Omaha daily bee., 1910-07-11
COWNIE CASE STILL OPEN
Grand Jury Adjourns Without Bring
ing in ANY Charges.
HINT AT CIVIL DAMAGE SUITS
Probability that Next Legislature
VIII Investigate Incident, with
View TO Getting Motive
Back of Charge.

(From a staff Correspondent)
DIES MONIES, July 1O.-(Special 1.-The
final adjournment Of the grand jury in this
county without bringing an indictment In
connection with the accusations made as
to the Encouragement Of the state Board
OF Control at the State School for Girls,
leaves the whole matter in much the same
position II was in a year and a half ago
when the matter was first stirred up and
the fight commenced to take Chairman
John Cownie off the State board. The only
other possible alternative is that civil suit
for damages be commenced in the local
courts.
The matter first came up when the legis-
lature met a year and half ago and
efforts were made to secure a purely poll
teal investigation Of the state institu-
tons The legislature turned this down,
though the house did appoint a committee
to make inquiry into the hospitals and a
report was made which carried no force.
Before the close Of the session It became
evident that the attack was largely upon
the board of control system as such and
It was because Of this that the legisla-
ture refused TO sanction the removal of
Mr.. Cownie as chairman at that time.
The outbreaks at the Mitchellville school
last winter were made the occasion for
renewed attacks on Mr.. Cownie with the
result that he was ordered to resign under
penalty Of being held up to public scorn.
But whether any further action is now
taken in the courts It is regarded as abb
solutely certain the next legislature will
make an investigation and this will dis.
close the motives back of those who have
acted In the matter of the removal of Mr..
Cownie. Members of the legislature have
already expressed themselves in favor OF
an investigation.
state Building May he PrObed.
| II will also be up to the state legislature
to make an investigation into the work
being done in the construction Of the new
physics building at the state university
Recently the Board of Education and Its
architect came before the state executive
council and asked for permission to spend
900 for extras" on the building, in al
6ition to what was approved by tho legis
lature The consent was given, but II Is
known that members of the council ques-
toned very much the propriety of doing the
same. The last legislature investigated th'
building of residences for the presidents Of
two of the institutions and condemned thu
same, and at the time gave warning tina
in the future something more than censur'
might be applied IL funds were used with
out authority
Phillips Case to BE Tried.
Senator George Cosson, special counse
in the office of attorney general and AS
sistant Attorney General John Fletcher will
go to Ottumwa on Monday to take charg
of the case brought by the civic Ieagu
against Mayor T. J. Phillips to Dust hin
from office. The governor ordered tina
suit be brought for custer under the stat
laws. 1t is expected that the case vii
proceed along much the same lines as tn
case OF Chief Of Police Richmond of Coun
Gil Bluffs. Mayor Phillips is accused o
having violated the law In many respect
and to have countenanced violation of tn
law by maintaining G wide-open policy 4
regard to gambling and kindred evils.
Ready 10 Assess Railroads.
The state officials are ready to commenc
| the assessment of the railroads on Mon
day. They will take up the hearing Of tn
railroad attorneys and tax commissioners
and this will probably take all week a
| practically every railroad desires to b
heard before the council. They will be abb
, to show a material reduction in the ne
I profits of operation of the railroads
Iowa and viii claim that there should be
: reduction in the assessment The counc
Z will also assess the Independent car line
! and 5000 phone companies operating In tn
5 state It will also be called upon to equa
ize as between counties in the matter {
, personal property valuation.
Reduction in Coal Rates
'T'm confident we will get a material n
duction in rates." said c. e. Trotter, seer,
tary of the Commercial Coal association
who has been taking an active part in II
! state coal rate hearing this week.
October IL has been set as the day Il
!, final decision on the part Of the con
mission.
Made n New lows SilO.
Two years ago the agricultural enginee
ing section of the Iowa experiment static
: invented a new kind of silo. This silo
built of specially made hollow tile. 1t
as permanent as acement sllo, and muC
easier to construct 1t costs no more ths
the best grade of stave silo and viii La
several times as long.
Since this silo was first devised thirte'
have been constructed in various parts
the state. A careful account was kept
. actual cost OF construction. The mann
in which the silags kept was watched car
. fully. Without exception these silos a
!, proving satisfactory. The college peor
= now offer to furnish full instruction
Il construction free.