Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-09-04
]. O. Davis, Formerly Of Ottumwa,
Under Suspicion.
WILL STUMP DISTRICT FOR STICK.
Newton Journal Says Davis Is, Organ
izing Tenant Farmers Under Demo-
cratic Banner by Means of Lodge"
Extracts from Davis Paper.

]. c. Davis, formerly of this city and
editor of the Iowa Renters Guide is
accused by the editor of the Newton
Journal of working a scheme on the
farmer in the interest of the demo-
crat party, and is also accredited with
expressing the idea that he could not
afford to be found guilty of beating a
Newton woman out of a board bill be-
cause he intended to stump the dis
trict this fall for A. c. Steck. the dem
Ocratic nominee for congress from this
district.
Mr.. Davis, it seems, is the organizer
of a lodge known as the Iowa Renters
Brotherhood, the ostensible object OF
which is to band farm tenants togeth-
er for action against the alleged grind
ing process of landlords, and to fur
Their the object of the Brotherhood Mr.
Davis caused 5000 copies of the Guide
to be printed in South Ottumwa, on
which is it said he has made but a par
tial payment and left ! 800 of the pa
pers as security for the balance. A
Courier reporter visited the News Of
flee yesterday and found a large stack
of the papers. One was obtained and
from it was CLEANED that Mr.. Davis
plan was to organize what he desig-
mates as brotherhood with a grand
lodge attachment with the official pa
per thrown in. The Newton Journal
says it is politics, pure and simple,
and extracts from the paper certainly
would lead one to think that it's edi-
tor is opposed to the present admins
tration. 1t may be deep laid politi-
cal scheme or it may be that Mr.. DAY.
is was trying to make living without
work and failing, abandoned the order
and will make speeches in Mr.. Steck' S
behalf, which probably is more prof.
table.
In recent editorial concerning Mr..
Davis operations in Jasper county,the
Journal says:
For some time past, we have been
hearing of the Renters League that is
being formed in Jasper county, and
have wondered just what it was. All
of the work has been done under the
greatest secrecy and facts hard to OBJ
tain. Recently, we obtained posses,
sion of the constitution and bylaws OF
the Iowa Renters Brotherhood and al
so a little pamphlet showing that the
name has been changed to the Crane
Lodge of the Farmers League and
Renters Brotherhood. In fraterna
letter it says: Your own sad expert
ence las taught you, that your rights
under the law are but little better thar
the rights of a slave ETC., etc. Thai
sounds the keynote. Gen. Weaver
and Rhinehart told us stuff like thai
and Cyclone Davis made his strong ar
guments on ideas such as these. Al
soon as we read these things we be
1ieved that there was politics in it ant
subsequent revelations have almos
proven it.
Some time ago. two strangers came
to Prairie City and they remained
there for some time telling but few
their business. About August s, tht
elder of the two, J. C.Davis, was ar
rested on the charge of jumping
board bill of about $3.50. The cast
was called before the mayor, and Davi
was anxious to know how the docke
would appear if he We're to settle thu
case. Upon being informed that
would be guilty and costs paid, h
said he couldn't stand for that as h
was going to stump the county thi
fall for Judge Steck and could no
have the docket that way A chang
of venue was then taken to John Sc
by, justice of the peace, with whom h
had been thru the county, and the cas-
was dismissed. The landlady is GU
the board bill contracted for by Davi
and all she has to show for it is tn
grips he left behind him. Those grip
might contain the great secret wor
of the order that tells how to sc
farms almost for nothing, to borro'