The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-05-04
HEARING ON STOCK
Kansas Bank Holding Corpora
ton Permit To Be Argued.
Attorney General Hopkins
Charges Selling Irregularities.

Richard ]. Hopkins. attorney gen.
eral. today sought to force setting
aside of stock selling permits for the
Kansas Bank Holding Corporation
without hearing for officers or
stockholders in the million dollar To-
peka company. AT a special meeting
4 or the state charter board, Hopkins
sought to force immediate reconsider
alton and cancellation of the permit
without q hearing.
In newspaper interviews Hopkins
| served notice of his plan late Monday
| night. He had given no notice either
to officers of the company or to L. J.
| Pettijohn, secretary of state; or wal
ter E. Wilson, state bank commission
er, associate members of the state
| board, it is said. At a special meet
ing this morning Hopkins sought to
force his plan to vote without a
4 hearing.
t When Hopkins moved a reconsider
| alton. he received no second. Then L.
j. Pettijohn moved that a hearing be
held Thursday. This date was later
changed to Friday.
| II believe this board would do an
| unjust thing if it acted without the
fullest hearing and investigation of all
! claims" said Pettijohn. The stand
ing and integrity of the men behind
this corporation should not permit us
to entertain any thought of hasty &C
| tioneor snap judgment"
! Both Pettijohn and Wilson voted to
| go into the Hopkins move in a. formal
hearing. Hopkins voted no.
Tried Thru Newspapers?
| DO 1 understand from your vote
that this is another case to be tried
thru the newspapers and that you are
not in favor of hearing the facts ?"
asked j. H. Lee. vice president of the
company.
IT think Mr. Hopkins should out
line his case if he has any charges
other than those in the newspapers"
said Commissioner Wilson. IT never
the interview
Il am convinced and ready to vote"
said Hopkins. 1T isn't easy to keep
stuff away from the newspapers and
| they might have been expected to get
the story
How about the report in the Pete
Foley case?" was asked.
| Again Hopkins grinned. He made
no explanation of his ability to hold
up report of case which he had lost
and his inability to withhold an inter
view concerning his attack on the To-
peka company.
| The state board will take up the
Hopkins charges at a special meeting
Friday.
| Charges Irregularities.
In lengthy statements to the news
papers, Richard J. Hopkins, as attor-
ney general, has given notice that he
| proposes to ask for a reconsideration
| of the stock selling permit issued to
| the Kansas Bank Holding corporation.
| Hopkins, who is a member of the state
charter board, points to the fact that
there are seeming irregularities in the
charter and stock selling applications.
He also protests against the election of
NTQl fAr- r hp nix mi G
| sioner, as an officer of the company
after its charter was granted.
The charter held by the Bank Hold
| ing corporation was issued more than
| two months ago, For some time the
company has been marketing its
stock. No protest was made to Off
GERS, according to a statement by J.
H. Lee, vice president of the company,
| who said his first intimation of Hop
kins's objections came when he was
advised of interviews by the attorney
general. Lee'said officers of the COM
pany would be glad to meet any re-
quirement of the state board which
may be imposed on other corporations
and to adjust any technical irregulari-
| ties which may be presented.
Hopkins was not in Topeka when
| the charter application was approved.
Under the incorporation plan the cap
| ital of the company is $500, 0O0. An
equal sum is set aside for surplus. The
StOch SeiinS permit ptoViueS tHot $VV
| a share additional may be charged for
stock in order to absorb organization
expense.
One reason for Hopkins's complaint
| is the fact that Walter E. Wilson, state
bank commissioner and member of
| the charter board, is now an officer
of the company.
The Kansas Bank Holding corpora
ton is located in Topeka. Its officers
are: Earl Akers, president; J. H. Lee,
vice president and secretary, and Wal
ter E. Wilson, treasurer.
INCREASE IN SMALLPOX CASES.