Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-04-14
. 49 q
The lid" to Go on.

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The "Lid" to Go On.
Des Commissions Ham
cry, who under the new plan of gov
eminent has been assigned to the
department OF public safety, says the
lid" must go on.
There is to be general renova-
ton of the present police department"
said the commissioner There are
good men in that department now
and there are some bad ones. For
instance, the sports who have been
elevated to the ranks of the police
must go. There are men in the Des
Moines police department today who
are typical sports OF the worst variety.
One of the first moves that shall
make will be to rid the department
of these men. The safety of the peo-
pie of great city should not be in
the hands of FOUNDERS and patrons OF
the red light district. If the people
want the lid on can certainly put it
, on for them and If they desire it, it
will be clamped on tight. intend
to use my influence to get an ideal
chief of police. am in favor of a
man with some police experience and
he must know Des Moines. There will
be no open gambling and the men
who are running clubs had better be
careful. will not express myself
upon the social evil. It needs a great
deal of attention. In dealing with 1t
shall remember that the code OF
Iowa plays great part and, as an
official, will be expected to be
guided by it."
The Third Rocker Appeal.
The third appeal in the Charles
Rocker case has been taken and the
case will be submitted to the supreme
court in May.
Deputy Attorney General Lyon has
/ just started upon the states brief in
/ this case, having been served with
the abstract and argument of the ap-
pellant.
Rocker lived in Lyon county and
was convicted of numbering his wife's
first husband. He appealed to the
supreme court and the decision was
reversed. He had been given death
sentence On retrial he was found
guilty of the crime and was given a
life sentence by the jury. But the
court set aside the verdict and grant
ed Rocker new trial.
For the third time he was convicted
and again his punishment was fixed
at life Imprisonment. 1t Is from this
judgment that he now has appealed.
Rocker was convicted, first, on the
testimony of his wife to the effect
that he had disclosed the murder OF
her first husband by talking in his
sleep. The court held that she could
not testify. But 1t was on the infor
nation furnished in this way that he
was convicted later, it is said, and II
is claimed that the state could moi
have convicted him If it had not had
the information as basis.
Points on Iowa Railroads.
Perhaps but small percentage Of
the people of this state realize that
Iowa is the most thoroughly railroad
ed state west of the Mississippi rive
and that it ranks among the first il
the United States. A glance at the
railroad map of Iowa will reveal the
fact that there is not one county Ii
the state that is not traversed by al
least one railroad. There are only
seven very small parts of the state
that are located more than ten miles
from railroad. At no place does the
distance exceed twenty miles, Thirty
six railroads and electric interurbar
roads, with 1904 miles of tracks
have lines running through the state
in one part or another. The steam
railroads have 1924 miles of tracks II
the state and 22O miles of interurbar
systems are in operation. Two hun
dred miles of additional interurbar
roads are under consideration. The
railroad tracks of Iowa, If made int
a single track, would reach from De:
Moines to Hongkong, and would make
a continuous line from Des Moines tt
Sydney, Australia. The rails used ii
the railroads Of Iowa would construc
three track system between New
York and San Francisco.
Maj. Byers Loans Painting.
Major and Mrs. s. H. M. Byers, who
are soon to go upon tour of three
months to Italy and the other Medi
terranean countries, have placed theil
famous painting of the Madonna il
the historical department, to remaiI
until their return.
The canvas hangs in the office O
Acting Curator Harlan, who accepted
1t without risk to the state during the
absence from this country of the
owners. Major Byers superintendet
the hanging of the picture.
Before transferring 1t from theil
home, st. Helens, Major and Mrs
Byers secured an insurance of $1,000
on the painting. AS companies &C
cepting this sort of risk do not In
sure for an amount greater than one
third the value Of the property, theil
risk in this instance may be taker
as a suggestion of the intrinsic value
OF the work. What valuation nigh
be put upon 1t by fanciers of thu
work OF the artist to whom it is at
tributed, can only be connected.
1t is pronounced to be from tn,
brush of Annibale Carracci, Bologn
csc, born Nov. 8, 1860.
Elected Under New Plan.
A. j. Mathis will be the first mayo
of Des Moines under the Des Nome!
plan. and John MacVicar, Wesley Ash
Y Charles Schramm and John L. Hamer,
will serve with him on the council
Il These men were elected by tn,
people of the capital city of Iowa, dur
ing a rain that drizzled all day long
The vote cast was as large as tina
pOlled at the primary election -