Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-19
Hamilton County Board OF
Supervisors Compelled to
Hold Special Session
WRIT OF MANDAMus GRANTED
The Board is Thus called Together to
Act Upon Democratic Petition That
Membership Be Increased From
Three to Fivc-Bie Political Flow
Started by Editor Robes Arrogance.
Special to Times Republican

Special to Times Republican
Webster City, Oct. 19.--Much politi-
cal activity has been aroused in Ham
ilton county by the granting of the writ
of mandanlus by the district court
which Will compel the county board of
supervisors to hold a special session
and act upon the petition of the demo-
Gratis in which they ask hat the mem
bership of the board be increased from
three TO five. The petition is purported
10 be signed by Lib persons Owing
however. to the fact that the move
is entirely q democratic scheme TO get
Representations upon the board, 1t is
charged in the most open manner that
many of the signatures are forgerles
and that much of the petition is In re-
ality bogus. In the heat of the argu-
nent over the affair many charges and
counter charges of most sensational
nature have come out. The end OF the
agita tion can but result in a big vote
being polled in Hamilton county this
fall.
Editor H. P. ROBBIE Of the democratic
Graphic Herald. stands sponsor for the
petition. Since last June he has been
agitating the matter of an increase i'll
the membership of the board of super
visors. During all this time he has
worked, tooth and toe nail with about
twenty five other democrats of the
county In circulating the petition for
the increase and getting signatures up
on it. The law requires that one-fourth
OF the qualified electors of the county
must sign a petition of this kind and
that then after the genuiness OF the
petition has been ascertained, the board
are compelled TO submit the matter at
the next regular election. After having
secured the required number of names,
ROBBIE assumed an arrogance which
widened the breach between the demo-
Gratis and the republicans of the county
and started a big political row which
has been sizzling in the cauldron ever
since. When the board met at it's reg
ular session In September. Robe held
back his petition, apparently for snap
judgement proceeding. Immediately
upon their adjournmert he filed the
paper with the county auditor and
asked that the board re-convene in
special session and consider the petit
.ion The latter refused and the man.
daInus proceedings were brought to
Il session. Judge Richard
granted the writ for the reason that
Robbie swore on the stand that the af-
fair had no political tinge and that
1t was impossible to get the petition
before the board at the, regular session.
despite the fact that thru the columns
OF his paper he had stated several
weeks previous to the session that
enough names had been secured on the
petition.
Under the writ the board will con-
vene this afternoon az d begin the cam
vass of the petition. That sensational
developments viii follow the canvass
of the names upon it. IS not doubted by
the republicans of the county. Neither
the board nor the republican party are
opposed to allowing the people TO vote
upon the question of an Increase, but
they object TO being domineered over
by Editor Robbie. who has an unsavory
reputation, being now under a charge
of criminal libel. preferred by one of
the city policemen.