Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-08
JONES AFTER COWNIE'S JOB
Former Warden Of Penitentiary
Planning for Revenge.
VARY ON PRISON MANAGEMENT
House Agrees with senate TO Send
One Committee TO visit All n
state Institutions and
Report.
(From a staff correspondent

DIES MONIES. Feb. 7.-(Special)-N. n.
Jones, ex-warden OF the state prison Al
Fort Madison, would like to go on the
State Board Of Control, succeeding John
Cownie. The situation suggests that be-
fore the close of the legislative session
there may be some big politics In the
game.
Last week the senator from Cass county
wanted to get into the resolution for the
visiting committees a mysterious clause
providing for investigation into the man
agement of certain institutions. Someone
began to talk about hidden scandals, etc.
Then It was remembered that ex-Warden
Jones was sheriff Of Csss county when he
was appointed warden years ago. 1t was
also recalled that a good sized breeze has
been stirred up at the prison by a doctor
who wanted tc be prison physician under
the warden and got left. Now it is dis
closed that Jones has been picked as the
man who is to go on the Board Of Control
when the work of recognizing along diff
feTent lines is commenced.
1t is John Cownie' place that is wanted
on the board, as his term expires next, and
the place must be filled before the present
legislature quits. Cownie is not a politi-
clan. but is the most independent man on
earth. The fight against Sanders at Fort
Madison, so it is said, has been only
nomInally against the new warden, and
really against the Board of Control, for
the innovations have all been at least
sanctioned by the board. In fact 1t was
Just to bring about a modernization OF
methods at the prison that a new warden
was selected, and thus far the experiment
has been very gratifying to those respon-
sible for it.
When Warden Jones was not reappointed
he became indignant over the matter and
vowed vengeance on the board. But 1t was
alleged that while he was very good as
things went under the old system, he did
not try very hard to do anything to better
the condition of the men Now, 1t is as
serted, there has been improvement all
round, the food is better, the chapel ex-
ercises are frightened by music, the night
schools are popular. the Sunday school is
thriving. and the men are encouraged to
a better life.
Waiting Committees Again.
The house accepted the senate plan
for one visiting committee and changed
the number of members to five, but also
, made il obligatory that they shall visit
the three state colleges. The senate re-
fused to take up the resolution today.
The house passed the bill by Lee TO
require that the secretary of state shall
send out as quickly as they become laws
all bills that have the publication clause,
one to each county clerk, so the courts
may know what the legislature is doing.
The house also passed the bill by
Koontz to authorize increase of the tax
levy for fire purposes to 3 mills; also
a bill by Ripley to provide for settle
+; ment of estates of absentees.
A Legal Fence.
A new idea as to what is a legal fence
has bobbed up in the house and the
agriculture committee has sanctioned it.
This is embodied in the Berry bill, which
provides that a legal fence in Iowa shall
be a woven wire fence and no other. II
will make of all legal fences that which
will keep out hogs and the chickens and
the little pigs. The agricultural COM
mittee divided on the measure, Is to 10.
No special manufacture is designated in
the bill.
Flag and Banner Banquet.
The members of the legislature are
generally arranging to attend the Tippe-
canoe banquet next Tuesday evening
when the flag and banner will be pre-
sented TO the best republican counties
The banner comes back from Monona
and goes to Emmett county and the flag
is given over by Polk and goes to Winnie
bago.
Hears LabOring Men.
The two Judiciary committees yester-
day heard the railroad men and the rep
resentatives of the labor orders on the
bills relating to employers liability. The
house committee sent the bill to a sub
committee consisting of Lee, Hacker
and Crozier. The senate judiciary COM
mittee endorsed the Clarkson bill, which
changes the rule as to the assumption
of risk and makes 1t clear that the fact
of an employee remaining at work after
a defect in machinery is known does moi
bar him from holding the employer la
BILE for injuries.