Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-04-13
PIERCE NOT INDICTED.
Ex.Mayor Escapes Criminal Ac.
tion By Making Up the Full
Shortage Claimed.
Grand Jury Reports no Bill in
This and Several Other
Cases Investigated.
Batch Of Indictments Returned
AGAINST Others. Recon-.
mendations Made.

Ex-Mayor Pierce has escaped intlict-
ment by the Marshall county grand
jury, but by a narrow margin. At the
last moment he made up the full amount
of the remainder Of his shortage claimed
by the council. and is feeling more
comfortable now that the suspense is
over.
Friday afternoon the ex-mayor APP
feared at the City National Bank,
which is now the depository of city
funds. and deposited $500 in cash to the
credit of the saloon taxes of the city of
Marshalltown. This made up the ball
snce Of the saloon fund shown to be due
the city by the official investigation, and
twas an easy matter to get word to the
grand Jury that Mr.. Pierce had squared
the account, and this had its effect.
Word direct from the grand jury room
says that this and the further fact that
Mr.. Pierce had been granted two ex-
tensions of time by the city council
We're taken into consideration by the
grand jury, altho there We're other mat
tiers developed at the three days inves-
tigation of the mayors conduct that
might have led to an Indictment The
personal activity of both friends and
foes in the matter probably led the.
grand jury to believe the best thing to-
he done would be to sidetrack the whole
matter. The wood bill. of course was
not considered as this is business
proposition between the city and Pierce.
The grand jury was also investigating
the matter OF the payment of s100 by
Charles LaPlant to the colored church
Of Rev. Nickerson, in connection with
the outcome of the city election. but re-
fused to indict MIR. LaPlant. Rev. Nick
erson and others We're summoned as
Witnesses In the investigations.
The grand jury reported its findings in.
court this morning and returned a big
batch of Indictments. Some of those
against whom bills were returned an:
not yet III custody and the indictments
viii not be made public until they are.
placed under arrest. Among those in
6icted are Ed Black. charged with bur
Elary OF the Archie Parker. store: George
Ryan. John Thompson and Frank cllilds,
charged with larceny from the store uf
j. NJ. futile; and John Melba, the young
colored man. WHO'S charged with hay
ing carnal knowledge of an imbecilc fe-
male. These men are all in Jail and the
arrests of the others indicted are ex-
pected to follow shortly.
e. w. Reed and Otto Radloff We're in
dicted for extortion In connection with
their attempt to brighten Mrs. Caltie La
Plant. OF ST. Anthony. into paying them
sum OF money on the threat of prose
cution for causing the separation Of
Reed and his wife. Both have been out
on bail. but Reed was arrested at Gear
ing this afternoon and was brought to-
the city.
In in its general report the grand jury
severely criticised the system III vogue
at the county farm of combining in the
same building poor and aged people of
bright intellccts and the mbeciles and
incurably insane. Superintendent Toni
linson, however. is complimented on the
condition of the institution under this
system. The grand jury found the Jail
In good condition and expressed gratlii-
cation that some of the changes recon-
mended by the previous grand jury had
been complied with and the hope was
expressed that the remainder OF the rec
concentrations would be carried out.
This portion of the report was ordered
by Judge Burnham to be communicated
TO the supervisors.
The most OF the day in court was de-
voted to probate and other matters OF
no public interest.