Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-16
BOTH ARE BARRED OUT
State Election Board Reaches
Decision In Famous Larkin-
Soesbe Controversy
NEW CONVENTION POSSIBLE
NEW CONVENTION POSSIBLE
District Declared to Be Without a
Nominee and the Situation Is Left
Open to All Sorts of Possibilities
Question of Re- organization Rests
With Convention Itself.

ton board yesterday afternoon settled
the famous Larkin-Soesbe controversy
/ in the Thirty ninth senatorial district
consisting of Butler and Bremen coun-
] ties. barring both of the contestine
aspirants for the nomination.
The board, consisting of Secretary
| of State w b. Martin, Auditor o. State
B. F. Carroll and Attorney General c.
W. Mullan, held that the Juggling OF
the convention had made the nomina-
| ton of Larkin irregular but at the
Soesbe, who contests the nomination
of MIR. Larkin. had not been declared
nominated and that the district is
Without a nominee
The board is of the opinion that the
code provides in section 1902 for such
Il contingency and that the convention
may renominate another candidate and
have his name placed on the ballot.
This will leave the nomination OF a
new candidate to the same delegates
who tried to name both Mr.. Soesbe and
Mr.. Larkin and leaves the situation
open to all sorts of possibilities.
Altho Attorney General Mullan re-
fused to express an opinion at this time,
it is understood that he does rot con-
cur in the opinion that Larkin was not
legally nominated. Attorney General
Muilan is understood to hold the opin
ion that when the delegates failed to
take advantage OF ordinary parliament
tary rules, by appealing from the de-
cision OF the chair, to overcome the
rulings of Chairman Broadie, they for
feited their right of appeal, and that
the declaration of the chairman that
Mr.. Larkin was nominated made that
gentleman the legal nominee of the
convention. The auditor and secretary
of state thought otherwise, and held
that the evidence did not warrant them
in supporting the contention of Mr..
Larkin.
New Convention Possible.
Whether or not the convention will
now get together and renominate MIR.
Larkin or nominate Mr. Soesbe re-
mains TO be seen. In any case things
are likely to be lively in the Butler
Bremen district. If the convention does
not meet again the senatorial commit
tee can choose a candidate.
The convention whose action has pre-
cipitated all the trouble was held Sep
TENDER l at Clarksville. In Butler coun-
ty. A. A. Broadie of Waserly. was
made chairman. and e. III. Martin Of
Tripoli was made secretary. of the
both men being, Bremen
county men. The certificate Of nomin-
alton was filed September III. and an
amended certificate fled September 10.
The objections of f. w. Soesbe were
filed September 25.
From the evidence placed in the
hands of the board. the convention was
of merry, opera bouffe character, and
when the result was announced the
Butler county delegates declared vocif
erously that they had been gold
bricked Butler had thirteen dele
gates and Bremen eleven. The Butler
county men claimed the Bremen poll
ticians had come to them with a plaus
ible story that inasmueh as Butler was
sure to have the candidate Bremen
should have both the secretary and
chairman, and this was conceded.
At the opening OF the convention a
Bremen county man introduced a res
olution couched In the following Ian
guage: Resolved, that we proceed to
the ballot for state senator by ballot on
call of the poll of each county,
This was the beginning OF the
trouble.
This Butler county men professed to
believe this meant that poll of coun
ties would be taken as IN state and
district conventions, and that the vote
would be by counties Chairman Broa-
die ruled that 1t meant poll of each
individual delegate. The Butler men
wanted TO rescind, but Chairman Broa-
die side-tracked any such intention.
When the vote was counted the tel
lers found that Larkin had received IL
votes and Soesbe II. Chairman Broa-
die declared Larkin the nominee. and
the convention was adjourned. not
withstanding that the thirteen Butler
county men claim they voted against
adjournment. The thirteen Butler coun-
ty delegates have sworn before the
election board to the effect that their
votes were cast for Soesbe.
According TO the opinions Of the
OF the board, 1t Will rest with
the convention itself whether or not
1t reorganize or retains the officers
who presided n the last convention.