The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-07-30
CRAFT is CHARGED
Wichita City Officials Accused
of Disappointing Funds.
Attorney Generals Office to In
vestigate Charges.
CITY MANAGER IS INVOLVED
Ash and BrOckway Contracts
Are Under Question.
Juggling of Funds of City Is
One Complaint.
CITY MANAGER is INVOLVED

The state of Kansas is to investigate
charges of corruption and misappro-
priation of public funds by Manager
L. r. Ash and members of the Wich-
tia city commission. r. ]. Hopkins,
attorney general, today asked County
Attorney Comfy of Sedgwick county,
to probe charges which have been
sent to the state department.
City Manager Ash, as well as Z. l..
Brockway, are charged in a complaint
with personal participation OF pool
for the control of municipal contracts
1t is also asserted that funds of the
city have been misappropriated and
that members of the commission. as
well as the city manager and various
appointive officials have been guilty
of violations of state law. A petition
attached to the complaint asks that
the state investigate and take action
under the general statutes.
$4,000 Misappropriated.
Misrepresentation of a $4,000 fund
is charged against the Wichita city
officials in the demand for custer OF
the men alleged to have been connect
ed with the deal W. B. Bailey. a
resident of Wichita, presented COM
plaint in writing. He charged that
Ash and the city engineer organized
a combination for the purpose of deal
He charges that the officials caused
the listing of STRAW bids and that
the officials personally were interested
in the sharing of profits from fat con-
tracts.
Bailey further charges that a depot
and storage field was established IN
the spring of 1918 and that materials
costing $125,OOO were bought. These
supplies were bought, it is asserted,
when there were no authorizations for
use of the materials and were held in
anticipation of contracts which
were later awarded. Dummy com
panies are alleged by Bailey to have
secured contra cts. He states that 40
tons of asphalt, 1920 barrels of ce-
ment, several car loads of sewer pipe,
brick, man hole castings and other
materials were purchased
Purchases of these supplies are al
legged to have been made by misappro-
priation of general revenue funds to
special funds. Purchases are also said
to have been made before improve
ments were authorized.
Held Sewer Contract
It is further charged that Manager
Ash directly held a sewer contract in
violation of law. 1t also charged that
Wichita officials were interested in
negotiating a loan of $50. 900 from the
American State bank of that city. This
money is declared to have been used
in furtherance of the pool Wnlcn con-
trolled fat city contracts.
Members of the city commission are
charged with participating in trans
action which placed $1,000 fund at
their disposal for junketing trips. Of
ficials of the city are also charged with
having entered into a scheme which
had for it's purpose the elimination of
competition in bidding on improve
ment contracts. One statement in the
complaint is to the effect that $4,000
were transferred Illegally from the
general to special funds. The petitions
attached to the complaint ask that the
attorney general conduct an investiga-
ton with a view of taking action un-
der the Kansas custer law.
First City Manager City
Wichita was the first city to adopt
the city manager plan following pas
sage of the law by the 1917 legislature.
The law was offered as a reform and
cure-alI for Kansas cities which de-
sired the highest efficiency in local
government. L. p. Ash was employed
as an expert manager for the city and
was paid a salary of $4,000 year.
Following the recent city election, Ash
rendered his resignation.