Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1905 — BAKER NOT INDICTED [ARTICLE]

BAKER NOT INDICTED

Grand Jury Has Not Yet Report* ed a True Bill Against the Cigarette Man. TRUSTS NOT USING MUCH CASH They Have Better Ways of Gaining Tbelr Point Elevator Falls and Hurts Three Men. Indanapolis, March 9. —Four Indictments were returned by the grand jury In a partial report to Judge Alford, of the criminal court. The four were made public, being the names of men already arrested and in jail, and the statement was made by the clerk of the court that no others were brought down. Clerk Norwood said that no indictment for O. A- Baker, of cigarette fame, was returned. The grand jury resumed its session, which will last until next week, at least, in the consideration of local police cases. Some more testimony will be taken in the bribery investigation during that time. Trusts Not Placing Any Money. Prosecutor Benedict said he felt that he had been making as searching an investigation as is possible under the circumstances, and that he has been unable to find any evidences of corruption, outside the Baker incident. ‘ The corporate interests have not placed any money that I could find trace of,” said Benedict, “and I don’t believe that they spent any at all, in a direct effort to influence legislators. It strikes me that they don’t work that way so much, now, anyhow. Their method seems to be to place men in the legislature to represent their interests.” Letter That Baker Wrote. Some letters in Benedict’s possession, given him by members of the house who received them from O. A. Baker, indicate the manner in which the latter worked for his employer*. One is rather lengthy, written in a personal vein on the strength of a long acquaintance with the representative addressed. Baker suggests what he calls |k “cathcy” amendment to the Parks anti-eigarette law, to be introduced Jby the member when the opportunity offered. Made No Attempt to Bribe. A long argument ispresented to show that a less drastic law would be more effective than that proposed by Parks, and calling attention to defects in the lowa law which had been cited in support of the Parks bill. He asked the member to meet liim that evening and talk the matter over with him. This member told the grand jury that he discussed the question with Baker that evening at the English hotel, but that Baker never suggested any reward to ' him for offering the amendment. FALL OF AN ELEVATOR Three Pet-*on» Badly Hurt Because Ik* Pin Holding the Cab Broke—Fall* Fifteen Feet. Columbus, Ind., March 9. The freight elevator in the factory of ! Reeves & Co. fell and the following j were injured: Jesse Paine, right leg broken above the ankle; James Mcln- | tire, internally hurt: John Gilbert, injured and burninl by slipping ropes. ! The elevator was in theeharge of Forej man Gilbert, and on it were Henry 1 Vetter, James Mclntire. Samuel Wol- | ford, Jesse Paine and George Weller, i They had started to hoist the water j tank from the first floor, and when i about fifteen feet up aneyebolt slipped, ! which caused a strain on the lift. The : pin holding the elevator broke, and jit fell to the door, carrying the men with it. Paine's leg was caught unj der the tank and broken. Mclntire | was thrown against the wall. Gilbert ! clung to the slipping ropes and tried to 1 stop the elevator, but his bands were br.di.v torn and burned. The other men jon the elevator were more or less bruised. Haley Oipe Take# an Appeal. Newcastle. Ind., March 9.—The attorneys for Haley Gipe. who is serving an indeterminate sentence in the reformatory for complicity in the Starbuck murder, have filed an appeal to the supreme court of Indiana. It is not likely that the high court will make a decision in less than a year, and as Gipe already has served nearly six months, he would have only six months to sene before he could have a new trial. Railway to Cm a Street. Terre Haute. lud., March 9. The city council has passed an ordinance giving the Southern Indiana road the use of a street to enter the Union station with the Chicago division now building. Public sentiment was so strong in favor of the ordinace because of the benefit of the Southern Indiana has been and promises to be to the city that objections of property owners were disregarded by the council. Meaning of the Word “PmUteot.” Terre Haute, Ind., March 9. The Interpretation of the word “persistent” resulted in a strike of 175 men at the Jackson Hill mines. The operators contend that the loading of three cars of dirty coal in a week meant “persistent,” while the miners hold that a miner must load, three cars of dirty coal in one week, and then is liable to discharge If he loads two cars aiy other week. ~_.,