Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-06-04
The Fight For Department
Commander Is Becoming a
Complicated Affair
ACCUSATIONS FREELY MADE
r. T. st. John, of Rceville, Mitchell
County, and J. A. speaman of Fair
field, jefferson County, the Leading
Candidates Contest Now Seems
Likely to Turn on Different Question.
Special to Times Republican.

/
| pect of lively time at the department
encan1pment of the G. A. r., depart
ment of Iowa at Mason City, next week
The program which has been arranged
includes a good many of the best spe Ak
ers Of the state. and aside from this
there is great interest in the contest
which is going on for department COM
mander The fight at present appears
to be entirely between r. 7. St John.
of Riceville. Mitchell county, and J. A.
Spealman, Of Fairfield, Jefferson coun-
ty. There are two other candidates
p. A. Smith. Of Greene county, and A.
III. Hamilton, of Wapello county. They
may both drop out before the day
comes for the balloting.
In the case OF ST. John and Spealman
their friends have allowed the contest
to already get to the point where it is
decidedly disagreeable. Mr.. st. John
was brought out by uhe Veterans As
ISOLATION of Northeastern Iowa last
winter. and this association, which held
a man. He is one OF the youngest of
the veterans of the war. as he enlisted
as mere boy and late. He has been
prominent on the state agricultural
board and was twice its president. The
very fact that he was SO young when
the war broke out is being used against
him, and the story is being circulated
that he did not even leave the state AS
matter of fact he enlisted in an Iowa
company. but his parents wouldn't let
him go, ard he went over into Illinois
and enlisted as recruit in a cavalry
company. and was sent at once to the
front. where there was lighting going
on. and he was not mustered out until
late in 1855. SO that he merely had
time to get home for Christmas.
The other candidate is, an older man.
His friends having started the story
about st. John never having seen SER
vice, it has been alleged in retaliation
that Mr.. Spealman has been posing as
a captain when he was not a captain.
One of his comrades editor of a paper
in Fairfield publishes that Spealman
was lieutenant and that he resigned
and Went home after less than two
years service. Instead of being elected
captain of the company. II is claimed
that the captain who originally Went
out With the company remained as cap
tain until year or more after Sreal-
man went home.
While these are samples OF the accu-
sations which are being hurled back
and forth. the contest is likely TO turn
On a different question. II Is discovered
here that J.. w. Muffiy, of this city. is a
candidate for assistant adiutant gen>
eral and that Mr.. Spealman has agreed
TO appoint him or some other person to
be named by Croker Post the largest
post In the state. This brings the fight
direct against DR.. G. A. Newman. the
present assistant ad.utant general,
who, 1t is supposed, will be continued
in the position If st. John wins. DIR.
Newman lives in Cedar Falls and is a
past department commander. He has
also been secretary OF the state senate
several sessions. and al agree that he
is most excellent adiutant.
The fight against st. John is there
fore being made on the theory that he
is the candidate of the ring" and that
there is coterie of the Grand Army |
men who have been passing the honor
around among themselves. and that |
Adiutant Newman is the head and CEN
ter of the thing. 1t is said that Mr.
Spealman is out after Newman more
than he is after ST John, and that |
Newman's friends, in consequence, are |
lining up for the Northern Iowa can
iidate. A. great deal of letter writing |
s going on. and the candidates are |
about over the state in great |
The situation therefore promises an in |
eresting contest at the encampment.
For several years the encamprnents
nave beer reasonably free from politics
ind hot fights, but the record is to be
broken this time. The encampment
opens at Mason City on Tuesday next.
Practically train load of members and |
delegates will go from here on Wednes
lay morning and remain until Friday
1t is learned that the friends of ST.
III county, have hired a band and viii
20 to Mason City in force to work for
heir candidate for the position of de-
,artment commander.
Last year the encampment author
zed Adiutant Newman to design
badge and sell 1t for the use of those
Who went to San Francisco. He did so
md included portrait of the governor
II the state. For this he was h;rshly
criticised, and use is being made of this
,adge incident now to discredit him
With enosrnpinent delegates. He made
good profit for the department on sale
II the badges and for several yeas has