Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-31

versary of their marriage. Mr. and Mrs.
William Battin today celebrated their
GOLD. wedding midst surroundings
tt were ideal in every respect.
While golden weddings are not UNI
Jmmon, it is the lot of but COM
4 ,arative few to live to enjoy the half
century mark of welded life, and bet
ter even still to realize, and have ones
friends know, that these fifty years to-
gether have been most happy ones.
Such is the distinction afforded Mr..
a good one to observe in growing old:k
avoid dangers and exeesses and adopt
regular and temperate habits. rms
rule Mr. Battin has adhered to strict
ly in his life, and he has to show for
it an active mind and body at 20 years
of age, and able to attend to the busl-
ness duties of his office every day.
Teacher, Judge, Promoter.
Mr.. Battin looks back today upon
busy life in Marshall county. He be-
gan his career in the business world as
a school teacher, in Ohio. He then
conducted general store, became
Judge Of the county court the last OF
this countys number. to survive, ana
the last of very few under the old
regime in Iowa. He then became
railroad promoter. then a mine opera
tor, and p farmer, Since returning to
Marshalltown the last time to live, in
1891, he served several terms as justice
of the peace in this township, and for
several years has conducted sue
cessful insurance and loan. business.
Comes to Iowa in 1856.
Mr.. Battin came to Iowa in 1856,
landing at Iowa City, then the farthest
western railroad point. and in the
April following came to Lafayette,
now Albion, and opened general
store. In 1859 he was elected county
Judge as a candidate of the Marshall
town party, which was then in
hand to hand controversy with Mari
eta over the location Of the county
seat. 81
Were Heated Days.
Those were heated days. A contest
had ragged for years over the removal
of the county seat from Marietta to
MarshalltoWn. An election had been
held, and Marshalltown was the victor,
altho the matter will still in the courts
on an appeal.
Early in his term as judge there
came before him a petition, extensive
ly signed, asking that Especial election
be held to consider the question OF
moving the county seat from MARSHALL
town to Albion, in which the Marietta
party Joined. The law required that
such petition should contain the
names Of majority of the legal voters
Of the county as shown by the last
preceding census The petitioners
claimed the requisite number of names
but a remonstrance was also forth
coming from Marshalltown. To this
document were affixed even larger
number of names, and to make the
fight more interesting each party
claimed that the others petition con-
tanned names not rightfully belonging
there. Each asked to make show
ing on the others petition. Some had
signed both, which might account for
the excess Of names.
Important Questions to Decide.
There were some important ques-
lions for the young judge to decide,
and decision must be made at once.
SHOULD the majority ruler" Judge
Battin decided it should. Consequent
ly, if the Albion petition contained the
greater number of legal voters names,
then special election should be called.
If the remonstrance was greater, no
election was necessary. The supreme
court confirmed a like decision a few
years later, showing Judge Battin's
ruling TO be correct.
Another question was what to do
with the like names on both petitions.
Judge Battin held that neither would
be counted. In this he was wrong,
as the courts later decided in another
similar case This point, however, did
not affect this particular case, as it
left the majority Of the Marshalltown
petition the same.
II ~ Feeling Was Intense.
The feeling was most bitter and in
tense Excitement was at fever
heat. Midnight meetings were being