South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-03-12
G. 0 P. CHAIRMAN
AWARDED COUNTY
ATTORNEY PLUM
Board Splits Republican Or.
ganization by Naming Klein
to Succeed MacKibbins.

Three distinct and hostile repub-
Iican political camps. which may
have an important bearing on fu-
ture republican efforts. were re-
veaIed here Friday when & became
known that the board u county
commissioners meeting IN secret
session had appointed Fred c. Klein,
chairman Of the republican county
central committee. 20 succeed Stuart
MacKibbln. democrat. az county at
torney.
The action or the commissioners
is the elimination o. a three cor
nered fight FOR the appointment. the
three corners consisting Of the city
administration. the Fred A. Miller
and Archie Graham faction OF the
republican party and the regular
party organization.
Meeting In secret session last
Monday the commissioners, through
the vote Of the democratic member
OF the board. gave the much coveted
plum 20 Chairman Klein.
The city administration was back
~ Cyrus F. Pattee. who withdrew
from the race for the republican
nomination for prosecuting attorney
in order 20 give Floyd o. JeliisOn,
supported by the Carson crowd, a
clear field for the nomination. The
county attorneyship was 10 be Mr..
Pattee's reward for his withdrawal
from the race last May.
Wanted Lem Dare.
The Mmer-Graham faction was
supporting Lem Oare for tho APP
Iointment to be made by the Coun-
~ commissioners. II Is understood
that Mr.. Oare was being backed by
Messrs. Miller and Graham 20 keep
him from being a candidate for the
new superior court bench If the
general assembly passed the court
bill which it finally did.
The candidate for the county at
torneyship Of the regular republi-
can organization was Mr. Klein, its
head The fight for the county at
tOrneyship began as soon as the bal
\ lots last fall were counted, and il
was seen that a majority OF the
county commissioners was republi-
can.
Mr.. Pattee entered the race for
the appointment with the backing
Of Mayor Carson and the city hal!
organization and the support Of
Noah c. Lehman. newly elected
member OF the board OF county com
missioners. placed there by repub-
lican majority.
Has Organization support.
Mr.. Klein entered the race with
the support Of the regular republi-
can organization and that OF Mark
l.. Brummitt. republican member Of
the board and reelected last Novem-
Der
The candidacy Of Mr.. Dare had
the undivided backing Of Messrs-
Miller and Graham and their fac
tion of the republican party here,
but lacked any votes among the
commissioners. Ernest Beebe, the
democratic member of the board,
did not appear to have any particu-
lar preference when the three-cOr-
nered fight started.
Pressure of every conceivable
nature is said TO have been exert
cd by the hackers of the cand dates
for the appointment particularly by
those of Pattee and Oare.
Firm for Pattcc.
Commissioner Lehman from ;he
start was for Mr. Pattee He is said
i. to had pointed out 10 him clearly
by the Carson faction that Mr..
Pattee should be rewarded for with
drawing in favor Of Pros. JellsOn.
Mr. Brummitt is known as a e
ular republican and naturally his
support went 20 Chairman Klein
COMMISSIONS Beebe had the decld-
ing vote but it is said that both Mr..
Lehman and Mr. Brummitt u TX
every IreCaution 10 keep the selec-
ton OF a new county attorney from
coming up for final vote until the
secret session last Monday.
Mr.. Lehman IS said TO have been
utterly and firmly opposed 10 nam
inc Mr. Klein. An equal firmness
IS said TO have been shown by Mr..
Brummitt against the appointment
az Mr.. Pattee Mr.. Beebe the demo-
cratic member OF course was not
given an opportunity TO show his
preference until the secret session
last Monday when the vote vas
taken and Mr.. Klein was victorious.
Pressure BECOMES Heavy.
Ia is said that the pressure upon
the two republican members OF the
board became so great that they
finally decided 20 end the cont-o-
versy. AR NacRibbin has been III
for some time and although his
term has not Vet expired. ne is ill.,
capacitated by mis- illness from at
tending the board meetings Since
This condition arose. the law firm OF
PettinEiu & Hubbard has been ap-
nearing In Mr. MaCkibbin's absence.
At the open meeting last Monday
morning. the one just preceding the
session at which Mr.. Klein
Vas named. City Judge Frank Gil
mpr appeared IN Mr.. MacKibbin's
place.
commissioners Lehman and
Prunn,itt argued that although Mr..
MacKIbbin's term has not expired
some one Of the political faith. gen
orally speaking at least should at
tend 20 the county attorneys duties,
and that the one whom they selected
would De familiar with the work
when Mr.. MaCKibbin'S term did eX-
pire and the new county attorney
assumed fun charge
Then came the vote last Monday
al the secret session. Earlier in the
dav Mcssrs Lehman and Brummitt
conferred with Commissioner Beebe
the democratic member. Neither
Mr.. Lehman nor Mr.. Brummitt
would give way. Mt Lehman still
insisted that Mr.. Pattee be named
and Mr.. Brummitt continued 10 sup