The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-07-11
A THREE TIMES MAYoF
Also Case viii Attract Wide Atten-
ton Because Of the Presence
Of George cosson, Author
Of Law.

oiuiC pC6 lAuluS Oh al eHQl0SS amount
OF litigation In the courts of the dis
trict, perhaps reaching to the highest
tribunal of the state before vindica-
ton, justice, shall have secured her
dues, says the Ottumwa Courier
One more day and we are promised
the spectacle of Ottimwa's highest Of
ficial her chief executive, being hailed
before a judge of law and accused of
offenses prohibited by the statutes en-
acted by public Representatives and
fellow citizens of the accused, for has
not Thomas J. Phillips citizenship
in familiar fellowship with a stateful
of the best of men in all walks of
life? To each and every allegation
will be entered the plea of denial, of
not guilty.
cosson or Fletcher.
Inasmuch as George Cosson, assist
ant in the office of Attorney General
Byers, is author of the Cosson law and
the candidate for election to succeed
his present superior, it is expected
that Cosson will personally conduct
the prosecution. Wide notoriety will
attach to the case, Mayor Phillips be-
ing big man in the worlds eye, a
three-times mayor of his city, form
er candidate for governor, man in
days past who has held high positions
in the big industrial circles, trusted
implicitly at all times in all situations
and who has Loyalty sustained the
opinions which held him as capable
and candidate and singularly success
full man of affairs. Then, Mayor Phil
lips is born fighter for the right as he
sees it. OF deep convictions and
steadfast for principle, no foe, politi-
cal or personal, can hope for an easy
victory, If victory is at all possible.
Looking back over the past it must be
conceded that this battle-scared war
rior of score of struggles for SUI
premacy has seldom met defeat and
when reverses did come they event
uated, finally, to his advantage and
the naturalization of his plans. To
day he Is the mayor of the city, big,
| brave, buoyant and surrounded by
! practically an entire city OF friends
and well wishers who cannot conceive
why his removal should result from
| the charges as filed One week hence
the downfall may come. Not by a
| jury of his peers, OH no! BY trial
without jury and before judge who
may be dictated to by the states at
| torneys office.
When George Cosson studied out
his plan for taking over local govern
ments he did not specify that any city
or county official may be removed by
enforcement of law in the hands of
the attorney general, he singled out
the mayor of the city and the sheriff
Of the country. To these, when &C
cused by information filed, jury trial
/ Is denied To any other county Of
| fetal treasurer clerk, even the county
surveyor, there is the jury trial at
their convenience and to their prefer
ence. How long would the Phillips
case instigated chiefly by John w.
Gray. last before jury in any court,
especially the local court? 1t is
reasonable to assume from the re-
marks one hears about the city that
ii every business man was in Phil
lips jury that not one in twenty would
vote conviction.
Many Character Witnesses.
Monday, Judge j. G. Mitchell and
Attorney William McNett will file
their answer to the charges of ---eoxi
A cation, etc. Their instrument will
probably not contain dozen lines
possible two words will suffice, Not