Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-24
WIDENER'S ALIBI
SATISFIES COURT
Man Accused of Murder Will
Be Given Freedom by Des
Moines Judge.
CASE is INSUFFICIENT
tFrom a staff Correspondent,

Des Moines, Ia, Dec. 23.-(Special
Telegram. Municipal Judge Mer
shon at the preliminary hearing of
Kimmage Widener charged with the
murder of Elizabet. Watts, telephone
operator, who died from carbolic
acid poisoning November q, init
mated today that the alibi offered by
the defense Friday was sucient. In
overriding motion to dismiss the
charge and in continuing the case I'M
til next Wednesday afternoon the
court significantly said;
Il have no reason to doubt that this
defendant left Des Moines on Wa
bash train at OILS a. m. on the day Of
the girls death. OF course | will hear
any testimony TO disprove this which
the prosecution may have"
The charge against Widener is
based on the statement of the girls
mother, Mrs. Anna Cunningham, that
he was with her at the time she took
poison about l0:45 or II a. m.
Select Senate Employees.
Senator Addison M. Parker OF Polk
county has been selected chairman of
a legislative committee to recommend
candidates for the clerical positions
in the senate during the coming leg
islature, The other members of this
committee are Senators Joe R. Frai-
ley of Fort Madison, Clement F. Kim
ball of Council Bluffs, P. c. Holdoegel
of Rockwell City and Karl LeCompte
of Corydon. This committee has been
appointed by Senator c. c. Helmer of
Carroll, caucus chairman. Senator
Helmer wrote to all of the state SEN
ators to secure their approval OF this
plan, which is an entirely new one.
The committee will meet on Janu-
airy and will report to a caucus to
be held at the Slavery hotel January
6. The working force OF the senate
will then be selected and can be ready
for work when the senate opens Jan
uary s and thus the delay and wran-
Cling of the first few days Of the ses-
sion over these positions will be done
away with,
Is Against Primary Law.
Former Senator F. NJ. Molsberry OF
Columbus Junction believes the thir-
ty-seventh general assembly should
amend the primary law. He declares
the static does not get as good men
under the primary law as it formerly
did under the old convention system.
Il believe all OF the more important
offices should be nominated in con-
vention," he said today while on a
visit to the state house. THE county
officers could be nominated in pri-
mary, but state officers and members
OF congress should be chosen in a
convention When this primary law
first came up was member of the
Legislature and was interested in it.
Leslie NJ. Shaw, then governor of
Iowa, wrote me long letter regard
ing the law, in which he outlined the
trouble which would be experienced
under such law Everyone of those
predictions made by Leslie NJ. Shaw
have come true. Men who were for
the primary are now against it"
Governors Secretary Gets Job.
A. c. Gustafson, secretary of Gov
ernor Clarke, has accepted position
with the firm OF George NJ. Bechtel
& Co. of Davenport, we'll known deal
ers in municipal bonds and securities.
His work will be in the purchasing d.
vision OF the concern. He will as
sunme his new duties soon after the
first OF the year. Gustafson came to
Des Moines to become secretary to
Governor Clarke from Red Oak. He
was formerly in the newspaper BUSH