The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-24
Lirdemuth's Vigorous objection to Having
the Committee Bound Down to Only
Charges Made Upon Affidavit.
Democrats of the House Administer q
Severe Slap to Governor Matthews.
CulIop Bill Sat Upon-Senate Spends the Day
Talking on Prison Iabor-Mss Ahern
Wins-Constitutional Questions
PRISON INVESTIGATION.

Committee Binds Itself Down by Queer
RuIes-Gagging the Republicans.
The investigation of the Prison South AZ
fairs Is evidently to be conducted by the
officials of the prison. acting through the
Joint committee Of the Senate and House.
r.. +. Slater. the director most interested
in the charges, has been in the city for
three or four days posting the committee
upon its course of procedure and debating
what it shall do.
In interviews published week ago
Warden Patten said he should ask that
Senator Lovelsnd or Boyd, of the Senate.
and Mr.. Lindemuth. of the House. be
asked 10 participate In the investigation,
but up to late Yesterday afternoon the
only thing of this sort that developed was
q verbal request that Senator Boyd or Sem
ator New oy accompany the committee to
Jacksonville. This was declined with
thanks, as Senator Loveland and Mr..
LindemuLh had offered the resolutions In
the two houses and were the proper ones to
90. Late In the afternoon Mr.. Redman.
chairman OF the House committee on Prison
South. hearing that Mr. Lindemuth was
about TO rise to q question of personal priv
ilege on the subject sent him q hurried in-
vitstion to participate in the committee
work and meet with it at p. NJ,
which invitation was at once accepted.
When the committee met at o'clock Sena-
tor Sweeney raised the question as to
whether the decision to 60 down to. day
was not rather premature. There was some
discussion on this point. but it was all one
al - an
Gratis fsvorIng pushing the investigation
through at once. Mr; Lindemuth objected
that the matter was being precipitated. No
notice had been given upon the floor of
either house or publicly in any way as to
when the committee would sit; no wit
nesses had been either summoned or noti-
fed when they might appear. Time should
be taken to collect all the evidence
on both sides of the case. Mr..
Daily, the warden's warm personal
friend. who is q member of the committee,
said that it should be done at once Ito re-
charges" as he was worrying about them.
Senator Mcdonald was sharp enough to see
the break" Daily was making. and said
that the committee did not as yet know
not. Daily closed by making a motion,
dictated by Slater, that the committee ex-
anime only such charges as were specified
In writing and sworn to- All the Demo
j
except Senator Mcdonald.
Mr. Lindemuth asked permission to ad-
dress the committee. and said that this was
not private controversy between Warden
Patten and Mr.. Ewing. but all the citizens
of Indiana were interested to whether
the rumOrs and charges published were
true or false. The Senate and House had or
dered these charges investigated, and tho
committee had no right to limit its juris.
diction and functions further than the two
houses had limited them. The charges had
been made public and the houses had pro-
ceeded upon the proper theory that the
public had q right &c know what they
amounted to. Mr.. Lindemuth was contin-
for order and objections that hia invitation
had not authorized him TO interfere with
the work of the committee. He asked
what he had been invited for; to assist in q
full and fair investigation or to sit bound
and gagged in q chair and SEQ the affair
white w ashed and accept o prearranged re-
sult7 He could see in the beginning, from
the remarks about "unfonnded charges"
and relieving Warden Patten." that the
result was Dreconc eived.
The Democrats were on their feet In q
moment, crying that he had insulted the
committee. but Mr. Lindemuth replied that
left the commlttee-room.
After he was gone. Dally's motion was
adopted and after having thus tied itself
down the committee sent invitations to
Mr.. Lindemuth and Senator Loveland. late
last night, to accompany it to Jefferson.
vile. which were accepted.
Warden Patten has prepared charges Of
bribery against ex-Deputy Warden Ewing,
which he will Tile before the committee.