Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 January 1917 — SENATOR’S DEATH GIVES DEMOCRATS CONTROL [ARTICLE]

SENATOR’S DEATH GIVES DEMOCRATS CONTROL

Death of Senator In Indianapolis Tuesday Gives Democrats Control of the Senate. -Senator Wm. E. Greeny 60 years of age, who had been ill at an Indianapolis 'hospital Of double pneumonia died at 9:45 o’clock Tuesday night after a brief illness, which he, contracted after going to Indianapolis to attend the legislature. Senator Green was a republican and his home was in Albion. This was Senator Green’s first session as a member of the state legislature. The death of the senator gives the control of the senate temporarily at least to the democrats, who now have 25 members to the republicans 24. The only way the vacancy can be filled is by a special election. Governor Goodrich stated that he would call a special election. Ten days’ notice of such an election must be given. Work in committees was the programof the members of both houses. During the morning session the house passed the constitutional convention bill with only ten votes registered against it and passed the state wide prohibition bill for engrossment. The hill to abolish capital punishment was defeated in the senate, after a spirited debate which started Monday. The house received 7 seventeen new measures during the day. 'Speaker Eschbach has let it be known that he proposed to hand down the prohibition bill for final passage today. The dry forces, it is said, are pressing the bill and the wish expressed by many members of the measure out of the way for busines s. House leaders predicted the Ijill would be passed.