Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 26 September 1930 — Page 2

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1930

THE POST-DEMOCRAT k Democratic weekly newspaper representing the Democrats of Muucie Delaware County and the 8th Congressional District. The only Democratic Newspaper in Delaware County.

Entered as second class matter January 15, 1321, at the Postofflc* At Muncle, Indiana, under the Act of March S, 1879. PRICE 6 CENTS—$2.00 A YEAR.

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223 North Elm ^iceet—-Telephone 2540 CHARLES H. DALE, Publisher. Geo. R. Dale, Editor.

Muncie, Indiana, Friday, September 26, 1930

Democratic State Ticket

Judge Supreme Court, First District Walter E. Treanor, Bloomington Judge Supreme Court, Fourth District Curtis Vv T . Roll, Kokomo Judge Appellate Court, First District Posey T. Kime, Evansville William H. Bridwell, Sullivan Judge Appellate Court, Second District Alphonse C. Wood, Angola Harvey J. Curtis, Gary Superintendent of Public Instruction George C. Cole, Lawrenceburg Secretary cf State Frank Mayr Jr., South Bend Auditor of State Floyd E. Williamson, Indianapolis Treasurer of State William Storen, Scottsburg Clerk of Supreme and Appellate Courts Fred Pickett, Richmond

with other objects as well as humans as passengers. Another one of the signers* was Will P. Koons who was required to put in at least fair shape some old, delapidated, rattle-trap hovels that he had previous rented to colored folks in the vicinity of Jackson and Beacon streets.

Democratic County Ticket

Congressman Eighth Congressional District Claude C. Ball Prosecuting Attorney—Tod Whipple State Representative—Paul Bowden State Representative—Ithamer M. White Judge Delaware-Grant Superior Court J. Walter McClellan County Clerk—Arthur J. Beckner County Auditor—Samuel R. Snell / County Treasurer—Thomas E. Weir County Recorder—Atlee Rinker Sheriff—Fred W. Puckett County Coroner—Dr. Clarence G. Rea jfrCf" County Surveyor—S. Horace Weber : V; V-i County Assessor—Edward W. Barrett ^ County Commissioner, First District—Carl D. Moobe County Commissioner, Third District Arthur M. Wingate County Councilman, First District—William A. Clark Center Township Trustee—Frank J. Lafferty Center Township Advisory Board—John D. Curtis Center Township Assessor—Leslie Brand Center Township Justice of Peace—Edward E. Femyer Center Township Justice of Peace—Ambrose D. Gray Center Township Constable—John Cox Center Township Constable-—Borter L. Rees

Tax Appeal Signers Heading the list of signers on the Personally Circulated Parkinson petition for review of the city’s tax levy is the Ex-judge Clarence Dearth, one of the old enemies of the mayor. Now of course Clarence qualifies as a taxpayer for Jake Cavanaugh deeded back to the Ex-judge that twenty by tw r enty feet loaned him by Dearth so Jake could qualify as a jury commissioner in the picking of names for jury service. This 400 square foot plat \of minature golf size reverted to the judge, and in addition he has some other parcels so we can imagine the glee by which his name was affixed to the petition. Second on the list is no other than J. Frank Mann. Now J. Frank couldn’t qualify as a property holder, but perhaps under his personal mention he gets in the petition line. J. Frank shoved to his daughter, Margaret T. Harrison, the house and lot at the northwest corner of First and Mulberry street in the heart of the old redlight district. This deeding for one buck in hand was completed at 11:45 a. m. on last November 29, a little more than a month prior to his taking the place as city judge. Inheriting this house and lot from the late Mary Mann, its possession rested with J. Frank for several months before sidetracking it to his daughter, who is the wife of Henry T. Harrison, the city court bailiff. Just now the house is occupied by A1 Hughes, a lad and his wife, and the reputation of the two-story shelter in the redlight is as shady as the full grown maple tree in front of it. Mrs. Hughes claims she and her husband are buying the place from Judge Mann, but she don’t know her records in the recorder’s office or she would say from the judge’s daughter. A1 Hughes, his wife and two others, it will be remembered w T ere arrested about three weeks ago on charge of intoxication, to which was added a charge against Hughes of driving while under the influence of liquor. At the time the Hughes were very excitedly pointing out that they couldn’t be disturbed in their spree because they were buying a home from the judge, but as we have previously pointed out, the ownership rested with the daughter as far as a record goes. When Hughes was brought to trial the judge admitted that Hughes was guilty of being intoxicated, but that he was going to do a most unusual thing by acquiting Hughes of the charge of driving while intoxicated. The judge explained this unique situation on the theory that Hughes made a living out of the operation of a motor vehicle and it he found him guilty of the driving while under the influence of liquor the drivers licence of Hughes must be cancelled. Without a drivers license Hughes, so Mann explained in his judicial way, couldn’t drive a motor vehicle and would have to starve to death for that reason. To which might be added that no one could expect Hughes to pay rent if he couldn’t drive a motor vehicle or happened to get a jail sentence not suspended. So Hughes was permitted to go free on the* driving charge and still continues with the opportunity to drive a motor vehicle unmolested drunk or sober as far as the judge is concerned. There are several conceptions of the Hughes duties as a driver of a motor vehicle, some declaring that the said vehicle is a taxi and others are just as vehement that it is a vehicle of far different character

Parkinson’s 10 Cent Tax Boost Under the guise of review of the city tax levy and budget in line with the council group spite cuts, it is possible that the council president desires the levy reopened by the representative of the tax board in hopes that his 10 cent increase levy tribute to the local EX-PAVING trust can be inserted. Mayor Dale fought strenuously and effectively against the inclusion of the 10 cent boost to pay for the $60,000 of street intersection certificates of indebtedness issued in the extravagant orgy of spending of the Hampton administration. Council President Parkinson just as strenuously attempted to have it included and after the finance committee rejected the boost, the tax levy ordinance was altered to include a special section regarding the 10 cent increase., Alteration of the ordinance was denied by all persons involved with exception of the council president. Parkinson personally circulated the petition telling its signers that it was to reduce taxes, but it would not at all be surprising if the council president or someone friendly didn’t attempt to have the discarded 10 cents increase levy item placed in the levy. * ':i It is possible that this increase could be inserted and the people pay just 10 cents more next year than the pres>ent rate. The city administration recommended retention of the present rate in order to fully wipe out the last year’s extravagance of the Hampton administration when the council last year appropriated more than $84,000 in excess of funds available for the year, and there was ACTUALLY DRAWN WARRANTS OF $51,507.13 more than funds clVH Paving a good part of the OVER APPROPRIATION and OVERDRAWN WARRANTS has been completed this year and will be finished next year and for that reason the city administration felt it necessary to retain the present tax rate another year. Economy and postponement of several needed projects until next year enabled the clearing of a good part of the extravagance. Next year will see the end of these debts. Any move by Parkinson to insert the 10 cent certincate of indebtedness levy will be strenuously opposed at the tax board hearing by the city administration. Hampton Administration Looting Just the other day the mayor was recalling the looting the citizens of Muncie were subjected to by the Hampton administration in its farewell to the city. First there were appropriations $84,000 more than funds available for the year. Then "there were $60,000 of questionable-certificates of indebtedness Issued the paving trust to be redeemed. Next in the list was more than $17,000 of old bills not paid but contracted for by the Hampton administration last- year. The general fund was robbed of its $60,000 working balance and there was about $4.83 in the treasury when the bell sounded. Further on the list is $15,000 of ^treet improvement bonds, unsigned by ex-Mayor Hampton. Billy Mornsc:. Tn_ his distagraph recording of the machinations of the paving trust said that the graft was not distributed until the bonds w 7 ere signed, consequently Hampton did the paving boys a dirty trick when he failed to put his John C. on the dotted line on the fifteen grand. / Mayor Dale declares that if he signs the $15,000 in bonds it would be like being a party to the graft distribution of the Hampton administration and he wouldn’t listen to such a procedure. And you can’t blame him, either. Add them altogether and you have just about $236,000 cold smackers as a farewell gouge and then the Republican daily newspapers have the nerve to feel peeved that it is not possible to cut the tax rate. Over at Anderson they put a 23 cent tax increase on to pay off $194,000 of extravagance of old Republican gang last administration.

City Court Investigation Because of so many suspended sentences in liquor cases in City Court the mayor has asked Federal authorities to conduct an investigation. In asking for the probe the mayor related that the liquor law violators in receiving suspended sentences view the whole enforcement situation as merely a temporary stumbling block. The mayor recalled the fact that after the police captured the liquor law violators and they merely received a fine and were permitted to return to their vocation without serving a jail sentence such procedure was not very good cooperation in the work of keeping Muncie clean. • He pointed out that the liquor law violators were veiY willing to just pay a fine, but they were dead set against spending 30 or 60 or 90 days in jail, but-that jail sentences would be the deterrant for these violators. Special Judge Tod Whipple, the Democratic candidate for prosecuting attorney, serving as special judge, who suspended a 90 day sentence upon Fred Edwards, notorious bootlegger, after a plea of guilty of Edwards, was severly arraigned by the mayor as well as Judge Mann who occupies thef bench. Edwards had 3814 gallons of grain alcohol and yet Whipple suspended the sentence and his action brought the comment from the mayor that it certainly was not any indorsement of Tod’s candidacy and that the law violators might applaud, but the law abiding people wouldn’t have much confidence in such a candidate.

owned water service field among the large cities of the state. This data when completed will be a graphic picture of privately owned utility exploitation of Muncie, its industries and its citizens and there will be no doubt in the minds of the citizens that they should and can own their water utility out of its earnings and enjoy the benefits of such ownership and profitable operation instead of merely piling up 32 percent dividends for the Broad-Wall street capitalists.

Asher and Dearth

MUNGIE-PORTLAND BUS TIME CHANGE ANNOUNCED YESTERDAY

Time changes on the Lake Shore Coach Lines route from Muncie to Portland have announced as ef-

fective yesterday.

Under the new schedule the busses will leave Muncie in the morning at 6:30, 8 and 11 o’clock and in the afternoon at 2:30, 4:30, 6 and 7:15 o'clock for Portland. The 6 o'clock bus, however, runs but to Redkey. Busses leave Portland for Muncie at 8 and 11 o’clock in the morning, and 2:30, 4:30, 6 dnd 8:30 o’clock in the afternoon On Sundays and holidays a special bus will leave Dunkirk for Mun-

cie at 7:30 o’clock.

The bus leaving at 6 o’clock in the evening for Redkey from Muncie will not operate on Sundays or holidays. On Saturdays, Sundays and holidays a bus will leave Muncie for Portland at 11:15 o’clock at night. On Saturdays at noon a bus will leave Muncie for Redkey at 12:30 o’clock. Inauguration of the bus schedule began Sept. 15, when the interurban line operating between Muncie and Portland was abandoned. Prior to the beginning of operations the trio of buses on Saturday, Sept. 13, drove the route with a number of guest passengers.

way, Mr. and and daughter,

Mrs. Tod Whipple Miss Montez Whip-

Missing Chapters

For two successive nights the kollum kommenter of the afternoon daily philosophized on Alpha Holaday, and it neither offering did he supply the missing chapters in the

activities of the get-rich quick enthusiast.

It will be recalled by most of Muncie citizens that The Post-Democrat editor long before he was ever a mayorality candidate devoted several issues to the import of the relations between Holaday and the reigning political satelites

of that day.

For a while it looked as if Holaday wouldn’t get the attention of the grand jury on his second flurry with the Muncie capital. In fact, Van Ogle, then prosecutor had departed for a western trip by automobile and Ex-Judge Dearth appointed the late Wilbur Ryman as special prosecutor to serve while Varf Ogle toured. ( When the matter of the Holaday scheme went to the grand jury, Ryman promptly informed the jury that he had been and was attorney for Holaday, consequently the local Ponzi couldn’t be indicted. This explanation, however, failed to impress Mrs. Hazel Captenter, one of the grand jurrors, who learned that the prosecutor or special prosecutor for that matter did not have to be present to indict. So a key man of the Holaday scheme was suddenly brought before the grand jury and Ryman tossed out on his judicial perogative, but before the day elapsed Judge Dearth adjourned the grand jury on the pretense there was no money to pay them for their efforts. Subsequently Ryman to vent his venom against the editor of The Post-Democrat for daring to call attention to the political intrigue caused a man named Warner to. file an affidavit that he had been libeled by The Post-Demo-crat. The grand*jury, upon examining the supposed libelous article, found that it had been printed nearly a year prior to the appearence of Warner, so the plaintiff was asked politely how it came that it took him nearly a yeait ta get mad at the editor of The Post-Democrat and laughed Warner out of the room. Ryman, undaunted, had Warner to file an information and upon that proceeded with the arrest of the editor and it had to go clear to the Supreme Court before the ‘editor could get the record cleared on the case. The Supreme Court, as usual, reversed ex-judge Dearth and the matter

was dropped.

Finally Holaday was indicted, arrested^ gave bond and then took French leave to reappear a few days ago and take his medicine. It’s funny that the philosopher of the afternoon daily xlidn’t supply the missing chapters in his philosophizing on the Holaday sentencing and this is about the first time he even took notice of the Holaday situation in a serious way

When the prosecutor and Mankato, Minn., wired Prosecutor Joe Davis as to the connection of Ex-Judge Clarence W. Dearth with Court Asher, famed professional bondsman and confessed deluxe bootlegger of a few years ago, an in-

teresting question was raised.

We’ll bite! Just what is the connection?

It seems that Court Asher, erstwhile Courtland Asher, is under arrest in the Minnesota city on charges of attempt-

ing to commit grand larceny.

According to the newspaper despatches from Mankato the said Asher under the assumed name of CarDM. Dary

approached a Mankato real estate dealer and posed as a Mayor und Mrs . 03orge R . Dale prospective buyer of a farm. Later, it is reported, Asher city Clerk and Mrs. Linton Rideg-

alias Dary informed the real estate dealer that he was ii9 terested in buying up come old copper stocks which had

been sold in that city. '

Asher, according to the report, was to send the copper stock owners to the real estate dealer, who would buy the stock and then be reimbursed by Asher. In a few days a R. G. Grace of Hudson, Wis., delivered several shares of stock to the real estate dealer. Grace ran afoul of the sheriff up there and in his pockets f ^ere found letters bearing Asher’s.name and Court was juggeji?that very day. We don’t kmftv whether or not Ashet gav§'%k^fudgeji Dearth as a reference % not. We all remember that Court was professional bondsman for quite a number of Dearth’s clients early in the administration until upon orders of the mayor the professional bondsmen were curtailed in their

most profitable business.

In between rains, now, we can all register a guess of what is, the connection between Courtland Asher and Ex-

Judge Dearth.

WATER COMPANY

(Continued From Page One) With the preferred stock list at $250,000 and the common stock of 5,620 shares at a par value of $50 per share making that tolal at $281,000, it can readily be understood the gold mine to which the Muncie Water Company owners fell heir under the high rate privileges accorded them by the public service commission. For when the Wall Street owners of the water company declared the $20,000 dividend upon the preferred stock they gave themselves a dividend rate of 8 percent of that stock and when the same directors declared themselves the $67,440 of dividends on the common stock it was at a dividend rate cf 24 percent on the common stock so they wound up their annual directors meeting on Jaunary 17, last year with a handsome melon of 32 percent dividends on the preferred and common stocks. It must have been a very enthusiastic session and the record shows that six stockholders were present, although it don’t specify if E. A. Geehan, the president, of 50 Broad street, New York City; H. F. Barnard, of Muncie, vice president; T. B. Davis of same 50 Broad street, N. Y. C., sec-retary-treasurer; A. B. Williams, assistant secretary and J. Young, assistant treasurer, both of the 50 Broad street, N. Y. C., were in attendance. No wonder it took a secretary and treasurer, and assistant secretary and an assistant treasurer to keep the books and carry away the loot to the American Water Works & Electric Co. of 50 Broad street, New York City, owner of the* water company. Now the kollumn kommenter of the afternoon daily seems so fretful that the people of Muncie will be unable to manage successfully the water works after it has been purchased. , He just feels positive that all the mains are just streaks of rust in the middle of the city streets and the whole thing will be a failure. If he wants to know it, Big Boss Geehan, the president of the water company holding organization, isn’t on the job here in Muncie at all. In fact there is not record that he even attended the board session when the 32 percent of dividends were showered so graciously. But we will say that Geehan came to Muncie a few weeks ago very shortly after the mayor’s message to the council was read urging that immediate steps be taken to buy the water company. Did he go down in the pits at the water plant to see if the machinery was working O. K.? Did he visit the ditch diggers laying new mains to see if everything was going along O. K.? Nope, he just played golf at the country club one afternoon and then proceeded to Indianapolis to talk over oldtimes with the Philadelphia Geist boys there who are similarly gouging the citizens of the state capital with high rates and big, inflated dividends for the eastern capitalistsutility barons. If Geehan with just a few hours playing golf at the country club, once a year can manage a gold mine that digs out $134,050.71 in net earnings and pays dividends at 32 percent, then the people of Muncie right here at home ought to be able to manage their water plant swimmingly and with even greater success. During tlje coming weeks the Post-Democrat will present a most thorough ^nd complete analysis of H.c Geehan gold mine out east of :own familiarly known as the Muncie Water Company, the la: 4 of the Mohcans m the privately

pie; Mr. and Mrs. Iris Beard and son, Robert; Mrs. LeRoy Priest, Mrs. Eldon Crampton, Mrs- Mary Early, Mrs. Morgan, Miss Virginia Campbell, auditor of the coach lines; Eugene Hartup, Victor Kilmer, G. W. Kilmer, Mr. Grandell, superintendent of the lines, and Arthur K. MJeker were among the passengers. Ray Jordan was in charge of a minature broadcasting station placed in one of the busses on the trip and information regarding the service, schedules and musical program were given at Albany, Dunkirk, Redkey and Portland. Patronage of the bus line since its inauguration has exceeded the expectations of owners of the IHje. City Clerk Ridgeway and Mr. Whipple are officials of the coach organization. Station for the route here is the Traction Terminal station at Charles and Mulberry streets.

STUDENTS CLEAR. BALL FfELD Peru. Tnd.— (UP)—Short work was made of the fencing, weeding and leveling of Bengal footbail field when 127 boys and girls attending school, down to and including the sixth grade, reported to Russell Maughans and Clayton Black, coaches, for work. Free tickets for the games was the inducement.

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LAvST TIME SATURDAY

Screen’s He-Man star in his greatest action show

RICHARD

in “SHOOTING STRAIGHT” A stalwart star in a stalwart show! Whirlwind action, a rousmg love story and thrill after thrill to set your heart pounding!

• ALL LAUGH COMEDY RIOT! LAURAL AMD HARDY in “The Bacon Grabbers” I FOX SOUND NEWS OTHER FEATURES 1

Faster Limited Train Service Between Indianapolis, Muncie and Fort Wayne Important schedule changes on both local and limited trains. EFFECTIVE SUNDAY, SEPT. 28. New time tables procurable from local agents. INDIANA RAILROAD (formerly Union Traction Company of Indiana) 1 Hoosierland Flyers to Indianapolis leave MunIcie at 8:25 a., m.*, 12 : 20 n. m., and 6:20 p. m. Hoosierland Flyers leave for Fort Wayne at |8:50 a. m., 2:-W p. m. and 6:50 p. m.* Trains marked * carry parlor cars