The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-13
THE SCHOOL-LOT DEAL
Who Was to Get the $3.50 Haugh-
vile Was to Be Beaten Out OF?
Apparently Nelson and President Cor
don, of the School Board. Had
Good Deal to Do with 1t.

Haughville circles are completely torn up
over the facts shown in yesterdays edition
of the Journal that members of the School
Board, assisted by Il. H. Nelson, a real es-
tate dealer in the suburb were foiled by
the Town Board in attempting to defraud
the town of $3.50 through the transactions
in buying land on which to build new
schoolhouse. Further developments turned
up yesterday. AT the Town Board meeting
on Wednesday night, jan 3, the School
Board, through President w. C. Gordon,
presented a petition 10 the Town Board
asking that the sum Of $3.50 be appropriated
by the latter board for the purchasing of a
site for the building of new schoolhouse
The location was 20 be in what is known
as 1.-The Woods" or the land north of
Grandview avenue. Their reasons for
building the schoolhouse in that vicinity
were laudable as there is no schoolhouse
anyways close to that part of the suburb,
and the number of school children is great
The Town Board expressed an opinion that
they thought that the exact situation and
cost of the desired lots should be brought
10 them before making appropriation,
and they further said that they would take
the matter under advisement. At the Town
Board meeting on Wednesday night last
the board stated positively that they would
stick to their opinion of the previous even
ing. This aroused President Gordon's
wrath, and he declared that the Town
Boards action simply childish. Great
ly irritated, Trustee Moore sprang to his
feet and almost shouted 81 heard that one
of the School Board had said that he
wouldn't accept as a gift three lots which
had been previously offered for $780, Many
citizens then certified that they had heard
member of the School Board. then said
that he had consulted with W. E. Mick. of
the city, who apparently controlled most of
the lots, and that Mick had said that he
had no three lots to sell for $500 Garfield
then urged the board to appropriate the
full $3.50. The Town Board settled the ap-
preparation matter by laying the petition
on the table.
Why the School Board was SO very anx-
ious to have the full amount of 500 appro-
priated is now very evident. The School
Board learned that Bernice Ayres, a young
woman in the employ of w. NJ Waggoner,
a grocer at No. % Sheffield avenue who
owned three lots on Bismarck avenue, was
pressed for money on account of having
gone security on some notes contracted by
her brother Lee, and that she would be
Obliged to sell the lots to get out of the
trouble Il. III. Nelson called on Miss Ayres
and then and there drew up contract
6 by which sf,,s she was as to give him fifteen
the contract, which Nelson took with him.
This was on Thursday, Dec. 2S Later in
the same day Bernice Ayres received word
TO come and see Nelson. While there, and
not knowing, as she averS the character
of the document, she signed a warranty
deed: transferring the lots to Nelson Re
turning she told WaggOner what she had
done, and he became suspicious. Knowing
| that she had no contract in her own pos
session, he told her to demand one from
Nelson, which she at once did. Nelson
said that if she would give him $780, the
cost of running down the abstract, he would
give the original contract to her. She,
without hesitancy, gave him the money,
but instead of giving her the original he
nothing Not long after Nelson called at
Waggoner's grocery and demanded that
Miss Ayres should sign. a second deed, as
an error in the numbering of the lots had
rendered the first deed void. Waggoner
i>stoed up for the rights of the woman and
declared that, as she had received nothing
to bind the contract, she would sign moth
| ing. Nelson departed. saying that he would
get even with Waggoner for interfering
| when it was none of his business. This was
all done before even a petition had been
presented to the Town Board. Nelson was
| co buy the lots for $500 and then sell them,
apparently, to the School Board for 500.
| The warranty deed bore the witness of
attorney w. G; Gordon; who is president
of the School Board. The town was to be
duped out of $3.50. but whether by Nelson
alone, the School Board knowing the
crooked transactions or whether, by him
in conjunction with them is not known.
The peculiar part about Nelson is that
he Still claims that he has hold on the
| out at midnight last night. The members
of both the school and town boards are
all Democrats, though eacn board IT'S, Is repre-;
| scheme to rob the town, which was luckily
| frustrated in time, Is not causing excite
ment or comment on account of the amount
| of money involved, but by the nature CT
| the scheme Such open fraud may have
been worked in many like cases In times