Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-01-26

ACTION CAUSES SENSATION
Presentation Of Petition to State Leg
islators Followed by Greater Ex-
element When Acceptance
Is Made Unanimous.

| Is Made Unanimous.
4 Russell Woodland. Staff Correspondent
Des Moines, Ia, Jan. %. influenced
by mammoth petition, pushed by
friends OF Mrs. Tolla, the New Jersey
/ woman condemned to die for the muir
der of Joseph Sontarea, the members
OF the Iowa senate have gone on rec
ord as opposed to the legal execution
! Of the alleged murderess.
This was done by the upper house
solons signing petition for the full
| and complete pardon Of the woman,
who was soon to be executed in New
I Jersey. The signatures of the Iowa
| solons have been forwarded to Gov.
Stokes of New Jersey, and what the in
1uence OF the senator's will be remains
to be seen. Another petition for the
same purpose that of freeing the con-
yicted woman-has already secured
| 10000 names, and 1t is believed that
this had great effect on the action of
| the upper house members of the legis-
| lature.
| The decision of the senators was
unanimous, not one of them refusing
to attach his signature to the paper
which means SO much to Mrs Tolla.
Something of a sensation was caused
among the legislators, when the docu-
ment was taken into the senate cham-
| Der, and when the members placed
/ themselves on record as favoring the
woman's pardon the excitement was
even more intense. Predictions were
made that the senators would refuse
to dabble In the affairs of another
state, but the solons laid aside all
presidents and affixed their signatures
with but little persuasion. There was
not dissenting voice in the whole
gathering. The move has been pushed
to great extent here in Des Moines,
and the elimination of the petition in
the senate is looked upon as probably
the greatest sensation of the 1908
| meeting.
Solons Back from Junket Trip.
| After q recess of over four days the
legislature met on Tuesday and held
itself in readiness to hear the reports OF
the appropriations committees, which
have been on junket trip, visiting the
| state institutions. The reports will tell
OF the needs of the different institutions
and much interest is being exhibited in
the probable contents. Educational as
well as the other institutions were visit
ed by the committees subcommittee
were selected by Chairman Garst and
Mates and an effort made to secure spe-
cific information as to the needs of the
institutions, in addition to that fur
nished through the board of control re-
port. The board asks about Sl.16D, 600
for the ensuing two years from the Iegis-
latuTe for the ID institutions under its
management. The governor, in his
message. estimated that there was not to
exceed $500 600 available for extraor-
Report of Prison Committee.
The committee on prisons, appotnt-
ed by the Thirtieth assembly to tour
the country, investigating the FEAST
/ bility of the indeterminate sentence
law for Iowa, has reported It's findings
to the legislature AMI has put itself
on record in favor OF such an enact
Iment. Senator G. G Saunders Is the
chairman of this body He declared,
outside of the session, that the COM
a mittee's investigation had been as
: Thorough as time would allow and
that, everything taken into considera-
tion. he believed the indeterminate
sentence would solve the prison prob
lem in this state. Other ideas recon
). mended in the committee report are
! Changing Anamosa penitentiary to
Z i.reformatory; Incarceration Of femal
I and insane criminals in reformatory
: 4 commission Of three to act ON par
= dons; that Fort Madison penitentiar
q be made the only penitentiary in tn
2; state as soon as improvements ar
: made.
Selects Printer and Binder.
Representative Emory x. Englis
~ has been selected by the legislature
i. state printer, and Representative
+ d. Chassell, as state binder, after
Il fractional contest which will be lor
DO remembered by the solons as well
ar the contestants themselves. The fig
ID for these Offices has been long draw
he out, having started as far back as Ia
81 October. In the Republican cauc
n English was nominated printer q
Chassell for state binder and there we
il7 members voting. In the vote
= state printer Representative Engli
received 70 votes to 3S against hi
The nomination Of Representa-
Chassell for state binder was by
= unanimous vote, on the motion
nnnrnsartotlvo TemnIe