The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-04
ITS RECORD SHOWN UP
Next wednesdny Night the Unknown
Side of the Ricketts, Property
Deal VIII he Pr0bed

Wednesday by n special committee from
the House, with Mr.. Moore, member from
Putnam, as chairman. The investigation Is
undertaken on the resolution of Mr.. Van
Arsdel, of this county. The chief motive
in Mr.. Van ArsdePs mind was to determine
the real influence that impelled the commits
sioners to purchase the Ricketts, property.
on North Pennsylvania street, for the ex-
tension of High School No. /, at a price
popularity estimated at so per cent. more
than it was worth.
But the investigation is expected to take
a wider range and to extend back several
years. A review of the history of the COM
mission is. therefore, in order. The School
Board of the city of indianapolis is an in
dividual corporation, as far as the other
branches of the municipal government arb
concerned, and has always held firmly to
its autocracy. The only exception was a
disposition occasionally manifested to allow
the city controller to pay a part of its
election expenses, and when Controller
Trusler last fall refused to honor the usual
charges incurred in this way, the dignity of
the board experienced a rude shock, and it
afterwards paid the bill itself. The board
was created by a special act of the Legis-
lature, of which the present Speaker of
the House was one of the prime movers
during his former term. The city, under
the act, was divided into school districts.
1t was further provided that the election of
school commissioners should occur in June,
on the supposition that the affairs of the
schools should be as far aloof from party pol
itics as possible. This scheme was sue
%cessful for many years, and under its work.
ings the city acquired schools which are ac-
knowledged to be the peer of any.
WHEN THE TROUBLE BEGAN.
Trouble came when the rapid growth of
the city began to make new buildings for
school purposes a constant necessity, and
money had to be borrowed in large amounts.
1t became apparent that if the treasurer
was not receiving interest upon the large
sums of money in his hands it was not be-
cause the conditions did not favor such q
practice. Mr.. Clemens Vonnegut, father of
the present commissioner, and a man who
had served gratuitously with great useful
ness and fidelity for a long time, began a
crusade against the suspected practice. The
term suspected is used because not even
form of no interest to any Beneficiary ex-
cept the city treasury itself, it is not pos
itively known who gets the interest. It is
denied that interest is received. Mr.. Won
negut began his agitation of the subject
when John p. Frenzel was in the minority
and had the controlling influence. The agita-
ton on the interest question brought into the
board at the next election Messrs. Roth,
Russo and Adam. all Democrats, but
strength of a card which they published in
q daily. paper before the election, ~pledging
interest as the school funds should bring to
other beneficiaries than the School Boards
eel clique. There had been charges that
Mr.. Loeper, as chairman of the committee
on buildings and grounds, was permitting
extravagant expenditures of money, and
there was open opposition to him continuing
on this committee. Charles N~artindale.
Mnderstood 'e to be "a o sna seiIo to shs yer Fren Mai
interest, and it happened that he had the
man. who. of course, would have the APP
pointing power in the matter of committees.
Mr.. Martindale disappointed general ex,
all his measures, receiving important ap-
pointments on committees, while other
torial president were sighted in every way
possible. The new president constituted the
committee on public buildings and grounds
just as it had been, in disregard Of the as
surance he had given Mr.. Martindale that
Loeper should not remain as chairman. The
finance mmitt was filled with men
plant in the hands of the president. and
without qualification for the responsible du-
again made treasurer. Mr.. Vonnegut kept
up his fire of agitation about interest on
treated with dfsrespect and even contnnoeIv
by the president,
A SCHEME FOR PERSONAL GAIN.
The building of the new Public Library
was in progress, and bonds had been author
lied to the extent of 500, 900. Mr.. Frenzel
led the board into the plan of selling all the
bonds at one time at 6 per cent. interest,
instead of selling them as needed, in lots
of $4,000 to $4,000 and saving the interest.
He argued that better terms could be Sc
cured by a single sale than by disposing of
them piecemeal, and the plan prevailed,
thus placing a large sum of money in the
hands of the treasurer on which he might
/ draw interest. The money had formerly
peen IN the Merchants. National Bank, but
a stir that it was concluded by the Fren-
eel Clique to place the money in another
bank. 1t is believed that only nominal
sums We're deposited shere and that the bulk
was kept in the bank of which the dictator
of the School Board was president. When
payments We're likely. to be made the
money was temporarily deposited at the
| other bank so as to show the checks as be-
eng rasn tSin sner as the w bene EASY of e Trsa s9,re TO
Adam had been made by Mr.. Frenzel SO
| Independently of the treasurer that Mr..
Adam afterward said he did not even have
the acquaintance of some of his bondsmen.
The. construction Of the library was not
ire IN many alum r esaeots. ann t pans cos We're 5ns enanse q
being 100000, ran up to $3.50, 600 by the allow
a an sbs OF ce extras; Mr. DR. bM,sdp;n.s was as Sh arm r
at the time the experienced superintendent OF
buildings, Mr.. Hendrickson. at present one
of the commissioners, had been superseded
by +. j. O'Meara, a ward POLITICIAN. who
could be depended on to work in harmony
with the directing power. The extra allow
ances are a subject into which the commit
tee empowered to make the investigation
will inquire.
The CLIQUE that began with the power OF
John p. Frenzel is still in control. 1t is
charged that it has been maintained to
benefit its own members, and the
Investigating committee intends, the
chairman says. to find out how
the Ricketts, deal showed an imlnovable
seven votes TO three in spite of the general
public Indignation. The whole trouble with
the efficiency of the School Board has been
its Indifference to public sentiment. which
supported MIR. Nonnegut, and the opposition
to the Ricketts, purchase. This autocratis
disposition is not due, it is believed by
many thinking citizens, to the fact that the
commissioners serve without pay, but to thu
fact that the election occurs at a time wher
little interest is taken in the election, anc
a designing man can manipulate things as
he pleases by bringing out voters for hi:
side. The vote at the school elections has
been VIGOROUSLY small.
HOW ELECTIONS WE'RE CARRIED.
When Mr., Frenzel had charge of tn,
street-car company as president it is claimed
that he threw the whole strength OF The
employees against any man who would no
serve his purposes. Those least interested
in the schools are those who take the
trouble to vote and TO decide the election