Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-10-18
Candidates For District Judge
In Polk County Likely to
Be Involved
COMPANY HAS UPPER HAND
As Situation Stands Today Company
tlas Won Its Fight Over sne Bribery
ctments--Den,ocrats Think Com
rIcation Will Win Judseship For
MuIvaney.
.ial to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Oct. 1S.--As the situa-
tieIn stood this morning the street rail-
way company had won it's fight oven
the bribery indictments, and there
were strong reasons for believing that
the grand jury was against bringing
in an indictment against General
Manager George M. Hippee. II the
complexion of the grand jury remains
the same, and the Civic League plays
the card that Is up its sleeve, of call
ing a mass meeting which will be IN
the nature Of an Indignation meeting,
then the question will become a polir-
ical one, pure and simple, involving
the candidates for district judge and
greatly increasing the chances Of eth
er John Mulvaney, the democratic
candidate, or j. x. Macomber, the in
dependent republican candidate. or
both.
Should the Indictment not be re-
turned there is every indication that
the Civic League and prominent citi-
zens will make an open fight on Judge
James A. Howe and County Attorney
Jesse A. Miller, who are each candi-
dates for district judge. In Polk
county, there being four district
judges, it is the policy to rotate the
various classes of cases. Two judges
are assigned law cases, one assigned aii
nd all
the criminal and probate cases for the
space of a year. In this allotment of
cases it fell to Judge James A. Howe
this year to handle the criminal cases.
Whether it is. true, or not, the pub
lie generally considered that the coun-
ty attorney is largely responsible for
the indictments returned, because OF
his influence. The district judge IS
also held responsible, for the reason
that the statutes give him the duty Of
instructing the grand jury, and he has
the authority to call the grand jury
before him at any time and give them
special instructions in any case. Mon
day Judge Howe called the grand jury
before him for especial instructions.
He informed them at some length that
there was publication in this city
called the Secretary, and that there
was a question as to whether or not
it was a libelous publication. The
Secretary has been amusing itself for
the three issues that it has showed
strength to live thru by attacking all
the. candidates for public office. ana
showing up their weaknesses. Now
number are asking why the Secretary
should be sufficient cause for special
instructions to the grand jury. while
the alleged bribery of a city alderman
is not mentioned.
The iudgeship fight in Polk county
this year is somewhat complicated,
and the calling Of mass meeting,
which would become an indignation
meeting, over failure to bring IN IN
dictments. would complicate it still
more. The nominal strength of the
two parties in Polk county is about
$4,000 republican to 5000 democratlc,
555 prohihitionist and 1000 socialist.
When the primaries were held there
were come republicans who were some-
what disgruntled because County At
torney Jesse A. Miller got the nom1na-
tion as one of the four. This led to j.
K. Macomber coming out as an indepen-
dent candidate, and the democrats,
thus encouraged with republican div1s-
ion. nominated John Mulvaney, and
made no other nominations. They be-
lieye that Mulvaney will get the en-
tire vote outside of the republican and
some of the republican vote. and that
Miller and Macomber will divide the
rest of the republican vote. so that
Mulvaney will get the election. Polk
county is pretty easily influenced some
times. and should the people become
aroused II Is not impossible but that
both Mulvansy and Macomber might
be elected.
In the meantime, however, the Civic
League is doubtful which way to move
The grand jury will be in session next
week. but if an indignation meeting;
is called before it adtourns, and it therl
brings in an indictment, it will be ar.
sued on the trial Of the case that pub.
lie pressure caused the indictment, and
thus the indictment would be vitiated.
On the other hand. if no meeting is
called and no indictment is returned, 1t
will be that much harder to get an in
dictment at any subsequent session ef
the grand jury. The Civic League has
the handle end of the whip in having
the eye witnesses, but. that is all 1T has.
The street car company has the adj
yantases in a number of other ways.
and thus far seems to have scored ono
in the fight in preventing the indict-
ments. and Furthermore seems to have
been successful in stopping up the
chief source Of reaching the public
with information Of the fight.
sULLY BOY INDICTED.