The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-06
TO PROBE THE SCANDAL
COUNCIL WILL INVESTIGATE THE
GAMEWELL CONTRACT MATTER.
A Resolution Was Ready Last Night,
but No Quorum Was Present-Mc-
Curdy Replies to Herrick.

There was no meeting of the Council last
night. But ten members were present,
Messrs. Allen, Dewar, Dudley, Madden,
O'Connor, Ohleyer. Payne, Shaffer, Sherer
and Smith. Mr.. Woody, delayed by poor
street-car service, reached the Council
chamber after adjournment. The roll call
by Deputy Clerk Tamm disclosing less than
a quorum, the Council adjourned. The
meeting did not come to order until after
the usual hour, as there was an earnest de-
sire to hold a meeting on the part Of some
OF the members in spite of the heat and
Fourth of July noise, and they insisted on
waiting for a quorum. Charges of a serious
character were made by w. S. McCurdy,
one of the disappointed bidders, against a
Democratic member of the Council finance
committee in connection with the awarding
of the contract for the police patrol tele-
graph system to the GameWell Company
in Sunday mornings Journal. The innocent
members of the committee felt that as the
identification of the member charged with
having asked a bride of 5000 was narrowed
down to the Democratic members of the
finance committee, there was nothing for
them to do but ask full investigation. A
conference was held with City Attorney
Curtis yesterday, and he drafted a resolu-
ton which would have been introduced last
night had meeting been held. There will
be a special meeting in a few days, when
it is known that sufficient members TO con-
stitute a quorum will be present. Then the
resolution will be introduced. 1t is as fol-
lows:
Whereas, The charge has been made in
the public press that one of the Democratic
members of the finance committee en-
deavored to induce a representative of one
of the companies bidding upon the police
patrol system to pay him 5000 or some
other sum to bring about the acceptance of
a certain bid; therefore be it
Resolved, That the president appoint a
committee of three to investigate said
charges send for persons and papers and
take testimony and report to this body the
name Of the councilman who made such
proposition together with such recommen-
dationS as the committee deems necessary,
and take such further steps as to the COM
mittee seems necessary"
The resolution was signed by three Demo-
cratic members of the finance committee,
Messrs. F. E. Wolcott, John G. Ohleyer
and Duncan Dewar. A fourth Democratic
member of the committee John H. Kirk
hoff, could not be found by his associates,
but it is understood that he is just anx-
ious for the investigation as those who
signed it. The fifth Democratic member,
Frank S. Clark, left the city Sunday fore
noon for or Milwaukee,, where he is attending
The investigation will extend further than
to charges of bribery. Members of the
committee feel that q thorough tnVeStiga-
ton of the manner of the awarding of the
contract by the Board of Public Safety is
advisable, and for this reason the clause
authorizing the committee to send for
papers and to take such further steps
as to the committee seems necessary" was
inserted. 1t was intimated in pretty broad
terms last night that the entire subject will
be investigated in view of the fact that in
terviews in the Journal show that the
methods of the successful company in other
cities have not been altogether fair and
honorable.
AS neither Mr.. Cooper nor Mr.. Allen, Re-
publican members of the committee, were
included in the charge against the Demo-
cratic members of the finance committee
they were therefore not asked to sign the
resolution. Mr.. Ohleyer said that as the
charge made by w. S. McCurdy through
the journal had fixed the allegations of
attempted bribery upon one of the Demo-
cratic members of the finance committee
he and Messrs. Wolcott and Dewar felt
that there was no other course for them
than to demand an immediate and thorough
investigation
Il went to Mr.. Kirkhofs place of BUSH
ness to-day" said he, but could not find
him. suppose he was away celebrating
the Fourth. l understand that Mr.. Clark
Is out of town.