The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-06
Custer Suit Against Mayor Cor
wine Is Under Way.
Witness Says He Paid Blitz
$500 'stO Square Case"
ARRESTED ON LIQUOR CHARGE
Record Clerk Produced Police
Docket During the Trial.
Man Acquitted Three Times on
Charge of Selling Booze.

Further revelations of alleged law
violations in Topeka during the last
year were made in the district court
this morning as the custer suit
against Mayor H. ]. Corwine entered
its second day.
One of the principal cases related
was that of Frank Brown, who lives
on West Curtis street IN North To-
peka. Brown testified that he paid I.
NJ. Blitz, professional bondsman, sou
for a bond and 5000 to square the
case after he had been arrested for
selling liquor in June, 1921, and the
police had refused to take his mother
on his bond.
up until o'clock this afternoon
a total of thirty-two witnesses had
testified for the state. 1t was an
nounced that the state had eighteen
more witnesses to testify. The indica-
tions at present are that the case will
be finished about noon tomorrow.
Told Mayor About 1t.
Harry G. Small, 216 West Curtis
street, said he told the mayor about
the Brown case.
Brown said his mother, who is an
old resident of Topeka and the aunt
and foster mother of Senator Curtis,
came to the police station about 1880
at night to go his bond, but that she
was turned down and that someone
recommended Blitz. He said he got
out the next morning on bond. paying
Blitz $50 as fee, and that afterward
he went to Blitz's Jewerry store and
paid Blitz 5000,
HE told me-" said Brown, ''to have
the money there before the trial. He
said I would then go and plead guilty.
that my fine would be 800 and that
500 would be used on the side. He
said he had received his and that the
money was to go four ways. but didn
say who was to get it.
7sr.1lA
lice headquarters, was called upon to
produce the police docket, which
showed that the 500 fine had been
entered and the prisoner paroled.
Was Arrested Three Times.
On cross examination by George
McDermott. Brown stated that he is
now under arrest for selling liquor
and that he had been arrested three
times for similar offense, but ac-
quilted each time. 1t was not inti-
mated that these trials were irregular.
His mother had usually gone his bond
when he got in trouble, he said.
Harry Small stated that he first
learned of the case when Mrs. Brown
told him she had been unable to pay
her taxes for the first time in years
because she had had to settle some
trouble Frank had gotten into. Small
said he went to the mayor, who took
him to the office of Ralph T. O'Neil,
city attorney and that he there told
had transpired. He said he also told
them that Guy Swallow, chief of
police, lad threatened to put the
aged woman in Jail and put a pad
she came to the police station to go
her sons bond.
1.-The city attorney said" stated
Small, that we would all take the
matter up with County Attorney Veale
and see what could be done, but the
mayor said that could be arranged
later"
On cross examination, McDermott
showed that Blitz had been arrested
shortly after the interview with the
mayor and city attorney. He intro
duced the information in the case to
show that it had been filed May 20,
the same cay Small said he talked
with the mayor.
That's pretty quick work, isn't it?'
he asked, but withdrew the question
under a storm of objections from the
state.
Returned Money to Small.
Small said he afterward followed
O'Neifs suggestion to see Blitz, and
that Blitz returned to him SIS of the
money and gold watch belonging to
Brown, which he was holding as a
security.
H w Euler, local attorney stated
that. he had once seen Mayor Cor
wine enter the Blitz store and that he
had twice seen him standing outside
lZs
513 Kansas avenue, across from the
Blitz store. On cross examination by
Mr.. McDermott.
Q. Did you report this to anyone?
A No sir.
@. Do you mean to say that you
saw the mayor of Topeka commit such
an offense as this and never reported
it to the attorney general, or the police /
or any officers in the state?
A. Yes, sir.
George Bills Testifies.
George Bills. ia East Fourth ave-
nue., was called by Mr.. Griffith.
O.. State to the court if you con-
Quoted any kind of a business on the
second floor of your place.
A. Yes, sir.
O. What kind of business is that?
A A kind of private business.
O. Well, what do you do there2
A. Play poker.
O. Did you contribute any money
to the last Corwine campaign
A Yes, sir.
Q. How much. and to whom2
A Fifty dollars 1 paid it to De-
tective Jackson (L- W. Jackson. who
resigned eighteen months ago.)
O. Have you participated in any
other games besides your own between
April. 1921, to June, 1922?
A Yes, sir.
O. Where were those games?
A. One was at Fourth and Quincy
street. on the third floor. Sometime
last winter.
O. What did you play?
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