The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-14
A CASE FOR THE GRAND JURY.

On Thursday last, in treating editorially Of
the sewer scandal, and when the Journal
had positive evidence that Sterling r. Holt,
an office holder under the city government,
had received 5000 for the use of his influ-
ence in an official transaction, it said edi-
torially:
The matter has assumed a phase that in
wolves his administration and calls for thor
Ough investigation. In fact, it is a case for
the grand jury The law defines the char
acter of Mr.. Hollis offense and it is too seri-
GUS to be condoned upon mere refunding
or the money Illegally an! cOrruptly re-
ceived by him. The incident should not be
permitted to close with his disagreement.
At that time and until after Hollis resig-
nation the other city papers denounced the
Journals disclosure as campaign lie. AS
Hollis resignation made it impossible to do
this any longer they joined in trying to
gloss the matter over and made it appear
that Holt alone was implicated. Perhaps
this is true. 1t was certainly good politics
for the Taggart papers to assume that it
was. Previous to the election it did not
occur to either of them to indorse the Jour
nails suggestion that the case was one for
the grand jury. The election being over
however, the Sentinel, with characteristic
zeal for ex post facto REFORM comes out for
a grand jury investigation. In an editorial
yesterday it said:
Whatever may be the facts, it is due to
the taxpayers of the city, and to the good
name of the city, that this transaction be
prObed to the bottom, and that any person
found guilty of any offense be promptly pun
ished. The Sentinel demands that this be
done, and this demand will be in type be-
fore the result of the city election will be
known. 1t will not be altered, whatever the
result of the election and it will be insisted
upon under any circumstances.
This demand would have been more
timely if it had been made as soon as the
scandal was disclosed and before every eff
fort had been exhausted to cover it up But
better late than never. The Journal well
comes the support of the Sentinel in this
matter and repeats it's statement of Thurs
day last, that the case is one for the grand
jury. 1t does not even question the motives
of the Sentinel, as it might fairly do in
view of what it says further:
Fulmer &c Seibert, who are said to have
paid the money, are Republicans. Sterling
r. Holt who is claimed to have received
and repaid the money, has been in alliance
with the Republicans for over year past
If any Democrats have knowledge of the
transaction they are presumably guilty par
ties For these reasons the Sentinel pro-
poses to hold the Republican party political
Iy responsible for any failure to investigate
this scandal thoroughly and bring any guilty
parties to justice.
This shows purpose or desire to make
political capital out of the proposed in
vestigation. 1t is true, we believe. that Full
mer & Seibert, the contractors, are Repub-
licans, but it is not true that Holt has been
in alliance with the Republicans for over
office holder in daily consultation with and
in the full confidence of Mayor Taggart
But let that pass. If there is any capital in
this matter for the Democratic party they
are welcome to it. Capital or no capital, the
matter should be investigated. Let Messrs.
Fulmer, Seibert, Holt, Robinson, Backus
and all who have any personal knowledge
of the transaction be summoned before the
grand jury and made to tell what they know.
If they throw suspicion on others, let those
also be summoned Let the matter be probed
to the bottom and let the grand jury do its
duty fearlessly. We have heard much in the
last few days about this beautiful city of
homes" being disgraced by the publicity
given to an official scandal. Let us know
if it was a crime, as well, and then let us
ask ourselves if the scandal was in the
crime or the exposure of it. The grand
Jury will meet in less than a week, and the
Journal hopes it will be instructed by Judge
McCray to make a searching investigation
of the whole business