The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-10
THE NEW JAIL SCANDAL
STORY OF LAST DEMOCRATIC CON-
DUCT OF COUNTY AFFAIRS.
Immense Sinking Fund Dissipated In
Violation of the Law-Compari-
son of Administered ions.

The Democratic party had control of the
Board of County Commissioners for ten
years from December, 1885, to December
1885, when the present board came in. One
of the facts discovered by the new board
was that while the indebtedness of the coun-
ty had been increased each year, the party
in power had spent nothing for permanent
county improvements of any sort except
for few bridges. The new Jail, which cost
Sl5OOOO, was provided for by special law
authorizing the issuance of bonds and the
creation of a sinking fund to liquidate it.
There was scandal in connection with this
jail sinking fund.
The other day the Sentinel requested the
facts in connection with the Jail fund. They
were furnished willingly by the commits
sioners' direction, but were not of a char
acter that the Sentinel cared to print, mas
much as they showed gross violations of the
law providing for the building of the new
jail. In 1891 the Legislature passed a law
permitting counties having a population Of
more than O00O0 to issue bonds to the
amount of $4,000 "fcr the purpose of rails
ing funds to build county JAIL Marion
county wGs the only one affected by the law.
The act stipulated that the bonds should
run for six years at not exceeding 5 per
cent interest. 1t provided that when the
bonds were sold the moneys so received
shall constitute a special fund for the build
ing of a jail and grading the grounds on
which the same shall be located, and shall
be applied to no other purpose" The law
further provided that after the sale of
bonds the commissioners shall levy at their
next June meeting a special tax of cents
on each 800 of taxable property in the coun-
ty, and this levy shall be continued for five
consecutive years. The proceeds thereof
shall be a special sinking fund for the pay
ment of the principal and interest of said
bonds and shall not be applied to any other
purpose: provided, however, that If the
amount so raised shall exceed the amount
necessary for the redemption of such bonds
the excess shall be applied to the payment
of the existing indebtedness of the county,"
The law also provided that the amount
expended in constructing and furnishing the
Jail and grading the ground should not ex-
coed the amount received from the sale of
the bonds. 1t was in the misapplication of
the fund realized from the jail levy that the
scandal developed. Up to the time the pres
ent commissioners went into Office there had
been five semi-annual installments of the
Jail levy paid to their predecessors, amount
ing to $l62, S11.33. Under the provisions of
the law this fund should have been kept
Sacredly intact as a sinking fund. Instead
of complying with the law the Democratic
commissioners ulSslpated IL ana there is
nothing to show what became of it. At any
rate, part of it was used in 1.-The pay
ment of the existing Indebtedness of the
county," Following is a statement Of the
semi-annual amounts collected, less the in
terest that should have been placed in
sinking fund: