Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1909-01-21
new MEASURES
SHOW WAY TO
ENFORCE LAWS
PROPOSED BILLS GIVE COVER
NOR POWER TO REMOVE DERE-
LlcT OFFICIALS; CITY AND
COUNTY OFFICERS AFFECTED.

Des Moines, Jan. 19-At the con-
vening OF the legislature today Sen
ator Cossin introduced three bills pre-
pared by the attorney general which
will define the power Of that Office and
give the governor additional authority
to remove such officers as fail to per-
form or neglect to perform their duty.
The first bill will define the duty of
county attorneys. 1t is drastic meas
ure and provides that the county at
torney shall be the chief law enforcing
officer of his county. 1t outlines his
duties in the matter Of prosecuting
any infraction of the law and requires
that he must appear in the supreme
court in any case on appeal if taken.
He also must report to the county
boards of supervisors in any case
where the county is interested and
must report to the attorney general in
any criminal case on which appeal is
taken. He must act as representative
of his county in every case in which
the county is party and must see
that the laws are enforced in his
county.
When Officials May Be ousted.
Another bill provides that all coun-
ty attorneys. mayors, sheriffs, police
officers, constables or any other peace
officer may be removed from office
by the governor when charges are en-
tered in writing and trial had under
the following causes:
For habitual or wilful neglect of
duty for wilful misconduct or malad-
ministration in Office, for corruption
for eXtortion upon, conviction of
felony, for intoXication or upon con-
yiction of being intoxicated.
A petition charging such Offenses
may be filed by any officer or by any
five citizens Of the county in which
such officer resides. Such petition
shall be filed with the governor and
shall state the charges brought
against the officer When the case is
brought the place for hearing shall be
fixed and notice given the accused,
and he is entitled to full hearing.
Governor May Conduct Hearing.
Upon the filing of a petition the gov
ernor may suspend such officer from
his Office pending trial. The governor
may conduct such hearing in person
or may appoint a commissioner who
shall hear all the evidence in the
case. If upon the hearing provided
for the charges made in the petition
are proved, the governor shall make
an order of removal and cause certi-
fed copy to be forwarded to the proper
officers and the vacancy thus created
shall be filed as provided by the
present laws.
Another bill which will be intro
duced later on will provide that the
attorney generals Office shall be re-
organized so that it shall be able to
administer justice in all cases where
complaints are made in regard to
present administrations OF laws, the
object being to see to it THAT all
criminal laws of the state are en-
forced.
Another bill will refer to the office
of sheriffs, especially. 1t will provide
that it is the special duty of sheriffs
to preserve the peace and to ferret out
crime, to apprehend and arrest Grim
inals, and SO far as it is within his
power to secure evidence of all crimes
of whatever character committed in
his county.
May Ask Anyone to Aid Him.
He is reqired to present such evi-
dence to the county attorney and to
the grand jury, and he is to file in
formation against all persons he
knows or has reasons TO believe have
violated the laws of the state. The
sheriff is authorized to call any per-
son to aid him arrest criminals or
prevent crime.