Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 September 1902 — Newton County Seat Case. [ARTICLE]

Newton County Seat Case.

Judge Thompson Refuses To Grant An Injunction. \ The opening contest in the fight against locating the county seat of Newton county at Goodland began here before Judge Thompson, Thursday evening, at 7 o’clock, and at 7 o’clock, Friday evening, the Judge rendered his decision. The opposition to Goodland took the form of an application for an injunction restraining the commissioners of Newton county from letting the contract, on Monday, Sept. Ist, as advertised, for a new court bouse at Goodland. John R. Davis, of Lake Village Newton Co., is the party in whose dame the proceeding for injunction was brought. He claims to be acting for himself and various large land owners of northern Newton, and that they are as much opposed to Kentland as to Goodland, as a permanent location of the county seat His attorneys were Hon. Addison C. Harris, of Indianapolis, ex U. 8. minister to Austria and u: questionably as able a lawyer as is to be found in Indiana today; and E. P. Barney, of Momence, 111. The Goodland interest was represented by Hon. E. B, Sellers, of Monticello and Wm. Darroch, of Kentland.

Messrs. Harris and Harney made their application on the grounds thattfiespecial law under which Goodland was chosen for the county seat is unconstitutional, in several respects, but especially as being contrary to that clause in he state constitution which torride special legislation. They also claimed various irregularities in be proceedings. Such as the sieged changing of tbe plans and specifications for the proposed court house, after bids ware advertised for; and tbe alleged failure of the county commissioners to sign their record of proceedings in he matter at tbetime required by aw.

Judge Thompson, in his decision, gave a comprehensive history of all the county seat relocation matters, to this time. Be held hat tbe law had been complied with in all particulars. That the county seat was now lawfully 1 >cated at Goodland, that the erection of a new court bouse there was a pressing public necessity, and ’ further that the law unde which tbe county seat was removed provided a method and fixed the limit of time, tor an appeal to be taken; and that that time bad now expired. He also held that the commissioners had a right to change the plans and specifications at tbe time they did. The application for a temporary injunction was therefore denied. Mr. Harris admitted that there was no law for an appeal from the judge’s decision. It is a very substantia) victory for Goodland.