The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-04
twenty-five Indictments Have Been
Returned So Far Against OIL
Gals and Others.
NO CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRY
IF THE GOVERNMENT CAN HAVE ITS
WAY IN THE NATTER.
VOnnegut & Bohn, Indianapolis Arch
fleets, to Prepare Plans for Vim
cennes Public Building.
eciaI to the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.-The grand jury
of the District OF Columbia, which has con-
sidered all the postoff1ce cases which have
arisen here viii adjourn on Monday. The
full scope of the investigation will there
fore be determined at that time and 1t will
then be known how many Of the prominent
persons whose names have been under dis
cussion have been found sufficiently impli-
Gated in wrong doing az TO put upon them
the stain of being required to answer GRIM
inal charges in court OF justice.
Twenty-Five indictments have been re-
turned and up to this time one former con-
gresham, a State senator and Machen and
Beavers are the most prominent persons
who have been indicted To what extent
the department has been able to make out
cases against Gen. James n. Tyner, of
Indiana, and other officials who served with
him in what came to be known as the
frauds of the Law Department" will not
be known until the grand jury adjourns.
There has been much talk about such
prominent ex-officials as Perry s. Heath.
formerly Of Muncie, Ind. and number OF
persons of national repute who have done
business before the department as repre-
sentatives of contracting firms. 1t Is not
believed from what can be learned that
cases have been made against any of these
men.
Department officials believe that the facts
surrounding the investigation and the re-
suits as they stand will tend to discourage
any action by Congress toward an investi-
CATION of the department at present. For
this reason stock is taken in the reports
that the President favors the appointment
OF a nonpartisan commission TO prosecute
the inquiries further 1t is supposed, In view
of the attitude of some leading Republicans
on this subject, that a suggestion for COM
mission was put forward to forestall at
capital in Congress by the Introduction OF
resolutions for Investigations. But, In view
of the fact that the postoffice cases will
be running along during the winter in the
courts and possibly for a year to come, it
is not believed it would be good policy from
the standpoint of the government to have
the evidence upon which the prosecution
hopes to secure conviction paraded before
the people through the medium OF an indie
pendent investigation. No better means
could be devised for putting the indicted
persons fully in possession of the govern
ments case. The law officers do not be-
lieve that when the leaders in Congress
reflect upon the possibilities OF such a
course that an attempt Will be made TO fol-
low ii up at this time. Another strong
point which the government has as an in
centive TO keeping its case well In hand Is
facts may be disclosed through the testi-
mony of witnesses which may implicate
persons against whom charges have been
made but about whom the investigation
has failed TO disclose anything of criminal
character upon which the grand jury would
find indictments.
1t is now expected that the full reports
upon the investigation will be completed
between the 18th and 10th of this month.
These reports will cover the investigation
down to the action of the grand jury in
each case and the results will be for the
courts to determine
XXX
Vonnegut & Bohn, architects, of Indian
apolis, have been selected to prepare the
plans for the public building to be con-
structed at Vincennes. Ind. Seven firms
entered the competition and after a careful
consideration of the designs submitted the
board of awards, of which the supervising
architect is chairman, selected those of the
indianapolis firm. The sum of $4,000 was
| VOnnegut & Bohn will receive 5 per cent.
of that amount. The Vincennes building
| will be a classic stone structure. The
proposed public building at Hammond Ind b,
| will also be constructed under the COMPETE
| tive plan.
The National Bank of Commerce of New
York has been approved as a reserve agent
| for the Citizens National Bank of Koko-
| mo, Ind.
Carson Ewald has been appointed regular
| carrier and Benjamin Shaffer substitute in
| the rural free delivery service at Bremen,
/ Ind.