us informed you of w. BIS
reputation of his withdrawal / do
no. know how it happened, but we all
had assumed you were aware of that
move.
Sure. he is going back on his writ
ten declaration. After signing the
withdrawal, on November II, he de-
cided, on the first day of December
that his written promise need not
necessarily bind him any longer than
It was his pleasure to have it do so.
Consequently, he wrote letters t. all
who had signed with him and re-
pudiated the whole thing. I under
stand you now have copy Of his let
ter.
IT would have said thaat when w.
B., or any other man of personal in
tegrity, withdrew, egen if it were xer-
bal, that ended the matter so far as
he was concerned. But for any man
who valued his reputation to sign, be-
fore witnesses, a business document
of this nature and afterwards repudi-
ate in writing, his own contract-wen,
it's something new in my experience
"Of course, from our standpoint,
nothing could have turned out better.
The photograph of his withdrawal
accompanied by the photograph of his
reputation, is an absolutely convinc-
ing line of argument. This combina-
ton of pictures has proven most eff
fective. The result is that said petit
ton has been travelling around the
country. getting additional names I'M
stead of express. It is all over but
the counting and shouting, except for
such annoyance as w. B. can cause
the other national office people and
executive committee between now and
tho voiddIa of Tunev