Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1904-01-21
NOTES ROM THE CAPITAL
pes Moines. Jan. 10. 1904.

OF all the applications for pardons
which the legislature win have to deal
with, that OF Mrs. Sarah Kuhns of
keokuk county promises to develop
the greatest interest. Many legisla.
tors appear to espouse the young wo.
mans cause and are comparing Il
with the famous Maybrick case In
England, which has attracted world
wide attention for the past fifteen
years. Representative George w.
koontz Of Johnson county in discuss
Ing the case said: while l always
stand open to conviction in any argu.
ment, 1t appears to me that the wo-
man has been wronged. followed
the case very closely at the time Of
the trial and the evidence introduced,
to my mind, was not sufficient to war
rant the punishment she received.
/ feel that 1t is another Maybrick
case over again. 1t may be that the
evidence to be introduced before the
legislature will furnish new grounds
but / think the plaintiffs used every
mite Of evidence they could secure
when the case was tried in the lower
courts. I am in sympathy with the
movement"
During the discussion, one OF the
legislators recalled the famous dis
senting opinion when the supreme
court affirmed the decision OF the low.
er court In the case. Judge Weaver's
opinion was one Of the most caustic
dissenting opinions ever rendered in
iowa. In 1t he quoted many OF the
points and went on to say that taking
the case as basis 1t would be nee
essary for person to prove himself
innocent Of a crime rather than for
the plaintiff to prove him guilty. This
opinion will undoubtedly be freely
used when the case Is presented to
the legislature.
After considerable discussion, Il is
said that the officials of the railroads
OF the middle west have decided not
to attempt to secure state legislation
against ticket scalpers. Since the
failure to secure the passage OF the
"sccl2ers' bill' In congress four years
ago, a number Of the officials have
been anxious to attempt to secure
legislation In the various states to
enable them to prosecute scalpers;
they wanted to take It up with the
Iowa general assembly this winter
but they have now conceded to the
wishes Of the other officials and will
wait to make another effort to secure
national legislation.
Iowa Is again to be denied q legal
hanging. The uninterrupted record
OF almost a decade in this respect
which threatened to be broken in six
instances few months ago, has been
finally preserved by the supreme
court, which reversed the two re.
naming murder cases In which SEN
tence OF death had been pronounced.
Harry Workman, of Cherokee, who was
sentenced to be hanged for the murder
OF his sweetheart, Florence Porter,
and Richard Williams Of Buxton, who
was sentenced to be hanged for the
murder OF J. w. Sharper, which oc-
Cured during a drunken quarrel in
which the fatal bullet was intended
for another man, will each be given
new trials owing to errors Of the
lower court. Chester Tyler, who was
sentenced for the murder OF DR..
Failor of Newton, must serve his SEN
tence.
On the 18th the legislature appoint.
ed a joint committee OF six members
to visit the st. Louis fair The ap.
pointment of the committee was made
in response to a communication from
Secretary +. r. Conway of the Iowa
commission of the Louisiana Pur-
ha M NIL
be to look into the question of the
needs Of the commission for the pur.
pose Of securing additional funds and
TO decide whether or not such need
exists. The committee consists OF
three from each house. Senator
Lewis of Clarinda was made chair
man and Representative Frudden of
Dubuque was made secretary. The
committee will return before the leg.
islature convenes, January 20.
When the weare Grain company
was put out Of business a few days
ago by the Chicago Board of Trade,
1t left Iowa patrons and employees in
the lurch for probably q good many
thousand dollars. Numerous Des
WSIS Sau6hL ioA
amounts, none of them large, how
ever, but It Is said that several heavy
traders elsewhere In the state who
did business with the office here will
suffer severely from the collapse. 10
cally. the hardest hit are the employees
of the Des Moines Office; they are
holding the sack for about $500 Of
back salaries.
According to Philip Heller, who has
been an organizer for the Iowa Re
tail Liquor Dealers association, the
saloon men OF the state will under
take to defeat at least three republi-
can candidates for congress next fall
Il the republican majority In the state
legislature undertakes to enact any
new legislation against the liquor in
terests. Mr.. Heller didn't speak offic-
tally because he has been deposed
from his position, but he spoke with
the air Of a man who knew. at any
rate. He declared strenuously that
III the republicans pass any legisla-
ton against the liquor men, we will
defeat three republican congressman
at the next election. We have the
state organized for Just that purpose,
and we have the strength to do II IN
three Districts have been the state
organizer and know just what I am
talking about"
The gold yield OF the Nome region
has hitherto come from the sea
beaches and from gulches and beaches
at most ten miles from water trans
mort ton