Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 May 1918 — JUDGE ROBERT M. VAN NATTA DEFEATED [ARTICLE]

JUDGE ROBERT M. VAN NATTA DEFEATED

Judge Robert M. VanNatta, son of Mr. and Mrs. John VanNatta, of this city and a former .Rensselaer resident, a graduate from the Rensselaer high school and a former teacher in the schools of the county, was defeated for re-nomination for judge of the Delaware-Grant county superior court last Tuesday. The Indianapolis News has the following in reference to Judge Van Natta’s defeat: “While the nomination of Robert F. Murray, a young Muncie lawyer, for judge of the Delaware-Grant county superior court on the Republican ticket, over the present judge, Robert M. Van Natta, of Marion, had been virtually conceded by Van Natta’s friends on the night of the primaries, Judge Van Natta’s stock rose steadily as out precincts in Grant county began to report yesterday, and when all precincts from aoth counties had finally sent in their figures, it Was discovered that Murray’s majority was only eightynine votes. “Judge Van Natta, who will have held the office continuously for eight years at the end of his present term, wired his congratulations to Murray and promised to work for Murray’s success at the polls in the election. This contest attracted much attention in both the counties concerned. Judge Van Natta has been the only judge of this court since it was created by the legislature. “Murray’s Democratic opponent ‘is Trank Feely, a Muncie lawyer and formerly judge of the city court lere. Grant and Delaware counties normally are strongly Republican, and the Republican nomination is usually regarded as equivalent to an election.”