Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-06
LOOKER-ON in IOWA.
a0900OOOsSSG99099
For tho Times-Republican.

islature We're occupied in the case of
Wesley Elkins, a matter that a board or
pardons could have decided on it's mer-
its in a very short time. But now after
the legislature has adjourned public at
tention is called to the case of Joseph
McCrary. A recent issue of the Daily
Capital gives so complete a history of
the whole business that it is reprinted
here, as another object lesson of the
defects OF u present system or par
don by the legislature and of the posi-
BILE position any executive may find
himself after the adjournment Of a leg
islature:
"In closing up the pardon cases be-
fore him Governor Cummins has dis
covered an interesting fact underlying
the release of Joseph McCreary, n of
the Mills county convictS whose par
don the legislature this year recon-
mended. The discovery is to the effect
that McCreary has paid the sum of ST.
900 out of his savings while in the PEN
itentiary to obtain his release from
prison. Judge w. r. Lewis, of Monte
yuma, and Attorney John Y. Stone. OF
Glenwood, are the counsel. McCreary
is said 10 have employed and paid so
GENEROUSLY " SuDIllllllIS iiS S'SN ~
the legislative committee. Judge Lewis
and Attorney Stone spent four days OF
whereabouts in the city this winter in
McCreary's interests, being paid at the
rate of some thing over over 500 per
day, according to the above allowance.
THE above discovery was surprising
to the governor since it was repre-
scented to the legislature that McCreary
bad savings to the amount OF $l,20o,
which he had earne during his impris-
onment thru his efforts as an expert
chair Gamer. McCreary is said to nave
worked overtime and often sat up far
into the night to swell his little pile of
earnings with a view to some day Oh
tanning his release. Little by little
thru the twenty-three years of his i'm
prisonment he saved up S1.SO0. Sin
hundred dollars of this went to pay for
efforts in behalf of his release before
previous legislatures.
This left twelve hundred dollars, the
amount which it was represented to the
last legislature McCreary had to his
credit. Even the warden supposed this
10 be the case until ar effort was made
ny McCreary to resist the appointment
OF q trustee for his estate as provided
by the legislature. The fact was then
brought out that 81. 900 of the supposed
fund to McCreary's credit was invested
in a mortgage on Iowa lane and that
this had been assigned by McCreary
to Attorney John Y. Stone in payment
OF legal services rendered the convict.
This leaves a paltry $500 which Nc
Creary will have with which to start
himself out in the world. His parols
signed Saturday by the governor
and will AXE effect tomorrow.
'McCreary was % years old when he
entered the Fort Madison ~penitentiary
in the zeal 1877 for the crime of muir
der. He is now nearly so a of age.
hut appears much older because of his
close confinement and rigorous prison
labors. He has a brother who Is a cob
bier and located in South Dakota, and
II is expected that McCreary will join
this brother soon at the urgent invita-
ton of the latter"
Since it has been found that the leg
islature adjourned inadvertently failing
to appropriate a sum of money to en-
able the state fish and game warden to
carry on his prosecutions n attempts
to run down and arrest violators of the
laws, pot hunters and seine fishermen
grown bold in their operations,
and one hears all over the state unveri-
fled reports of illegal fishing n hunt
ing. However, some prosecutions and
convictions have been reported that
give much satisfaction. On the Sunday
this year The pickerel were running"
(and by that the reader must under
-x,,-1 %Hof nv q 1aU in the cnrtnr these |
fish have apparently an idea no time is
to be lost, and some thousands of them
for shallow water for spawning
purposes, doing this regardless of spec
tators and attempts to capture them)
in the East Okoboji several men In and
around Spirit Lake caught hundreds OF
pounds Of big fish With spears. pitch
forks and even with bare lands n
the writer was told that big pickerel
weighing eight to ten pounds each were
very cheap in Spirit Lake the day
after the "run." However. one man
found it expensive fishing, being caught
with the fish in his possession and pay
ing $23 fines and costs for his little fun.
Z In view of the fact that but little
money is in the state treasury for the
state warden's use, n sportsman sug-
eests that a purse be raised by contri-
from those interested all over
state, said sum being placed at the
disposal of the warden to be used in the
prosecution of those who will not obey
our game laws. Many of the sports
men of the state would gladly contrib
ute to such q fund, and 81 to $40 con-
tributions would raise a fund equal to
what the state generally appropriates
this Here's a chance for
and it can safely be asserted that the
of the state will give it the nee
essary publicity to make it successful.
Governor Cummins' speech at Min
has been read and approved
by a large number of thinking repub-
leans in this state. In Glidden the 9TH
er day the writer had a little talk with
Il prominent republican living there
who is afraid that the republican party
will not act soon enough to prevent
party disaster. His occupation brings
him in contact with many farmers, and
he claims that our ongres must take
IN the question of tariff revision ut
,nce or the democrats will do it for us.
The idea expressed was that farm
products will inevitably be lower In
price another year.. That the farmers
been made to believe that every
hing they buy, I. e., consume, is now
manufactured and sold by trusts. That
while now high prices for grain and
took are the rule, lower prices will
soon prevail, and then the farmer will