The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-15
ANDERSON QUITS.
HOpkins-WoOd Committee Row
Getting Warmer Daily.
Atty GenI Threatens to Include
Topekans in Willard Action.

AS result of the argument over
the price of Jess Wizards wood, w
o. Anderson, chairman of the citizens
wood committee, announced today that
he would resign as soon as the SO or
rs tons of wood in the city yard had
been cleaned up.
The threat of Attorney General Hop
kins to include the citizens committee
in the criminal action along with the
former pugilist was the last straw for
Anderson.
Before the whole committee gets
arrested" he said. I'VE will just quit
and let Mr.. Hopkins furnish the wood.
I have talked to several of the com
mittee and they all seem to have like
sentiments"
The misunderstanding between the
attorney general and Anderson seems
to be wide and deep. The latter de-
clares it was his understanding that
agreed upon between Hopkins and
Willard. This the attorney general
denies.
willard suggested" said Anderson
today. that farmers east of him were
getting IS a ton for their wood. but
expressed a. Willingness to abide by
any decision made. He and the attor-
ney general had meeting in. the lat
ters office and it was our understand
! ing that a price of 81 a cord in four
/
upon, or 81 a ton in 16-inch lengths.
Tom Whitaker, one of the committee.
was present at the meeting and told
me of the agreement.
Willard Fair-Andcrson.
I'VE figured this would cost the
committee S7.75 q ton laid down in To-
peka We sold the wood for $500 a
cover overhead expenses. The chop
pers are paid $2.25 cord by Willard
! and frequently they chop only 1000
POUNDS for a cord. whereas Willard
gives us 1900 pounds to the cord.
Willard has done everything In his
power to be fair and 1 have expressed
a desire to be fair also
Il want II distinctly understood
Maurice Mcneil. assistant attorney
general. said this morning. that no
price was ever fixed on Jess Willard s
wood He came into this office last
Monday morning with his contractor
and said he thought 80 a cord would
be a fair price for the wood at his
! farm. We told him this was too high
and at last he came down to So a
ing the wood, said that if 4-foot
lengths instead of 16-inch lengths
were taken. the price could be reduced
another dollar. That brought il down
to 81 a cord. We told Willard this
was too much and would not pay it.
he insisted on the price ana VIC said
if he wanted to act that way the
matter would be taken up with the
district attorney. willard said he
would charge 81 a cord until the gov
ernment made him reduce his price
That night Mr.. Hopkins went to Kan
sas City and laid the matter before
Fred Robertson. So far as this office
| was concerned that was the last thing
that happened prior to the time the
complaint was made to the district at
torney-'
Committee Set a Price
Monday morning the fair price com
mittee of which W. II. Kemper is
| chairman. fixed a maximum price of
IS ton on wood in 16-iuch lengths
delivered to the consumer.
! Anderson insists that he could OBJ
! tain wood nowhere else as cheap as
| WIZARDS price Mcneil said this
/ morning that II the citizens commit
( tee wanted to assume the responsible
! fty for the price of the wood that they
would be included in the criminal
prosecution OF Willard.