Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 January 1920 — STATE NEWS ITEMS [ARTICLE]

STATE NEWS ITEMS

The Doings of Hoosierdom Reported by Wire. STATE TO SUE FOR $150,316 Right of Treasurer to Keep Interest Accrued on Barrett Law Improvement Xugds Will Be Tested « in the Courts. Indianapolis, Jan. 1. —Formal charges against Edward G. Sourbier, Republican, and Carl Von Hake, Democrat, treasurer and former treasurer of Marion county, respectively, alleging that they have retained $150306.71 in Interest accrued on Barrett law Improvement funds, were certified to Governor Goodrich by Jesse E. Eschbach, state examiner of the board of accounts, for collection by the attorney general. Suits will be Instituted at once for the collection of the money for the city of Indianapolis, Ele Stansmury, attorney general, said. The charges are the opening wedge to determine in the courts whether treasurers can continue the practice of appropriating interest on improvement funds depicted with them in trust. Although tlie attorney general ruled that treasuers are not entitled to the interest in an opinion submitted to the board of accounts February 27, 1918, rhe report of the field examiners in the Sourbier case indicate that no change was made in the system in recent months. The charges against Mr. Sourbier aggregate $94,126.89. The Marion county treasurer, by virtue of his office, is the ex-officio treasurer of Inand as such is entrusted with improvement funds accumulated for the liquidation of improvement bonds or to pay for certain classes of improvement work done.

Board Explains Poll Tax. Brownstown, Jan. 1. —Former soldiers are not exempt from the payment of poll tax unless they were in service March 1, 1918, according to a ruling by the state tax board, received here by H. H. Alberring, county treasurer. The ruling followed numerous inquiries from discharged soldiers, which were forwarded to the state board. The board further said that the tax law in effect*March 1, 1918, exempted only those belonging to the active militia of the state. The new tax law, however, exempts all who may be in the active service of the militia or in the United States army. 80 Quarts of Liquor Given Hospital. Madison, Jan. I.—Eighty quarts of liquor in the custody of Sheriff George A. Monroe was given to the King’s Daughters’ hospital here on the order of Judge F. M. Griffith of the local circuit court. The liquor was seized by the sheriff during the past summer from alleged bootleggers. The Sheriff retires from office on January 1 and he planned to destroy the liquor, when a petition was presented to the court by the managers of the hospital asking that it be given for medicinal uses at the hospital. Practically all of the liquor is whisky in quart and half-pint bottles. Alleged Gary Radical Freed. Indianapolis, Jan. 1. —Michael Karshewsgy of Gary was released by Judge Albert B. Anderson in federal court after having been held a prisoner by the United States military authorities in Gary for several weeks. He was released after an attorney filed habeas corpus proceedings. Col. W. S. Mapes, who is in command of troops in Gary, brought the prisoner into court. He explained that Karshewsky had been arrested in raids against alleged radicals during the steel strike last fall, but that civil authorities had decided there was no case against the man.

Judge Holds Action Is Invalid. Lafayette, Jan. 1. —The action of the state board of tax commissioners, in ordering the county auditors of the state to place the surplus of savings banks on the tax duplicates, was held invalid by Emory B. Sellers of Monticello, special judge presiding in the Tippecanoe county superior court. The ruling was made in the case of the Lafayette Savings bank against John C. Doyle, county auditor; A. M. Sucese, county treasurer, and the state boajjl of tax commissioners. t Chief Destroys Load of Liquor. Evansville, Jan. 1. —Edgar Schmitt, chief of police, announced that he had destroyed a wagonload of liquor on a local dumping ground, the liquor having been taken from alleged violators of the liquor law. The chief did not call any of the local newspaper men or representatives of the local Women’s Christian Temperance Union, as had been asked, to see the liquor destroyed. Most of the liquor destroyed was taken recently from an alleged “blind tiger” here, he said. Safety Engineer Named. Anderson, Jan. 1. —The Union Traction company has established a new office and has named Ross Luellen, formerly of the claim adjusting department, safety engineer. The company, through this means, hopes to better instruct the employees in safety ideas. Order Salary Increase. Anderson, Jan. I.—The board of county commissioners has issued an order increasing the salary of the county superintendent of schools from f 1,409 to $2,400 a year.