The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-10-18
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines, October 1e. 100,

NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines, October 16, 1900.
Auditor of State Frank F. Merriam
Is has issued the second volume of his
thlrty-first annual insurance report,
showing the business done in the
state during 1899 by life insurance
concerns. The fire re; ort appeared
two months ago. During the wear
.>5 life companies were doing BUSH
ness in Iowa, having 317,111 policies
IN force and insurance risks, on De-
cember 81. 1899, of $46S, 433, 543. OF
shls amount $241 ,3lJ,loy was written
On the books of the fraternal bene-
hciary societies and orders lie Iowa
companies held $21,555,133 and the
aon-lowa companies $IAo,91s,453. The
stipulated premium and assessment
concerns had $64,75S,O5O, and the re-
manning 1,s22, 14S represented the
business held by the assessment ac-
eident associations doing business in
Iowa.
The Z. J. Wells con,.ny contem,
plates putting several automobiles in
service in Des Moines in connection
with its livery, hack and bus line bust,
ness. The company now has one ma.
chine on hand with which it is ex.
Perimenting. To reporter Jesse
Wells, manager of the business, said:
We are experimenting with the auto
we now have with view of using the
machines in our business, but have
not yet fully made up our minds 10
adopt them. So far our experiments
nave been successful and encourage.
ing. If we put in machines at this
time we will probably use the lighter
ones passed the experimental stage,
but not so as to the heavier ones,
such as would be adapted to the
hack and bus business. Machines OF
e44As class are now being contracted
70 be operated by steam power that
give promise of excellence and if
they come up to expectations we
may adopt them. The machines we
figure on using now are far lighter
carriage service over the city and foy
runabout purposes.
The board of control has completed
It's findings in the case of John w.
Stone, superintendent of the indus
trial department for the insane at
Mt. Pleasant, who was recently in
dicted by the grand Jury of Henry
county for the theft of supplies from
the hospital. A report of the result
of the investigation has been filed
with the governor, and also filed in
the records of the board, along with
the testimony of the witnesses eX-
amined. The findings of the board
comprise an exhaustive review of the
evidence taken in the course of the
boards investigation in this city, at
Mt. Pleasant and Burlington. They
show that the charges made that
widely ramified conspiracy existed in
volvlng numerous employees of the
state high in official station, that the
wrong doing extended over period
of several years and that the indus
trial building was burned last Feb
ruary to conceal evidence of crime,
were without foundation. There is
no controversy as to the shipment
4 by Stone of goods to Des Moines. The
ithhs the pusaa ds st R9ana W. was ST f =
OF the charges made OF ,eCtrsnil @cy
ahd thefts on larger scale ants>pf
the intentional burning of the IL
>dtsfNal building. These charges
were Made by the Daily News of this
city, whsR, it published the evidence
in the Stone cease, as ferreted out by
Eli Harding, private detective Of
this city, and sold by him to the
News. The board finds as the result
OF the examination of numerous wit
nesses that the charges of the News,
except as to the admitted shipments
OF leather and hair to Des Moines, rest
almost wholly on the statements of
Va1d; that he was sent to the hospital
at Mt. Pleasant to be cured of the
opium habit; that his testimony is
In many respects self-contradictory
and is contradicted in many impor-
tant particulars by numerous cred
lble witnesses; and that his testimony
without confederation of other evil
dence is of no value whatever. The
board also reviews the evidence on
charges made by L. A. Wilkinson,
late secretary of the board, as to an
alleged conspiracy at Mt. Pleasant in
1898. Though this was investigated
by the board at the time further
testimony upon it was taken when
Judge Kline was making the recent
investigation at Mt. Pleasant.
John Pearson, superintendent of the
Mutual Telephone company fire alarm
system, while working at the top of
q high pole at Ninth and Walnut, fell
to the ground, distance of ffty-five
feet. Falling he struck on the con-
crete sidewalk and was rendered un-
conscious for some time, and it was
at first thought that he was seriously
injured. Examination, however, dis
closed the fact that he had only suf-
fered fractures of the left thigh and
right foot.
Harry West says the party, with
whom he is to be associated in pork
packing, will be here the latter part
of this month, and that the plant will
be ready for operation not later than
the first of November. A small strip
of land between the two buildings, be-
longing to the packing plant, has been
purchased, and the work of razing an
old stone building to the ground will
begin at once. Very little work is
necessary to place the machinery in
absolutely sound conditions.
CHINA FULLY ABANDONED.
Admiral Remey viii Make His Head.
quarters at Cavite.
H. NJ ynr, II ~ ~