The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-12-05

The grand jury's report, so far as it
deals with the two so-called Lake
county salary grab" bills, which got
on to the statute books without hav-
ing been passed by the legislature, ad-
mits that these measures may have
gone through by mistake owing to a
loose system of checking up bills
passed or killed by the legislature.
Attacks Lobbyists.
After pointing out the great need
for penal legislation to curb so-called
lobbying" in which vast sums of
money are spent in influencing legis-
lation, the report deals with the al
legged unlawful expenditure of state
funds through payments to unauthor-
lied employees and otherwise.
The investigation revealed that in
the senate $4,000 was paid out to per
sons designated as employees. as
against $2O,573 for the members of
that body.
In the house $4,000 more than the
total per diem and expenses of the
members was paid to persons called
officers and employees of that body.
"PIunder" Committee.
The representatives and senators in
dicted were members of the legislative
committee commonly known as the
'plunder committee
The indictments were returned un-
der Section 1856, Burns Revised Stat
utes, which deals with false and fraud
ulent claims in connection with the re.
ceipt or payment of state, county, city
or township funds. The penalty on
conviction is two to fourteen years
Imprisonment and fine of from ten
to one thousand dollars.
The jury started it's investigation
October at the instigation of Gov
ernor Ralston, who in a letter to Mar
ion County Prosecutor Frank p. Baker
pointed out that certain charges and
rumOrs were being made in connection
with the affairs of the last Legislature
which he thought should be cleared
up by the grand jury
Crawford's Work.
Among the matters referred to at
the start of the probe were statements
made by Earl H. Crawford of Milton.
Ind. who represented Fayette and
Wayne counties in the last legislature
Crawford made charges of misconduct
against Homer l.. Cook. speaker of the
house. and during a speech he read
what purpOrted to be letter from
Cook to school book dealer asking
under what terms a school book com
pany might handle certain books
Crawford also limited at other uues-
tionable dealings.
Two sO-called salary grab bills for
officials of Lake county. signed by
Speaker Cook and recorded as having
been passed. when no final vote was
taken on them. were also mentioned
before Governor RalStOn wrote his LET
ter to Prosecutor Baker. There also
were statements made concerning pay
ments made to certain persons en-
ployed by the last legislature who
were not entitled to them
Appear in Court.
The thirteen indicted officers. mem
bars and employees of the Indiana gen.
eral assembly of 1913, appeared in
court today. either in person or
through legal counsel and were sub
sequently released on their own recog-
nizances
State Democratic Chairman Bernard
korbly, representing Secretary of
State II. l.. Cook, made a plea for
speedy trial, and Prosector Baker in
timated that the case might be set for
a date at the present term of court,
In which case the present Democratic
Judge, Joseph M. Markey, would pre-
side.
Lieutenant Governor O'Neill of Mis-
hawaka, was represented by Attorneys
Winters, Stotsenburg and w. A. Nc
Inerney the latter of South Bend.
Grand Jury Report.
The indictments returned by the
grand jury in the legislative investi-
cation were based on one section of
the Indiana statutes-Section 1856.