Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 86, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1909 — Gov. Marshall Finds Boys’ School Has Been Doing Outside Work. [ARTICLE]

Gov. Marshall Finds Boys’ School Has Been Doing Outside Work.

Governor Marshall is investigating alleged irregularities at the Indiana Boys’ School at Plainfield involving W. C. Ball of Terre Haute, a member of the board. The charges against Mr. Ball are that he has been bavlfig printing done at the school for his manufacturing plant in Terra Haute. Governor Marshall said last nigbt that he has not yet determined what he shall do in the matter. He is firm in the belief that Mr. Ball disregarded the law. “I can not say as yet,” he said, “what I will do about it.” It is not impossible, however, tbat Mr. Ball’s resignation will be requested, although the governor would not indicate what steps he may take. Ball is a democrat. His term does not expire until next year. In the course of his investigations Governor Marshall ascertained that the boys in the print shop at the school did considerable work for the Methodist church during Governor Hanley’s administration. He learned that 500,000 tracts were printed for one of the church missionary societies. Complaint of this work was made, to the governor by members of the Typographical Union, who protested that the school was competing with the free printing field. Mr. Ball has been a member of the board of trustees of the Indiana Boys’ School for a number of years. He is at the head of the Ball Iron Works in Terre Haute. Complaint was made to the governor that the boys in the printing plant at the school were doing all of the printing for the Ball plant. The governor investigated, and then summoned Mr. Ball to the executive office. Mr. Ball did not deny that he was having his printing done at the Reform School. He declared that the boys were short of work, and, while he risked inferior workmanship, he had the boys do the printing in order to give them employment. He denied that he had the work done because it meant a saving to him. He said he paid for the paper used In the printing, plus 10 per cent, and thought that a fair return for the boys! time and that of the superintendent of the print shop. Ball assured the Governor that he would have no more printing done at the school.