Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-03-19
SENATE PROMPTLY PASSES
HOUSE BILL OPENING RATH-
BUN JURY EVIDENCE.
GRAND JURY SECRETARY
ORDERED TO BRING NOTES
Special Counsel eysrs Now Prepared
to Bring investigation to Definite
and Speedy Conclusion - Inquiry
VIII Necessarily Lead to Investisa'
ton Of Havner.

Des Moines, March ls.--ln the iudg
ment of Special Counsel W. II. Byers
the investigation OF the Rathbun
pardon matter before the house judi
ciary committee will make substan-
tial progress from the time the COM
m'ttee reCOnvenes Friday until the
Investigation is over. The Plans for
securing the evidence have worked out
delay in bringing out all important
so well that there viii be little IL any
evidence. ne declares.
Both the senate and house Tues day
passed promptly the two bills which
viii require witnesses before the COM
mittee To give testimony without TAX
ing shelter behind the grand jury pro-
vision that all such proceedings be
kept secret. These bills were brought
out by the refusal or Judge Kennedy,
of Sioux city, To answer many Of the
questions put 10 him in tho frst meet =
ing Of the committee.
One Of these bills provides that any
member of the grand jury and the
clerk may re required TO disclose the
testimony Of any witness before the
grand iisE. The other requires that
every one Served with a subpoena in
the same manEer as in civil suits is
compelled tn testify before a lesisla-
tives com mittee, II further provides
that noTwitnese cant he held crimlnally
liable fer any evidence which he may
pre- sent before TIE committee. These
two bills VIII be promptly signed by
the governor and will become laws on
publication so that they will be In
full forces and effect when the com
mittce meets Friday 10 continue its
To Secure Grand jury Notes.
At the irst meeting Of the com
mit'ee Charles Hamilton. OF Sioux
City, clerk Of the grand jury in the
probe az Ida county was directed to
present transcript OF the shorthand
notes taken al the grand jury sitting.
These VIII ne IN the hands " the
members of the committee when they
meet Friday. Therefore with this
evidence the committee wishes TO OBJ
tain frernL -him.the judiciary committee
members will have at hand the evi-
dence which will enable them 10 pro-
coed promptly and thoroughly.
One OF the matters which the com
mittec will probe further will be the
auashtng Of all indictments which the
Ida county grand jury returned IN
the affair except the one which in :
dicted Ernest Rathbun for perjury.
An investigation Of these matters
will lead to probe into the activities
of Attorney General Havner and
Special Prosecutor Kennedy. Judge
Kennedy in his first appearance before
the committee in reply to question
by Special Counsel Byers said he did
not know what BEGAN me of these in
dictments.
To Quarantine Influenza.
Des MOines. March 19.-Spanish in
fluenza would be subject 10 quarantine
if the state senate approves the bill
passed by the house by vote of IS
TO 10 after Chairman Neff, Of the pub
lie health committee recommended the
measure as being of vital Importance
due TO q recurrence Of the disease in
Montgomery county.
House members are invited to visit
Iowa City next Sunday TO inspect the
state hospital for crippled children I'M
der the Perkins law, but it was not de-
cjded whether the invitation would be
accepted. 4 decision will probably be
reached within a few days.