South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-08-12
COUNCIL DEFENDS
RECORDS OF CITY
Investigating Committees Re-
port Tears to TatterS the
Charges of Graft and Liquor
Law Violations.

The counctlmanic committee which
conducted the investigation OF alleged
law1essness and bribery in this city
some two weeks ago, delivered re-
port at the common council meeting
held IN the council chambers Mon
day evening.
Following IS the report:
Eat the first session. Rev. Loren NJ.
Edwards. pastor Of the Eberhart Me-
mortal Methodist Episcopal church,
testified that his statement as pub
liahed. L know OF city officials here
who have been offered $500 TO permit
violations OF the law and that If the
officials are not getting something out
of IL they are fools. was substantially
as made by him in his sermon. Asked
10 give the names Of city officials
thus approached. Mr.. Edwards named
Ben Jarrett, who was chief Of police
under Mayor Frank and who has not
been a city official for nearly four
years. Mr.. Edwards further testified
that he knew Of no bribery or at
tempted bribery OF present city Of
fcials.
Mr.. Giblett testified that the pa
pers reported correctly his statement
regarding common talk that city OF
ficials were getting rake off from the
saloons, but could not name any man,
woman or child who had told him so.
There was absolutely no evidence TO
show that any city official, police Of
heer or other city employe had re-
ceived or had been offered a bride in
any form TO permit violations OF law.
Wanted People to Believe.
when the Rev. Mr.. Edwards made
his statement that he knew Of city
officials who had been offered brides
he must have known that this would
be accepted by the people generally
as referring TO present city officials.
When he said the city officials were
fools IL they were not getting some
thing out OF alleged violations of the
LIQUOR laws, there can be no other
conclusion than that he wanted peo-
pie 10 believe that present city OH
Gals were getting a rake of.
Although the committee In ac-
cordance with the resolution was au-
thorized TO investigate only charges
and reports OF graft or bribery II was
decided TO widen the scope OF the in
curry and admit testimony Of any
other rnalconduct Of officials. also evil
dence OF violations OF the liquor laws.
witnesses were summoned and
the hearing adjourned until the next
day for the admission OF such evil
dence. The chairman OF the commit
tee invited anyone in the room TO
come forward and tell anything he
knew on the subject. The testimony
OF the witnesses. who admitted they
had been diligently watching the back
doors OF saloons for several Sundays
showed that the wide-Open conditions
that had been advertised all over the
state did not exist but that on the
contrary most OF the saloons were
closed and vacated beyond the shadow
of a doubt There was testimony
given of men being seen going IN the
back doors Of saloons on Sundays
during the past eight or nine months,
but nothing IN the nature of legal
evidence on which a case could be
prosecuted. There was no evidence
presented that there was ever any
permission stated or implied given by
any city official TO any liquor dealer
10 violate the law.
Chief Refused to Go.
1.-THE Rev. Mr.. Edwards. being re-
called TO the stand. made his state
ment regarding the refusal OF Chief
OF Police F'rick TO accompany him on
the morning Of July TO see viola
lions of the Sunday closing law.
Chief F'rick on the stand admitted
that he refused to go with the min
lister, but stated that he asked him 10
make his charges and submit his evil
dence and he would act on IL.
The police are not compelled by
law 10 go Win a cltlLen 10 make an
arrest unless a felony is charged
Any citizen can file a complaint with
the police and have r. prosecuted, but
this evidently was not the purpose OF
Mr.. Edwards. The spectacle of the
minister leading the chief through
the alleys back Of the saloons on Sun
day morning before church services
whether any law violations were dis
covered or not. would have been sen
sational and would have made goo
copy for the newspapers Charges OF
lawlessness and wide-open violations
OF the liquor laws in Mishawaka have
been published throughout the state
Imaginative newspaper cOrrespOn-