Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-07
Biennial ELECTIONS
New Idea to be Considered in
Connection With Iowa
Politics
TWO DENOMINATIONS LIKELY
They Are Those of Governor cummins
and Lieutenant Governor Herriott
Who Will Be Elected by Big Majori-
ties-The Biennial Election Amend
ment-other State News.
pecial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Jan. 7.-Those who look
far ahead in the matter Of politics in
Iowa have to reckon now with new
idea. that of the biennial elections. 1t
lis now conceded that Governor Cum
minis and Lieutenant Governor Henri
|ott will be renominated by acclamation
this year and will be elected by big ma
jorities. 1t is almost conceded that
Judge Bishop and Superintendent Bar
|rett will be renominated and elected,
leaving the only fight that on railroad
When these men are
elected next year it will be in the face
|of a strong probability that they will
serve three years mere. The biennial
election amendment has been so worded
that If it is adopted by the people it
will have the effect Of extending the
terms of the officers elected to state and
county positions in the year 1903 for
one year, this making all the official
Is adopted, and the over
whelming sentiment os the state now is
for Its adoption, there will be an cleo
|tion in 1904, but not in 1905. 1t there
|fsre makes political speculation as to
who will be the governor to succeed
Cummins or the next lieutenant gov
|ernor somewhat vague and uninterest-
ing. 1t is recognized that good many
things may happen in Iowa before the
time comes to inaugurate another gov
|ernor, especially if one year is given to
absolute rest from politics, thing
never before tried in this state.
The supreme court of Iowa has not
yet done with the large srist of murder
cases which have come to the front In
the past two years. AT the approaching
term the case OF NJ. O. Clemons, OF
Hardin county. under conviction OF
murder. is to be heard by the court and
tis. preparation OF the arguments is
now under way. The Jerome Hoot case
from Biackhawk county is another one
that will be ready at that time. Senator
Courtright, of Waterloo, is assisting in
the preparation of the states side Of the
case in view of the fact that the attor-
ney general was attorney for Hoot on
the trial. This is the case in which
Hoot was convicted of sending an in
fernal machine to his wife. Two who
are under sentence to hang are asking
the court for new trials. These are
Busse and Hortman. Busse committed
q horrible crime in Bremen county, kill
ing his wife when he was drunk. The
court sentenced him TO hang. His at
torneys had tried in vain to have the
state accept a plea of guilty Of murder
in the first degree with life sentence,
but this was refused. There was evil
dence to show that the woman was
killed by one blow and this delivered in
the heat of passion, and if the supreme
court is convinced Of this Busse will
get sentence under second degree
murder only. Hortman confessed his
crime at Cherokee, where he killed
Florence Porter. but it was stated at
the time that there was an understand
ing that he would receive only life
sentence. He was sentenced to hang
and now wants new trial, claiming
that 1t was not a first degree murder.
In all probability all that will be done
will be to stay execution until the gov
ernor fixes date and this he may not
do. 1t is learned that Brooks and Phil
lips will get their second trial at Storm
Lake next week and will hardly be
sentenced to hang again. and that Matt
Hunter will get his second trial at
Mount Ayr some time Eext month. The
date for the second .lial Of Mrs. Hos
sack has not been fixed and will not be
for some time.
The information comes from webster
CITY to the effect that the end has been
reached in the litigation over the es-
tate of the late Reuben j. Bennett,
matter which has been run thru the
courts and the supreme court the past
year. The supreme court confirmed
the right and title of Ruby j. Britt, of
Montana, to the entire estate left by
the rich old bachelor. as she had fully
established that she was in fact his
daughter. The case was full of sur
prises from beginning to end and in
volved some interesting construction
of the inheritance laws. But the court
stood by the proven heir of the man
who had been known among his neigh
bors for many years as one who had
never loved. Mrs. Britt has taken pos
session of her estate. chiefly lands in
northern Iowa, and last week. having
sold some of the land for $25,250, She
departed for Montana.
The recent strike Of the telephone
operators in Des Moines. which has
now been adjusted in a manner entirely
satisfactory to both parties, was Pc
culiar in that it was at least one strike
in which the strikers themselves lost
nothing by the going out. The striking
operators received more money than If
they had remained at work at the old
wages. There were 6S of the operators
went out on a strike and only three
weakened in the six months and went
back to work. Those on strike received
the wages for which they struck and
this was paid by the labor unions. A
total of $4,000 was paid them. The en-
tire cost of the strike was over $500,
and the trades and labor assembly still
owe the attorneys in the injunction suit
about $1,000.
The family troubles of the Wilcox