The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-11-23
Outgoing Officers at Court
House Discuss Future Plans.
Many VIII Open Law Offices
Norton for Mayor, Maybe.

The outgoing officers at the court
house will engage in various kinds of
business after January 10. next, when
their terms of office expire. Four of
the eight men whose faces, as officers,
Will be seen. no more at the court
mouse, are attorneys, and will prose-
cute their practices of law. One of
the other four has a business In which
he already Is engaged. The other
three have not decided just what they
will do.
w. F. Schoch, probate Judge, will
return to the active practice of law.
He has made record that will be
hard to beat in the office of probate
and juvenile judge, even those who
most seriously opposed him admitting
that he had made good
Colonel Jonathan d. Merton, sher-
fff, says he will enter some line of
business. His plans may be altered
in case he makes the race for the
office of mayor next spring, as he is
being urged to do. Ee is not sure
what line he will go into.
Samuel G. Zimmerman, county
clerk, says he is candidate for &
job in which he can make a living.
No more politics for Sam, he says, and
he declares nothing will tempt him,
anyways soon at least, to re-enter the
political arena
Edwin L. O'Neil, an attorney, will
retire to his law offices, will Ernest
X, Simon, county attorney. Rad NJ.
Lee, clerk of the county court, also
is a lawyer and will open an office
Tor the practice of his profession as
soon as he steps out of his present
office. H. W. Bomgardner, coroner
will continue to devote his time to his
undertaking business, as he has been
doing, when he steps out of office.
Terms They Have Served.
1t is interesting to note the length
of time the several officers have
served. On January 13, when the new
officers will take their offices, Judge
Schoch will have completed four
years, two terms. Sheriff Norton will
have served approximately three and
half years, the first eighteen months
having been an appointive term.
Zimmerman will have served six years,
three terms. O'NeiI has served only
one term, but in the case of a coun-
ty commissioner this is four years.
Simon has served but one term of
two years. Lee has served nearly
four years, having been elected in the
spring Of 1909 when the election to
his office was held with the regular
city election. He did not need to run
again as the last legislature changed
the time for the election to the gem
eral election in the fall. and permitted
the incumbentS to hold over. Bonn
gardner has served less than a year,
having been appointed to fill an un-
expired term left by the departure of
DR.. H. H. Keith.
1t is interesting to note also that
seven of the eight who are going out
of office were candidates before the
primaries for reelection. Five of
them were unsuccessful, Simon being
a nominee who was defeated by a
narrow margin at the election.
. The eighth man is Tim Donovan.
who has served as a peace officer in
the county for as long a period, per-
haps, as any other man in the service.
A Democrat he has been successful
heretofore in securing votes enough
to elect him. He was the party nom
inee at the primary. but missed cleo
ton by several hundred votes at the
election.