Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-02
ATTORNEY GENERAL cossoN
MAKES TENSE COMMENT ON
MARKS VERDICT.
PROSECUTION NOT ENDED.
SECOND INDICTMENT PENps
State Will Move for Change Of Venue
to Another County When Second
Case 10 Called - Petta~attamis
County Scored as Unhealthy Civic
Community.

LES NhOlIeS, Jan. g. II NdS SIMPLY
a question of whether one man and
the system behind him was bigger
than the law, ana the law lost"
That is what George Cosson, at
torney general, has to say of the de-
feat of the state by the jury in the
Pottawattamie county district court
at Council Bluffs that returned YER
dict acquitting Ben Marks, political
boss of Council Bluffs for years, Of
the charge Of conspiracy for alleged
acts in connection with the dealings
Of the ]. C. Mabray swindling games
Mr. Cosson, John Fletcher, assistant
attorney general. and Henry E. Samp-
, son returned from Council Bluffs,
! where they have been for the last two
weeks at work on the Marks case.
Il will say this said Mr.. Cosson,
Eve presented a very strong case. a
jury in any one Of majority of the
counties in Iowa other than Pottawat-
TAME would have convicted Ben Marks
on the evidence offered by the state a.
Council Bluffs"
! The investigation Of the charges
against the Polk county board Of sup
ervisors to be brought by the CONNER
| cial Club. looking to removal proceed
ings against the officials under the
provisions of the Ccsson laws, viii be
taken I'D by the attorney genera! inl-
mediately.
Gov. Is. F.. Carroll is also anxious
that Mr.. Cosson get the members OF
the prison probe commission together
Immediately. so he may have the lons
deferred report of the investigators
on the Fort Madison penitentiary. Mr..
Cosson will try to have the commission
complete its work this week and ar
range for report without any delay
Also the matter Of starting removal
proceedings against Fred w. Hoffman,,
chief of police Of Muscatine, for al
legged malfeasance in office because OK
his official acts in connection with
the button workers strike, will be dis
posed of in a few days.
Still Another Indictment.
! All of these important matters. whfc n
have stacked UP during Mr.. Cosson' $
stay in Council Bluffs. will be disposed
of. if possible, before Jan. 10. when he
has TO go to Chicago to attend the I'M
portant rate hearings before the inter-
| trat commerce commission so Mr.. Co.'S
| son stated
| Altho Mr.. Cosson has no other alter
native than to submit to the finding OF
the Jury for Ben Marks. Marks prose-
| cutior has not yet ended, Mr.. Cosson
| asserts.
There is anotherxn1tctnhent hanging
over Marks on cifarSe Of compound
ing felony. The Indictment charges
/ that he knew of the operations OF Ma
! f,,sS fol roph apE
and wrestling matches and aided IN
preventing the officers Of the law from
doing their duty in stopping these
! practices.
! 1t is understood that Attorney GEN.
eral Cosson will attempt to have Marks
tried on this count In d court removed
| from Pottawattamie county.
| Mr.. Cosson is very much disappoint-
ed at the outcome Of the Marks case.
| Eight people out Of every ten in the
court room Saturday expected thai
! Marks would be convicted. l was no.
positive of a conviction, because l knew
what we were up against, but l was
/ positive of a hung jury.
The situation in Council Bluffs Is
F! the natural result Of q towns being ru'
wide open for years and years. 1t is
| the result of the political boss.
NO. Council Bluffs is not In
healthy civic condition. Mr.. Cossor
said, in answering a question. 1T u
the Abe Ruefs and Tom Dennisons anC
Zen Markses that are striking at the
core of city government"
The question OF the disposition Of the
Mabray indictments Is also matter
yet to be determined.