The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-02-24
State Accountant Says He Re.
ceived S4O0 from Firm.
Cash Following Purchase OF
Supplies, Cation Declares.
BAKER INSISTS IT WAS A LOAN
But Vouchers Are Held Up on
Grounds of Irregularity.
Governor Allen Refuses to Give
Out Information.

Serious charges involving the ex-
penditure of money thru the state
board of administration and Assistant
Business. Manager F. Il. Baker are
said to have been made in a report
that was filed today with Governor
Allen by State Accountant Cation.
The report is the result of an inves-
tigation conducted by Cation and con-
tains a mass of sworn testimony tend
ing to show that evorbitant prices
have been paid for supplies. and it Is
alleged that F. r. Baker received four
hundred dollars in three different pay
ments from the man from whom the
supplies were purchased. Other IN
vestigations are also being conducted
in which the details OF purchases are
being gone into. it is said.
After the report was filed a re-
porter for the Topeka state Journai
called upon Governor Allen and asked
to see it.
Certainly" Governor Allen replied.
He reached towards his drawer and
, then asked, You are with
1.-The Topeka State Journal" the re-
porter replied.
The governor straightened up in ms
| chair NO. no, nol he said we
are not ready to give it out for publi-
| cation yet"
The governor said that so far as his
office was concerned, the matter
would not be given publicity ana re-
ferred the reporter to State Account
ant Cation He said that the charges
! involved were so serious that ne Ieit
| they should not be given publicity nn-
\ til other investigations Cation Is max
| ing are completed. II do not know
| what will be done, but feel nothing
should be said about the matter at
this time" he explained.
| Upon being told by thu governor
! ~hf
| furnish the information about the re-
port the reporter went to Cation. but
| the latter said he did not feel at | b.
| erty to go into the matter or to give
| out any information as he had turned
over all his Information to the COVER
nor and felt it would be unethical to
! give out informant ton that should come
from the governors office
Board Refuses Report.
| The reporter then: went to State
| Manager Kimball, but he refused to
| discuss the matter. Then the reporter
| went to Doctor Mason and G. W.
Green, members of the board of ad-
ministrat:on. They stated they were
not familiar enough with the charges
| to discuss them and refused to permit
the reporter to see the copy OF the
Cation report filed with them this
morning, stating that as the governor
| was chairman of the board, informa-
ton should come from him.
The reporter then went back to toe
| governors office and was able to see
| Governor AIIe1 again. Among those
who had an audience with the gov
ernor before the reporter was admit
ted was State Manager kimball.
! Upon his second visit to the gov
ernor the reporter told him that State
Accountant Cation did not feel at lib
erty to give out the report after Il n
ing it over to the governor and trat
the other members of the board felt
the same way. The governor was
asked if the report did not become a
public document when filed with him.
/ well, / do not consider it as SUCH"
Allen replied. so far as this office is
concerned nothing will be given out
until a complete investigation is
made"
Allen Complains of Leaks"
| Governor Allen complained to the
| reporter that it see ned impossible to
stop news leaks" In the state house
and indicated strongly that he ee-
, plored the fact news matters officials
wished to cover up could not be kept
, from the reporters. He also said that
. he was trying to run the governors .
office without giving any special con-
, sideration to the efforts of newspa pers
, to keep the public informed as to mat
ters in which the public is vitally in
| terested.
1t was understood from Cation that
Z the investigation SO far as the sup
) plies in question are concerned has
) been completed and the filing of the
report would indicate as much. How
ever, it is admitted that other inyesti-
cations are being made.
Pay More For Supplies
, In the report filed today Cation Of.
fers evidence to show that $500
pound of sweeping compound was
purchased for three dollars and fifteen
: cents a hundred, which had previously
{ been bought for one dollar and twenty
! five cents a hundred and which could
have been bought for one dollar and
twenty-five cents at the time the
l | purchase was made in October, il In
said.
: Also, the report sets out that disin-
} fectant was purchased at one dollar
' ! and twenty-five cents a gallon which
! the state had previously bought for
one dollar and forty cents gallon wa :
, paid for another lot of the same
: quality of a previous lot that was
| bought for seventy eight cents q
gallon.
) State Accountant Cation asserts thai
! these purchases were approved by
State Manager Kfmball. and he has
ordered vouchers amounting to about
$500 that were drawn to pny for these
supplies held up.
I Money From Company?
: 1t is charged by Cation that Assista nj
Business Manager Baker received q
| total of $500 from the man represent
: ing the concern from which the sup
|. plies were purchased. Cation asserts
Continued on Page six-D