The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-07
The Most Serious Charge Is that
Funds Appropriated for Certain
Purposes Were Misused.
THE CITY CHARTER VIOLATED
ATTORNEY HARDING AND COMMIT
TEE MEMBERS AT WORK.
The Famous Order Keeping PATROL
men Out of Saloons WIFI Receive
Attention.

vestigation and impeachment, of the City
Council. will make report to the Council
tonight holding that the city charter has
been violated by the city administration to
such an extent that impeachment proceed
ings should be brought and the matter tried
before the Council as a whole.
Since the last of the evidence was heard
by tie committee last week Mr.. Daller. Mr..
Wheeler and Mr.. Harding, attorney for
the committee, nave been busy going over
the testimony brought out during the in
vestigation and selecting the evidence upon
which a report can be made to the Coun-
Gil tonight.
Attorney Harding began work on the re-
port for the committee Saturday, and yes
terday afternoon conferred with Council
man Daller regarding the substance of the
report. They agreed on one part of the
report and then Attorney Harding locked
himself in his private Office the remainder
of the afternoon and was at his home un-
til late at night preparing the report.
THE CHARTER VIOLATED.
The first thing agreed on by Attorney
Harding, Mr.. Daller and Mr.. Wheeler was
that the city charter was violated when
the Board of Safety issued an order in
January. 1899, prohibiting patrolmen from
entering saloons and licensed places, except
when called there in the line of their duty
or when called In by the saloon keepers.
The report will say that this was in d.
rect violation Of the city charter and will
recommend that the Board of Safety be inn
peached. In explaining this Attorney
Harding said the committee was confident
the order had been issued to protect sa-
loon keepers, and by such an order being In
vogue there was lawlessness in the city
that would never have existed If the order
had not been issued and the patrolmen had
been allowed to inspect saloons and gam
bling dives at all times. This order, he
said. allowed the saloon keepers to harbor
crooks and violators of the law, besides
permitting them TO allow minors and young
girls to associate in the saloons.
Another section of the report will allege
that the city's funds lave been misused.
This charge is based upon the testimony
brought out when City Controller Johnson
was on the stand last Wednesday night,
the closing session of the investigation. 1t
was shown that the city had used money
appropriated for the bridge and park funds
to pay the general running expenses of the
city and there was an enormous deficit in
the city treasury as a result Of this al
legged misuse of funds. Attorney Harding
says this Is in direct violation of the city
charter, and that according to City Con-
troller Johnson's testimony the city would
have been compelled on many occasions to
make temporary loans to pay the running
expenses If the charter had rot been
violated by using funds appropriated for
other purposes. When the trial is held by
the Council as a body, it will be shown, it
Is said, that the city controller collected the
taxes due the city each month and that
even with this money the city was con-
tinually running behind. owing to the ex-
travagant methods of the city administra-
ton.
ANOTHER CHARGE.
1t will further be brought to light that
when Mayor Taggart lowered the tax levy
| the city continued to run further into debt
| and every month used more and more of
the funds appropriated for specific improve
ments. and which, it is claimed. is rapidly
leading the city into bankruptcy. 1t is
| argued that had the present administration
not lowered the tax levy it would have
caused the closest figuring to make the in
| come of the city pay the running expenses
under the extravagant methods in vogue
The members of the committee, Attorney
Harding and other Republican councilmen,
who have followed the testimony, allege
| that the reason the administration is sc
anxious to prepare a big bond issue for the
Improvement of the City Hospital and fire
department is to get funds with which tc
replace money taken from other appropria-
4 t1Ollc. Il II dlCO CldlDlCu tndt ctlOulu II
administration be allowed to continue un.
der the present methods 1t will require a
loan of $3.50, 900 or $500, 900 to settle up mat.
ters. The report will claim it is necessary
TO bring impeachment proceedings to keeI
the administration from wrongfully using
money appropriated for improvement pur.
poses.
ANOTHER POINT.
Another point was brought up which was
not included in the report last night, but
may be agreed upon to-day. when another
meeting of the committee and Attorney
Harding will be held to finally agree upon
the report. and that is to recommend the
dismissal of w. s. Mcmillan as a member
of the Board of Safety, claiming he was
appointed as the Republican member of the
board, and, as his politics is in doubt, the
| charter is violated by not having a Repub-
lican IN the board as made necessary by
the charter. The members of the commit.
tee and Attorney Harding had not agreed
upon this point last night.
AS the report of the committee will
recommend the impeachment proceedings
IL will make IL necessary to have another
trial of the case, with the entire Council
acting as a jury to hear the evidence. Boil
sides will be represented by attorneys, ans
IL will require a two-thirds vote of the
Council TO impeach the officers of the ad
ministration. When the matter comes Il
trial again the prosecution will carry 4
through as rapidly as possible, and will
eliminate all testimony that does not have
a direct bearing on the charges TO be mad,