Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1910-05-30
COWNIE DEMANDS INQUIRY
Former Claimant Vans Grand Jury to
Look Into Charges.
ANSWER TO THE GOVERNOR
IL willing TO Go TO Penitentiary ~
Accusations Arc True-If False,
Demands Parliament of
slnnderers.
(From a staff Correspondent

(trom STAFF Correspondent
DIES MONIES, May 2s.-(special 1.-The
Developments Of the last week in the mat
ter OF alleged misconduct OF state officials
in regard to the former management OF the
state school for girls at Mitchellville will
undoubtedly result in a full investigation
by the grand jury to precede the still more
certain investigation by the legislature
when 1t meets. The matter was brought to
head by the attack made upon Chairman
John Cownie by Governor Carroll when the
latter gave out a report made to him by
the Board Of Control. alleging that respon-
| sibility for the outbreak at the Mitchell
Vile school must rest upon Mr.. Cownie
No hint of this had been given prior to
the forced resignation of Mr.. Cownie some
weeks ago. 1t now transpires, however,
that the governor had in his possession
some affidavits which he showed to his
| close friends and which are said to !ndi-
cate that Mr.. Cownie was himself guilty
OF grave offenses in connection with the
| school. AS soon as Mr.. Cownie had replied
vigorously to the charges of the governor,
the latter came out In a statement in which
ne made accusations against Mr.. Cownle
| hitherto not suggested and going much
| further in attacking him than ever before.
In short, 1t is alleged that for several years
under former superintendent the school
| had been mismanaged and that Mr.. Cownie
was party to the wrongs committed there.
| On the other hand, IL is pointed out that
| II what the governor says is true, then all
the members of the board must have known
| of the facts, and 1t is impossible to con-
| ceive how the governor himself could have
avoided knowledge of the same Now Mr.,
| Cowne has demanded that the matter be
Investigated and II the accusations of the
governor are true he says he will be WILL
| ing to go to the penitenuary, but II not
! true, then he shall insist upon the persons
| responsible for the circulation of the
ISLANDERS being punished to the limit of the
| law. He says the matter has, no relation
whatever to the primary election as far as
he is concerned and 1t will go on regard
less Of the outcome of the primary election.
But the net result of the whole matter is
to raise feeling that either there has been
very bad management OF the state institu-
lions the last year. with suspicion resting
on practically all Of them, or that there
has been gross case Of dragging the
matter into politics without reason
| Minor Places on Ticket.
While the major part of the contest In
Iowa is, Of course on the head of the
ticket, which will be the controlling matter
for the whole state there has been much
lively campaigning for minor places and
In some parts Of the state this is regarded
as more important than the governorship
There are three candidates for attorney
general. 1t is regarded as certain that
Senator George Cosson OF Audubon is In
the lead. He has gained much repute be.
cause Of his connection with the movement
hnNN laxv
forcement, and his personal connection
with the office Of attorney general, where
! he is special counsel. Speaker Guy II
Feeley Of Waterloo is, however. an aggres
sive candidate and probably will recedv,
the major part of what might be CALLED
he liberal vote w. T. Chatland of For
Dodge, one of the four colonies of Iowa
National Guard regiments, is the third
candidate.
For Railroad Commission.
There are six candidates for railroad
commissioner Colonel d. j. Palmer OF
Washington, the veteran of the board, is
] making his fifth race, with good prospects
of success. He has long been known as
the essentially conservative member and
has always stood in opposition to any radl.
cal action that would harm business II
seems probable that his fellow townsman
Clifford Thorne, who is exactly of opposite
type, will be the high man in the bunch
Thorne Is attorney for the farmers and
clippers in securing good rates and is ar
expert In rate matters. James H. Wilson
OF Adair, who is an old solder, will receive
large vote. The farmers and shippers
have picked Thorne and Chris Ottosen tc
win In the fight. The latter is a strone
business man of Humboldt county, OF
Scandinavian nativity, and has been ar
extensive shipper. Ed Site of Clay county
and Earl Ferguson OF Page county do not
seem to have made much Roadway.
: Not Urging Any New Laws.
State Superintendent John r. Riggs has
MADE public statement in regard to scifoo
! matters about which there has been much
misunderstanding in the state. He makes
II Plain that there is no proposal beine
urged by him or the department OF educa.
ton or by the teachers of the state look.
Ing to any new legislation IN the matter
OF providing for school consolidation. There
is abundance of law now for temporary
consolidation of schools or abandonment OF
schools where the expense is too great and
In all cases this must be done by vote OF
the patrons.
On Court Clerk,
Another interesting contest is on CLERK
of the supreme court. There are three fol
the place. Colonel II. L. Bousquet OF
Knoxville is the present clerk, by appoint.
! ment, to fill vacancy, and he was deputy
for a number Of years. Thomas II. Grub
who was file clerk in the office with Bous
quet, is also a candidate. The other is
Burgess w. Garrett. former parole clerk
who formerly lived In Decatur county
where he was long prominent in politics
He has conducted an aggressive campaign
w. w. Cornwall OF Spencer who asks