Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 March 1937 — Page 4

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PAGE 4

Additional Verbatim Testimony in Baker Investigation

THE INDIANADOLIS TIVES

(Continued from Page Two)

Cancilla

had no interest whatso-

ever in the Welfare Bill himself? | TI don’t know |

A—Well, if he did, anything about it, He was not in any way connected with the Welfare Board. Q—And Yoel Baker was interested in it? A—I think Joel was, read-

ing what I see in the newspapers, |

and then 1 think he was, as a member of the board, I believe he was, YES, sir. Q—He and Peter Cancilla were great friends? A-—I think so, Q—And the only

ter was to help Joel Baker? A—I don’t know, I wouldn’t limit it to that unless I knew that to be the limit, @ (By Mr, Andrew)—Just a minute, Judge. Were you elected to vour office as Judge of Superior Court Room 3? ‘A—I was not elected. RQ—You gubernatorial ao Q-—Who made that appointment? A—Governor Panl V. McNutt, WITNESS EXCUSED

virtue of A—]

hold that by appointment?

THE REV. LINN A, TRIPP

MR. ANDREW-—-Please state your name to the committee, A-—Linn A. Tripp. Q--Where do you live, Mr. Tripp? A--3207 Central Ave. Indianapolis, Ind. Q-—-Have you any official connectian with the Marion County WelRoard? A-—Vice President of Marion County Department of Welfare, Q-—-How long have you held that nosition? A-=Since it was organized. the first of April, 1936. Q—-By whom were vou appointed? A-1 was appointed to the Board by Judee Far] Cox of the Circuit Court y to the office by the

fare the Public

and elected Board O—Do vou hold any other official position in Marion County? A--l wouldn't call it official, Mr. Andrew, 1 have heen associated with Criminal Court for over 10 years. Q-—-And whose court is that now? A—At the present time it is Judge Frank P. Baker's. I started my work under Judge James Collins. O—What position is that? A—I act as the supervisor of probation. O—Is that an official position in that court? A—Tt is semi-official position. Tt is rather difficult to differentiate. The church, both the Catholic and Protestant, have court representation. 1 ‘represent the Church Federation of Indianapolis in the courts, but the court holds me an officer without pay by the County. vou are on the records of the Courts of Marion County in what, capacity? A—On the let. terheads Probation Officer. Q-—Has there ever been issued to vou any certificate of appointment? A—No Q—~Is there an A NO, “sIr,

a Tara Tae 1 Criminal

sir, snfry book there? to have

made

anv authority No, T never never had rrest Have

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interest Peter Cancilla could of had in this mat- |

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, probation and parole. I have acted | for a long while for the Federal "Government until they appointed

institutions, all the men who have been paroled in Indianapolis,

is, they have a full time man at the Federal Building.

—What are your duties in the : — ’ | vestigator were practically the same,

Criminal Court, in respect to prohationers and parolees? have signed the parole papers, being appointed by the different boards of the State of Indiana, to act as supervisor of parole. 1 have been directing probation. We have probation officers who handle the detail work of the Court, Q—Who is the chief probation officer in Judge Baker's Conrt? A— Well, T do not think there is anyone who holds that position. Proh-

abily 1 am looked upon as the chief

probation officer without or the title.

@Q—Who are the other probation

the pay

officers under appointment of Judge | A—We have two probation |

officers and a probation clerk. One | | the relationship. friendly or other-

Beker?

probation officer, the white proba-

tion officer, is Mr. A. G. Cooley, who | has passed the State examination |

for probation officers; the colored probation officer is the Rev. Robert Skelton, who also took the examination prescribed by the State Department and passed it, and in addition we have a e¢lerk under bond, who handles all moneys, paid into that Court, for support and as fines and costs on installment, who also has taken the probation examination and passed and is a qualified probation officer but is listed as a probation clerk. That is Miss Hazel McCollum Q—Are you acquainted with Joel A. Baker? A —Yes, sir.

Q—Were you acting in your present capacity in Judge Baker's court when he was probation officer or investigator under Judge Baker's Court? A—Yes.

Q—Do you know at the time of his ‘acting as probation officer in Judge Baker's Court ‘whether or not he had passed any examination as prescribed by the Acts of 1933? A—He had never passed an examination, but when our Court was approached hy Dr. McCabe, the State probation officer, and ‘we

it ib,

a man full time for all of the penal

but | for the last three years, I think it |

A—Well, I |

| were notified that we could not

have anyone who had not passed, he was transferred to the role of an investigator in that Court. Q—And he continued after that time in that capacity? A-—Yes, in fact, he served as an investigator during all of that time. Q—His duties though, as an in-

were they not, Rev. Tripp, as they were before? A—They were, but we never assumed any probation jurisdiction. Q—You know that as a fact? A —Well, we always looked upon Mr. Baker as the investigator of the Court to investigate criminal matters, Q-—-Do you know of him ever signing orders for the release of prisoners on probation, who were held on charges in Judge Baker's Court? A—No. Q—Are vou acquainted with Peter Cancilla? A—I have met him, know him, ves, sir.

Q—Have you anv knowledge of

A. Baker, and I know of no an apparent

wise, between Joel Peter Cancilla? A relationship except friendship. Q—After vou were appointed to the Department of Public Welfare of Marion County, when did you have your first unofficial meeting with any members of the Board of County Welfare? A—I don’t know whether vou would call it an unofficial meeting. The Board originally announced and appointed was summoned to Circuit Court and was sworn in but while we were to he sworn in. we received a message from the first appointment, Mr. Block, of the Block Department Store, that he had been thinking over and could not act, because of business reasons. Judge Cox then said he would appoint another man as soon as he could find the right man for the Board, and while we did not organize that day, we discussed the problems. We had applications for the position of director and other jobs, and we also discussed the need of headquarters and the need of organizing the Board. Q—Where did that discussion or meeting take place? A That dis-

cussion took place in the Indian-

apolis Athletic Club.

Q—I mean this first meeting? A— |

In the Indianapolis Athietic Club. Q—And is that the meeting which you perfected your organization? A—No. sir. Q—That was the first meeting? A—That was the first. You asked

about unofficial meeting. and I was |

trying to explain. 1 don’t know

whether it was unofficial, because |

we did not handle any business matters, transact any business, be-

member on the would constitute a Board. Q—Where were you sworn in? A— We were sworn in Circuit Court. Q—By whom? A—By Judge, no, Glenn B. Ralston. Q—Then you there to the Athletic Yes, sir. Q—What at the Athletic Chub? know. 1 think they were on the fourth floor, I am not sure, Mr. Andrew, Q—You don’t know whose rooms they were? A—I do not. There were two rooms. Q—Whether they had just heen provided for this meeting? A—We were told to go there, that that is where the meeting would be held. Q—Who was present at that megting? A—At that meeting was L. Ert Slack, Mrs. Karl Ruddeli,

adjourned from Chub? A=

rooms did you

Mrs. Kenneth Woolling, Charles B. |

Marshall, the representative of the State Department of Public Welfare, and myself, five.

Q—You say that at that meeting |

vou discussed the appointment of a director? A-—No—yes, hut we didn’t act on a director. Mr. Marshall explained the law and we asked him questions and tried te find what it was all about, because it was new stuff for everybody. Q—-But the appointment or the applications for appointment? A—We went through some of them, but didn't act on any one. Q—Whose applications have, if you remember, meeting ? Julia Lenders. men, I do not only familiar name was Miss ‘Julia Landers. that name bhecalnse she had been identified 1 believe.

did at

vou

know here. in the

at |

occupy | A—I don’t |

with the sheriff's office, |

Q—Was the name of Joel A.

A—Yes, sir.

cant for the position? been given weeks before the bill | that Mr, Joel Baker would be the | County Director and that Wayne Coy would be the State Director.

Q—From whom did you get the | information? A—I got it over here ‘at the State House when they were passing the bill, when they raised the salary in the Senate from

If in

is to take care of Wayne Coy. you remember the argument here— Q—Just a minute, what information did you have with reference to the appointment of Joel A. Baker?

sion, ‘special session, and I had

been told that because of his work- | ing for this Social Security Bill, | that he was to have that job if he |

wanted it. Now, that was long before ¥ ever went on the Board, Mr. Andrew. Q—Was that vou A—Yes, it was. Q—After you were appointed, vou knew that the duty of appointling a director was on your Board? A—] knew that the duty of appointing a director, that is, the red tape, was for the Board. Q-—-You knew that the actual appointment, according to law, was | vested in your Board? A—Well, may I answer that question that I knew | the same with the State Board. 1 |’ knew what had happened in the | State Board, like it did just the [ other day. The Governor appointed

vou knew the Board?

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| Baker discussed at that meeting? |

Q—And were you given to under- | stand that he would be an appli- | Should go on A—1 had to understand three | was passed |

| common knowledge, | Baker himself had told me that

A—I had been told Mr, | Baker worked all through the ses- |

| sure. {name and I asked Mr. Slack, I said

when the State Board is due to appoint, but I had understood from the first. In fact, I discussed if with my own Board, whether 1 with the appointment having practically been made. Q—Who did you understand had made the appointment? A—I understood it was the desire of Governor Paul V, McNutt, that Mr. Joel Baker be the director. Q—From whom did you get that information? A—Well, it was just I think Mr.

as 1 saw him working over here, and I could not just tell you, but I had heard it all the way through.

Q—Did that meet with your approval? A—In a way, ves, sir. This is a semi-political bill, as you know, and I knew that Mr, Baker could get us all of our backing that we needed, in the way of equipment and help, and 1 knew it was bound to be a political appointment anyhow, 1 went on the Board, however, with a definite understanding —do you want me to tell this? Q—Yes. A—With a definite understanding that if 1 would act,

{that it would be nonpartisan, the

Board. Q—And when vou appointment to the knew then that Joel be named as the director? heard that, yes, sir. Q—Was that matter discussed at vour first meeting of the Welfare Board? A—I ‘am not absolutely I know thev mentioned his

accepted the Board, you Baker would A]

“Now, are your sure that you know that he is the man for the job?” That is Judge Slack, Q—What did Judge Slack A—He said he had unlimited

say? con -

{ fidence in him. He had been as-

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sociated with him for vears in various lines; that he had been city purchasing agent; that he considered that square, As to knowledge, there was no one in the state at that time who knew anything about this work. Q—Did Judge Slack explain to vou at that time, or at any subsequent meeting of your board, any reasons why he theught Joel Baker was particularly qualified to fill this position? A—Jocel is a very good crganizer, and they assured me that he was very efficient, and 1 found him to be that in organization matters. Q—What know

did

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recall the ‘days and

he was absolutely honest and |

vou that he had had in organiz- |

EDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1087

ing, prior to that time? A-—-Well, 1 understood that he had heen secretary of the Bar Association, in which he had considerable execu= tive ability. I knew he had been

‘over here to the Supreme Court,

that is they had told me he had. I knew that he was considered tbh

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