The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-10-10
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines. Oct. 8, 1901.

1uoNeIuenU TO induce GreSlQenG ROOSe-
welt to name F. d. Coburn, secretary
of the Kansas board of agriculture,
for Mr.. Wilson's place in the cabinet
is becoming aggressive. They are
not disposed to regard the move
ment as likely to result seriously, but
think thai some attention should be
paid to it and steps taken to show
that in the majority of the agricul-
tural states a change is not wanted.
1T has developed that influential pol
lticians of Nebraska have Joined
forces with those of Kansas in an
EFFORT to secure the change, and that
overtures are being made to the
South Dakota and Oklahoma politi-
clans to lend their support to the
movement. The attack so far seems
to consist of criticisms Of some of
the reports of the department and
OF a recent interview given out by
Mr.. Wilson. This interview reported
him as saying that Kansas and Ne
braska cannot be counted as corn
producing states; that after getting
out a distance from the river there
is no assurance of moisture sufficient
to raise crop. Statistics have been
prepared to counteract this claim and
to make it appear that it shows lack
of information on the part of Will
son. 1t has been learned that these
were prepared personally by Coburn.
correspondence mat has passed be-
tween the Kansas and Nebraska peo-
pie and those whom they have been
seeking to enlist in their cause con-
strues this criticism to be criti-
cism of the entire trans-Missouri
river country and one calculated to
work to it's injury and prevent it's
development. Mr.. Wilson'S friends
feel that this will not have much eff
feet and that it will be quickly dis
posed OF, but propose, if it becomes
necessary, to make a showing that
Will corroborate the claims of the
secretary or that will at least be an
answer to his critics.
The supreme court has reversed
the case of State VS.. Thomas King,
a prisoner in the Anamosa peniten-
tiary who made his escape from the
guards by secreting himself in
natural crevice in stone quarry
where he was employed. He was re-
arrested and sentenced to serve a
year in addition to his original inn
prisonment. He appealed and Judge
Ladd holds that his offense was not
an escape from the penitentiary and
consequently King was not amenable
TO the statute under which he was re-
arrested.
Mrs. J. w. Butler, representing the
syndicate of capitalists in Cleveland,
Ohio, that has been building inter-
urban electric lines all over the mid
die states, has called upon members
OF the city council with view to Sc
curing franchise in Des Moines. She
explained that right-of-way and a
tax had been secured at Colfax and
that most of the right-of-way had
been secured from here to Newton
The line has been surveyed from Des
Moines to Newton and north to Mar
shalltown. Mrs. Butler exhibited un.
mlstakable credentials to show that
she has authority to act and almost
unlimited backing. She demonstrated
that the Cleveland company means
business by showing that it is rapidly
constructing lines in number OF
places in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Mich.
lgan and other states, and that the
expense it has already gone to here
would not have been incurred except
with view to carrying out the pro-
Ject. 1t is stated the line will b,
completed next summer.
More papers have been filed with
the supreme court i'll the Hossack
case from Warren county. The attor-
neys, Henderson & Berry, for Mrs,
HossacA, filed a denial of the amend
ment to the evidence as filed by the
state. This relates to the question of
identity of the Photographs which
are with the paper as an exhibit, and
also to the question of the time OF
the marriage of the Hossacks. To set
at rest all doubts about the testimony
on the marriage question the tran,
script of the evidence on that point is
given in full.
BERT johnson, alias Nelson, has been
indicted by the grand jury for OBJ,
tanning money under false pretenses
Eight counts on that charge are in
Guided. Al lcomplainants are SER
want girls from whom johnson Sc
cured from So to $40 each as first
pay IiSiio III Owing iiiuSlIlliSS. IL IL
said johnson secured about $3.50 in
the scheme, and that he carried out
like deals in Boone, Carroll and sew
eral other towns.
The State Historical society Of
Iowa, with headquarters at the State
university, has filed it's twenty-third
biennial report with the governor. 1t
contains a request for a permanent
appropriation of $4,000 from the state
for the continuation of the publ
cation of the ''Iowa Historical Rec
ord" which the society has published
for the past seventeen years. 1t
also asks $1,000 from the state for
catalogueing the library, which has
never been catalogued. The society
has been in existence since 1857, it's
aim being to promote the study of
history by lectures, and to publish
and diffuse information regarding
the history of Iowa. Recently the