Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1902 — INJUNCTION IS ASKED FOR. [ARTICLE]

INJUNCTION IS ASKED FOR.

Judge Thompson Asked For a Restraining Order In the Newton County Court House Case. The injunction proceedings of John R. Davis of Lake tp., Newton county, against the auditor and commissioners of Newton county, to restrain the letting of a contract next Monday for the erection of a new court house at Goodland, was heard by Judge Thompson in Chalmers Thursday night and yesterday,and the attorneys are still arguing the motion as we go to press, at 3p. m. It is difficult to anticipate the court’s decision in the matter, but in the event the order is granted, it will stop all further proceedings until the next term -of the Newton circuit court. If it is denied, the petitioners may appeal, but the commissioners may go ahead and let the contract and proceed right along w’ith the work until the courts rule otherwise.

The complaint, which is very voluminous, attacks the returns of the canvassing board in the Goodland election, the proceedings of the county commissioners, claims the plans and specifications were changed after they were accepted by the commissioners and those now on file are not those accepted and on which advertisement was made, and last, but evidently where the whole fight will be made, the entire constitutionality of the law. That the latter contention has foundation, no one who heard Mr. Harris’ argument before the court and has read the decisions of the supreme court in the Jackson county seat removal case, to which he referred at length, can well doubt. Many of those who heard the argument predict that the county seat of Newton will remain at Kentland for many years to come. Three or four of Goodland’s people were in attendance at the hearing as well as the commissioners of Newton county. Judge [Sellers of Monticello, appeared for the Goodland people, while Judge Darroch. who is the county attorney, appeared for the comi missioners in resisting the injuncI tion.

E P. Harney of Momence, 111., and Hon. Addison C. Harris of Indianapolis, are acting for Mr. Davis, who says that he is backed by large landowners in northern Newton, one at either Kentland or Morocco is interested in any way or has furnished any financial aid in the fight now being made to prevent the county seat being located at Goodland. The bond has not been presented at this writing and therefore we are unable to say whose names appear thereon, but it is rumored that Mrs. Jennie Conrad, of Laketp., is one of the principal backers in the fight, which is evidently a fight to a finish. All 50c neckties at 39c at LaRue’s Closing Out Sale.