Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-06
CAPITOL GOSSIP.
Who's Who and What's What in Des

| MOtneSs
Four candidates for the position of
United States attorney for the south
ern district of Iowa are making politi-
cal possibilities hum around the fede-
raj court these days. Judge McPher-
son has adjourned court for a week
and for lack of any other business to
| transact the attaches are now devot-
| ing themselves to the question of the
success of Lewis Miles, of Corydon.
! So far the field consists of H. O.Weav-
er, Wapello; M. L. Temple, Osceola;
Lewis Miles, Corydon, and George B.
Stewart, Fort Madison.
While all this contest is in progress
over the district attorneyship the
matter of the United States marshal
is not considered, and George M.
Christian is conceded a walkaway, no
opposition candidate being named.
His services during the recent cam
| paign and his record with the Iowa
delegation to the Philadelphia conven-
ton, where he served as sergeant-at-
arms for the Iowa delegation, make his
reappointment foregone conclusion,
as viewed by other federal office-hold-
| ers.
| With District Attorney Miles this
bright outlook is lacking, for he al
ready has three strong candidates
against him.The first to enter the field
was Harry o. Weaver, chairman of
| the republican state central commit
tee. Next came M. L. Temple, of Os-
| ceoIa, who was featured as success
or to the late Judge Woolson, on the
| bench, and is now urged as a strong
opposition to Mr.. Miles for the district
attorneyship. The latest possibility
| is George B. Stewart, of Fort Madison,
who has served for the past four years
as deputy under his chief, Lewis Miles.
| Mr.. Stewart is young man, standing
| well with the republicans of Lee coun-
| ty, the First district and the southern
| division. During the Miles admins
| tration his friends assert that he has
borne the brunt of the work, having
entire charge of the grand jury work.
| Mr.. Stewart is a member of a prom
! inent firm of attorneys in Lee county,
Casey & Stewart. former member OF
which (the late Judge Casey occu-
pied the district bench there for many
years.
Several other changes will be made
| in the fedral court personnel the first
of the year. The appointment of Miss
| Woolson to be private secretary of
Judge Mcpherson holds only until the
| first of January, and it is announced
that her successor will then be named
A young gentleman of Red Ook is said
to be slated for the position which
Miss Woolson occupied under her
father, Judge Shiras and temporarily
with Judge Mcpherson.
The first of the year the new dis
trict court clerk, Senator Macarthur,
of Burlington, assumes his duties, and
will make his appointment of depu-
ties in Council Bluffs, Keokuk Cres-
ton and possibly in Des Moines, de-
pending where Mr.. Macarthur decides
to make his home.
Fewer Criminal Convictions.
The report Of the secretary of state
on criminal convictions in Iowa for
the year ending September 30, 1900,
has been prepared. 1t shows fewer
convictions, and less number of
years of sentence, but a slightly in
creased cost of conviction, compared
with last year and the year before.
This year 1,153 persons were convict
ed in Iowa; last year 1,191, the year
before that, 1885 The sentences this
year amount to 1878 years, last year
to 1,377 years. The cost last year
was $4,000 this year $409, 900. How.
ever, these figures for the year include