South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-07-25
MINISTERS FAIL
To PROVE CRAFT
!. EXISTS IN CITY
Late Republican Police Chief
Offered $500 According to
Rev. EdWardS-Rev. GibIett
Heard Corruption Exists.

II wasn't quite Much Ado About
Nothing but something on this or
der Thursday afternoon when the
common council sat as a committee
OF the whole TO investigate alleged
charges Of corruption and graft on
the part OF city officials
The local Ministerial association,
their friends. aspiring politicians and
others crowded the chamber 10 hear
the testimony.
DIT. Loren NJ. Edwards statement
IN a sermon, printed in the South
Bend Tribune. that he had absolute
knowledge OF a cash bride OF 5000
being offered a city official was one
OF the big things that caused the in
vestigation. The minister was the
first one called 20 the stand Thursday
afternoon.
Explaining the 5000 Bride.
DR.. Edwards swore that the official
who had been offered this money was
Ben Jarrett. Jarrett was police chief
Of the late republican city admin
stration and has not been in office for
nearly four years.
d. J. Campbell. chairman OF the in
vestigating committee. said that IL IS
this alleged political prediction
undertaking. the linking Of the pres
rent administration with the wrongdo-
Ing OF previous administrations. that
IS prompting the city fathers TO prove
themselves innocent OF any graft or
corruption" %H
Rev. Edwards Starts II.
DR.. Loren NJ. Edwards. pastor Of
the First Methodist church, started
the trouble eliminating this investi-
CATION about the Fourth Of July when
he 4. said to have conducted investi-
cations which resulted in the finding
Of some saloons open on Sunday
Rev. Mr.. Edwards told his congrega-
ton what he had seen and heard, in
several sermons and IT is said he re-
marked in one sermon that If the city
officials were not getting a rake-Off
from the saloonkeepers they were
fools. In another he is said to have
claimed TO know OF city official who
had been offered a cash bride.
Explaining the rake-off and fools
story DR.. Edwards testified that this
was not exactly what he had said but
that II had been turned this way by
the press. Atty. Drummond, employ
ed by the city as assistant counsel 10
conduct the investigation, examined
DR.. Edwards and the other witnesses.
Mr.. Edwards had no evidence OF cor
ruption or graft on the part Of any
city official and was excused. Mr.. Ed
wards testimony was as follows:
q. you may state your name to
the committee"
A Loren Edwards-Loren NJ.
Edwards"
Q. And you live in the city of
1dishawaka7
lEdwards2"
A. II am pastor of the First Meth
Q. How long have you been pas
tor OF the First Methodist church,"
A For the past Is months"
.. You were living in this city
on and prior to Monday. July 21.
A Yes"
Q. It call your attention 10 a
statement alleged to have been made
by you and quoted by the South Bend
Tribune OF the issue OF Monday, July
81. 1919. IN which you are reported
as having said: I know where city
officials here were offered $500 to per-
NIT certain law violations: the way
conditions are run here lays the Off
Gals open TO suspicion TO say the
least. AS long as the city officials
do not enforce the laws and lay
themselves liable TO criticism they are
fools IL they are not getting some
thing out OF IT Did you make that
statement
Admits Statement.
A. THAT is substantially the state
ment that / made"
q. LAS quoted?"
a. Yes. I don't know that that is
a verbatim statement but that is, IN
substance, what I said"
Q. II call your attention 70 that
part OF the statement where you say:
Il know where city officials here were
offered $500 TO permit certain law
Violations VIII you state 20 the
committee who these officials were -
A IT can give the name Of the
official who made-whO received such
an offer-yes sir"
q. What was his manner"
A. His name Is Ben Jarrett"
q. us he a city Official?"