Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1911 — GOVERNOR MARSHALL ON LAW ENFORCEMENT [ARTICLE]

GOVERNOR MARSHALL ON LAW ENFORCEMENT

In another column of The Democrat is copied an article from the Indianapolis News regarding Governor MarshaH’s'having temporarily released or paroled Clinton L. Bader, the convicted bridge grafter sent up from this county for specific grafting in the building of a bridge over the Howe ditch in Milroy tp.. the -particulars of which are familiar to readers of this paper. The later investigation of the bridges put up by Baier’s company showed conclusively that a systematic steal had been carried on by this bridge company on every bridge it had erected in Jasper county and that the taxpayers had been fleeced out of a large sum of money in the aggregate. The guilt of the offender was unquestioned, even* by his closest friends, and after a fair and impartial trial he was convicted by a jury of

intelligent men who were unanimous for a verdict‘of guilty on first ballot. That Bader was formerly democratic state senator makes the offense all the more reprehensible. for democratic teachings are against such things as this. The efforts made to keep Mr. Bader out of the penitentiary are also familiar to readers of this paper. It will be recalled how Governor Marshall, without making anv investigation whatever of the merits of the case, although he was urged to investigate before acting, granted a

parole to the convicted man. pending his appeal to the supreme court. It will also be recalled how the higher court without a dissenting voice upheld the decision of the lower court—after Governor Marshall- unwarranted interference had caused a year's delay —and. Bader was finally sent to the penitentiary, where he was given a soft job in the prison postoffice—he has but one arm and of course is not fitted physically to perform much manual labor, but whether he has even been treated as an ordinary prisoner, or rather as a guest of the state, it would be interesting to know. It is safe to say, however, that he will be released as soon as his minimum sentence has expired.

And now, when he was “wanted .to testify as a witness in a lawsuit,” eve> though, js the News says, after his deposition j had already been taken at the, prison, the Governor writes the warden to let him go home, “either with or without a guard”, as he chose —a very unusual and most extraordinary proceeding—J and he goes home alone, eats Thanksgiving dinner with his family, comes over to Rensselaer with another bridge man. possibly to tell him how it is done here — he was here Monday—and when he gets ready will probably re-; turn to Michigan City to take up bis arduous duties in the prison postoffice! ■ • -' . ■ Now The Democrat bears Mr.’ Bader not the slightest person-; al ill will. He very likely is en-; joying his outing as no doubt .would many other poor devils convicted of less henious crimes who are confined within the walls of the Michigan City prison but have no political pull. But the writer has manv times sat in big audiences at democratic gatherings and listened to

Governor Marshall’s denunciation of graft in all its phazes, condemn the law’s delay in punishing criminals, and heard him prate about law enforcement to the great gratification of his hearers who applauded his- remarks for he is a nice speaker and his words carry the conviction to most people who hear him that he means what he says.

But. honest, now, has he not made a farce of this Bader matter. the only real genuine graft conviction during his- entire term, a case which has come right under our own personal and particular notice in this part of the. state?

It is unnecessary to mention other instances.

The Governor talks abjtit prosecuting the grafters and the enforcement of the law in his public speeches and then turns around and protects the convicted grafter through executive clemency, interferes with the law's enforcement and renders the conviction and imprisonment of the criminal a mere farce. His interference here was and is an insult to the court and prosecutor and to the jury that convicted Bader. The lesson, if any. is wholly lost through executive interference with the

law’s enforcement. Taxpayers are beifig robbed by like instances of graft in many places, and it is difficult to bring the grafters to justice because of the ramifications of their system. The people of Jasper county had been robbed for years. At last they caught One "set of /grafters and the evidence was

grafters, and the eveidence was so made. Conviction was had and sentence passed. Then we ha\e the spectacle of the Governor's strong right arm stretched out in executive clemency without any investigation and delaying the enforcement ■»f the sentence an entire wear. and even after the supreme court confirms the sentence and the verdict of the court and jury is being carried nt. ostensibly at least, another parole is granted and the grafter is allowed to go home for Thanksgiving and travel about the countrv unattended at his will!

The Indianapolis News, friendly as it has always been to Governor Marshall's administration, could not pass over his interference in the Bader case when the former year’s parole was granted, and. it will be remem-

bered. criticised his action severely in its editorial columns—the severest - criticism we have ever seen in that paper of Governor Marshall during the entire three years he has occupiel the executive chair —and it is not hard to read between th& lines of the News article regarding the latest act of favoritism as to what the News thinks of it.

And yet there are some people who try to delude themselves with the belief that Tom Marshall is big enough to fill the Presidential chair!