Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-10-26
NOTES FROM THE CAPITAL
Des Moines. Oct. eli. 1907


from Polk county 10 the United States
supreme court. This was the case
in which the local bar association Sc
cured the judgment of guilty Of con-
tempt against Michael brady, charg
ed with attempting to influence dis
trict court juror in telephone dam
age suit. The five cases of like tenor
were appealed to the supreme court.
which set aside the judgment in three
and affirmed 1t IN two. The point In
volved is the right OF a Judge to i'm
pose fine for contempt, said to have
been committed outside of the pres
ence Of the court, when the defend
ant or accused purges himself Of the
alleged contempt by denying 1t. This
is constitutional question, because
in the cases referred to the court ex-
ercised the right of having the cases
tried out before him, by the taking
Of testimony, and rendered a judg-
ment thereon. The theory of the ac-
cused is that trial by jury was es-
sential to deprive them of liberty or
to trial at all.
The supreme court few days ago
refused to reverse a case because OF
the leading questions put to witness
ses. Admission and exclusion of such
questions and answers is wholly with
in the discretion OF the trial Judge
The supreme court says on this sub
ject: "The propriety of admitting
leading questions depends largely
upon the witness under examination
If he or she be young or inexperien-
ced, or laboring under evident timid-
ity or Embarrassment, or Is apparent
ly lacking in intelligent comprehen-
sion of the questions propounded, or
Is unwilling or evasive in giving the
information sought, It is entirely
proper to allow interrogatories of this
character"
A state dispensary law similar to
the one in operation in South Caro-
ina may be urged by the united tenn
perance forces of the state at the
coming session Of the legislature. /
The matter came up before the recent
Joint convention OF temperance force |
n Des Moines, being presented by e. \
B. Howard of Ames in paper read
at the joint session Mr.. Howard, who
aas investigated the state taking the
liquor business in its own hands, is
firm believer of this being the only
practical solution of the liquor pro-
blem until the people are ready for
strict prohibition. The legislative
committee had it's attention called to-
the solution of the problem advanced
by Mr.. Howard and it received con-
siderable discussion, the probability
Of advancing it in the legislative lob
by this winter being considered
Whom shall Iowa elect to the Ma
tionaI Hall of Fame? Discussion Of
the result of the general election to
inches in that statutory temple has
turned attention to the fact that two
places are at the disposal of this state
as soon as it avails itself of the priv
ilege of naming the men or women
who shall occupy places therein. Eff
fort has been made heretofore to
elect distinguished personages, but it
ldllSu VI SllCCl. IL 10
however, that the effort will be renew
ed in the coming session of the leg
islature and by common consent one
of the places will be voted to Samuel
J. Kirkwood, Iowa's war governor.
Representative Koontz of Iowa City
proposed the election of Governor
Kirkwood in the legislative session
of 1904. The house of representatives
appropriated the $4,000 for the bronze
statue for the hall of fame. The SEN
ate committee on appropriations re-
ported the bill unfavorably, however,
on account of the state of the public
funds, it is said, and the matter was
not revived. There seems to be
common sentiment now in favor Of
the Kirkwood monument Probably
no effort will be made to choose the
second one at this time. 1t was the
effort to fill both inches that discour-
aged the Kirkwood election in the
last legislative session.
A. V. Thompson, temporary agent
of the pension office, states that the
work of the Office will be cleaned up
for the reception of the new agent,
w. v. Wilcox, about Dec. 1. The fis-
cal reports of the agency are made
each month and must be forwarded
to the pension department at Wash
ington with the pay checks, each one
separately listed, for the approval OF
the treasurer before the work of the
quarter year can be properly turned
over to a new agent, and in the mean
time this must be done by the temper
airy agent.
Going directly from church re
vival meeting, and calmly saying
good night to a friend who was with
him, Robert Phillips of 1909 Twenty.
seventh street committed suicide by
drowning himself in the small arti.
fetal lake in SoutA park. His disap-
pearance was complete mystery
until the body was recovered from
the lake by police officers. The rea-
son for such an act is matter which
will probably never be solved, as no
possible motive for such deed has
been found.
The empire of India extends over q
territory larger than the continent OF