Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-31
girrs- 33er,ahra, arslalltnu,t au,ua, anp 81 1906

county until Bevington came there.
There is not in existence anywhere
anything that even pretends to be ere
dentials for any delegation other than
the one we represent. No person has
ever signed any credentials other than
the ones which we have"
Mr.. Clarke went into details and
showed the convention was regular,
that at the time it met there was no
contest before it and nobody appeared
in the convention claiming to repre-
sent Abel township The Abel caucus
was regular and fair. He presented
the affidavit of Chairman Russell,
standpatter, showing that the pretend
ed notice of local contest was not a
notice and he knew nothing of the con-
test. Then he went into the claim Of
the standpatters that democrats voted
at Abel caucus. He read counter af-
fidaNts from five of the men so ac-
cused and they declared that they are
republicans and denied all that had
been said about them. He read the af-
tidavit Of one Hutchins to the effect
that Bevington tried to bride him to
give evidence and that he was paid a
dollar for going to law office late at
night to meet Bevington and Johnson
and others. He read the affidavit of
one Weems to the effect that he got So
for going to a law office. Bennington
gave him the money and told him
money was no object If they could get
the kind of evidence they wanted. Bev-
ington wanted him to sign a paper,
which he did. He saw Johnson give one
Galbraith some bills. Galbraith is the
man who swore that a number of
others are democrats
During the discussion 1T developed
proxy in his pocket and had been told
by Speaker Clarke that he would not
be permitted to sit in the convention.
Bennington tried to explain the incident.
1t was developed that the only Gre
dentials the anti-tCummins people
claim to have was a record Of the con-
vention which record shows that the
Cummins delegation was elected regu-
larly. All claim as to irregularty In
one ward of Perry was withdrawn.
An effort was made to get Polk
county before the committee. but no.
body appeared to make a fight and
someone was sent for. While waiting
to see If protester could not be
found, Boone county was called for.
Here Mr.. Bennington became eloquent.
The Boone county papers consisted
of some newspapers and statement
to the effect that inasmuch as the
col f0p hn -e,,ti tan Il
not state specifically that the conven-
ton was to select delegates to the state
convention therefore the delegation
should be denied the right to repre-
sent Boone county. Judge Dyer came
in to hear what was said. Bennington
discoursed in general on the desire of
himself and those he represents to
do exact justice to everybody He
claimed that they did not want to be
technical but that the omission in
the call of the mention of the state
convention was fraud.
Judge Dyer read from the rules of
the republicans of Boone county to
the effect that all delegates must be
selected at one convention and these
i
many years. 1t was not necessary
that the call should state anything at
all about delegates to the state conven-
ton. Besides the matter was discuss
ed in all the newspapers of the county
and in majority of the precincts the
printed tickets had the name of Gov
ernor Cunlmfns at the head of the bal
lots. There was no deception and he
believed that the convention repre-
scented the almost unanimous sentiment
of the republicans of the county. He
said that there was not a reputable
in the county who would
declare that the delegation did not
represent the views Of the majority.
Mr.. Bevington came near getting
mad at this point, for when he gave
the judge chance he pointed out that
the first of four men who had signed
the protest was relative of Beving-
ton, and he asserted that no protest
could have been possible had not Bev-
ington gone to that county and seduc-
ed the old man and others to sign
the papers.
With the hearing on Boone county
the committee adjourned until to-
day.
The whole contest before the COM
mittee was the work of Bennington He
did all the talking-in fact he talked
most of the time, even when others
were talking. He constantly interrupt
ed. The contest papers We're signed
by a committee which does not repre-
sent any county where there is con-
test This committee, which so far
as the record went. was voluntary
one, consists of w. F. Parrott, Black
Hawk county; T. F. Bevington, Wood
bury; D. H. Bowen, Allamakee; M. F.
Stookey, Decatur; F. M. Molesberry,
Louisa; Il. C. Gibson, Cerro Gordo; j.
G. Mabry, Monroe, and H. G. MoMil-
Ian, Linn.