Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-03-14
MOUNT PLEASANT

1Ml. TlSdSaIlt, ualQpeT WIS lnTOWu
on the rejoicing of the students over
their victory last Friday night when
it was announced that their had been
mistake in the. tabulating of the
rankings of the various contestants.
Complaint was made by several rep
resentatives of other schools and the
executive committee of the oratorical
association was in session all day Sat
urday going over the rankings. Late
Saturday night they unanimously decid-
ed that they would uphold the rank
ings as first announced, Carl Krenmy
er winning first place. This came as
good news to the students yet their
is slight possibility that the rank
ings will not stand. The question
raised was whether or not after the
orations had been ranked on thought
and composition and the seven lowest
eliminated the remainded should be
re-ranked before the final rankings.
The constitution is ambiguous on this
point and the method followed was the
same used last year in which they
were not again re-ranked
William Bowman Gets 20 Years.
William Bowman (colored) was
sentenced yesterday hy Judge With
row to an indeterminate sentence in
the penitentafry the maximum being
twenty years; Bowman was convicted
last week Of the charge of assault with
intent to commit rape on little May
Briggs and it is the general opinion
around town that he did not get any
more than was due him. Upon being
asked how old he was he said he was
twenty-four which statement was so
ludicrous on the face of 1t that 1t even
caused the court to smile. The fact
of the matter is that the negro is so
grossly ignorant that he does not even
know how old he is. Several witnesses
We're examined who testified that they
had known him for over thirty years
and it is thought that he is about forty
years of age. A motion for new
trial was overruled by the judge.
Other News of Interest.
President Shelton of Simpson college
delivered fine address at the vesper
service at the college chapel Sunday
afternoon These services are held
once month at the college chapel
and are exceedingly popular being
we'll attended by both the students and
toWns-people. President Shelton is an
alumnus of the college of the class Of
70 having been born and raised in
this city. President Shelton in com
pany with Mrs. Shelton expect to
spend the summer aboard
AT meeting of the school board
last night it was decided to take steps
Immediately for the erection of new
High school building. 1t is the thought
Of the board to take the $4,000 back
taxes which are paid into the school
by the Beckwith and Mcclure estates
to apply on this amount. This will
fill a long felt want the old Centen-
NAL building being almost beyond use.
Considerable interest has been taken
in this city over the decision reached
Saturday at TT. Madison in the Coons
case. Rev. Coons was a former pastor
here and filed a petition for divorce
which was granted. Mrs. Coons then
started action to have the divorce set
aside on the ground of his pergury
and fraud. The case was decided Sat
urday in favor of the defendant, Rev.
Coons. It is said that the case will
be carried to the supreme court.
Senator McManus of Keokuk, one of
the leaders Of the minority In the
| io"Si ilouSS III LllG WdS Ill
the city last week to attend the state
oratorical contest
Rev. Hightshoe, former pastor of the
Main Street Methodist church in Of
tumwa but now of this city, left for
Ottumwa this morning where he will
spend the week. He is engaged in
work with the American Home Find
ing association.
! DR.. G. Walter Barr of Keokuk. was
in the city last week to attend the
state oratorical contest of which he
was one of the judges on delivery. DR..
Barr is thorough going Journalist
| and one of the most vedsatile writer's
in the state.
Messrs Cox, Hasenaugh and Walker
of Bloomfield, spent Friday and Sat
urday of last week in this city visit
ing friends and attended the oratorical
contest. They are all seniors in high
school this year and expect to come
here to college next year.
| Mr. Arnold, a student at Drake Uni
versity, preached at the Christian
church last Sunday. At present they
are without a pastor
| The republican county convention
| last Saturday was a stand off between
| the two factions of the party. Neither
side had control and the balance of
power was so evenly divided that
both sides We're afraid to fight and so
compromised on everything Divided
delegations were sent to both the
state and county conventions. Taft
was heartily endorsed for president
but Congressman Kennedy was not
mentioned in the resolutions.
CLARK GETS ONE YEAR IN
| JAIL AND Sam EINE