The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-05-21
CHARLES MARTINDALE HEARD
HIS KNOWLEDGE GARNERED FROM
? ~-s.-.s..-. INTANGIBLE SOURCES.
John Z. Christian Says Some "Joking'
Was Indulged In About Franchises
-Gist of Testimony.
Lawyers to the right Of them;
Lawyers to the left of them;
LAWYERS in front of trem
Thundered and quarreled!

Inunuereu ana QudrreleQ.
Turbulent was the session last night Of
the council committee that is investigating
the sprinkling and sweeping contracts.
During the session nearly everybody be-
came indignant and protestant except Mr..
Expert. Mr.. Noel once threatened to stop,
Mr.. Ketcham protested with his usual Wig
or Mr.. Matson entered denial, Chairman
wynne expressed opposition to the course
of the examinations. Mr.. Shea threatened
to step down and Mr.. Christian and Mr..
Martindale showed much resentment. The
net result of the session was long on quar-
rels and short on facts.
The important witnesses of the night
were John e. Christian and Charles Mar
tindale. Mr.. Christian called to testi-
fy as to how he procured franchise to
supply steam heat to some of his neigh
bors in the block bounded by Alabama,
Delaware, Pratt and st. Clair streets. He
owns nineteen houses which are supplied
by a central heating plant. Neghbors
wanted this service and he agreed to give
it if the board would give him the right
He got the right though the board delayed
weeks because it did not want to establish
a precedent Mr. Christian, who at the
cratic candidate for county commissioner
denied that he had paid anything to pro-
cure the franchise or that there had been
any suggestion of improper influence He
admitted he had been told jdkingly that
he would have TO pay the board but he said
anything of that sort said to him he treat
have to contribute to the Republican fund
it was in joking way.
MADE SAVAGE ANSWERS.
In questioning Mr.. Christian about a visit
of a reporter to him yesterday Mr.. Chris
tian became angry and made a number Of
savage answers to Mr.. Noel. Mr. Noel be-
came excited and demanded that Chairman
Wynne use the sergeant-at-arms to control
the witness. Mr.. Ketcham attempted to
intervene and both he and Noel spoke for
some length of time together rather loudly
and angrily. Mr.. Wynne, with surprising
placidity, restored order and said Mr.
Christian would answer the questions. This
incident ended Christians testimony
Charles Martindale was examined at
length, but his examination disclosed moth
ing more than his knowledge of what
others had told him. except that he called
at the office of the Board of Public Works
and Mr.. Mcguire had told him the sprink-
ling bids of the first letting would be acted
on the following morning. This was on the
afternoon of Thursday. March 5. at 4:3O
o'clock in the afternoon. The boards rec
ord, he said, showed the rejection of the
bids at o'clock on the same day.
Mr.. Noel asked Mr.. Martindale about the
information he possessed that would tend
to disclose any corruption on the part of a
member of board or any public Official
Mr.. Martindale said he. had "all there
was;" that lit was in the air." that he
could mo more identify the people who had
told of charges than he could identify the
flies that lighted on him." The only thing
he spoke particularly of was a statement
by Dennis Murphy, which Murphy failed to
return and attest. that he had witnessed
payments to an inspector for leniency in
enforcing the specifications for cement
walks in East Morris street. The Murphy
charges were investigated by the grand
jury months ago and resulted In the resig-
nation of Isaac King from the Park Board.
as IL was shown that he was Interested
while a member OF the board, i'm public
contracts. Murphys statement was made
on April IL. Mr.. Martindale was excused
from the stand and went to his Office and
got the statement, which he put In the
record
SOME GENERALITIES.
Mr.. Noel pressed many questions on Mr..
Martindale to ascertain IL he knew of per-
sons who had made charges. Mr. Martini
dale said he had no further personal knowl-