The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1914-12-11

Indicted Men to Center Fight
Against Law of 1895.
REPORT HITS LOBBYISTS HARD
Members of Last State Assembly and
Attaches of Two Houses Are Ac-
cused of Presenting or Sign
ing False State Claims.

ing False State Claims.
Indianapolis, Dec. THE Marion
October has been investigating
affairs of the 1913 Legislature, re-
turned thirty-four indictments against
members of the Senate and House IN
that assembly and employees of both
branches of the Legislature. Thirteen
men were named in the indictment.
All of the indictments allege that the
men named presented or signed false
claims which were paid out of the
legislative funds.
legislative funds. In only one case is
the man named in the indictment said
to have received the money for which
the alleged claims were presented.
1t was the theory of the grand jury
that more than the legal number of
doorkeepers, clerks and stenographers
were employed, and that the extra
ones were not employees of the State.
Any claims presented for them were
false, it is alleged.
The investigation began October 8
after many rumors were circulated
concerning the history of two salary
bills which had been indefinitely post
poned, but in some way got on the
I statute books. The investigation took
such turn, however, that the orig
inal inquiry was nearly lost sight of
and no indictments concerning the
bills were returned.
In the report the jury recommends
that penal legislation be enacted for
lobbying about the Legislature.
List of Those Indicted.
Those against whom indictments
were returned last night by the
Marion County Grand Jury, conduct
ing the legislative inquiry, were as
follows:
Lieutenant Governor William P.
O'Neill, Mishawaka; presiding officer
of the Senate in the 1913 General
Assembly.
Homer L. Cook, Indianapolis;
speaker of the House of Representa-
tives in the 1913 General Assembly
and now secretary of state.
Senator Levi p Harlan, Indian
apolis; chairman of the "plunder COM
mittee" of the Senate.
John j. Keegan, Indianapolis; mem
Der of the House of Representatives
Sin the 1913 session and chairman Of
the House "plunder committee"
Wade H. Free, Anderson; clerk of
the Senate.
George NJ. Raab, Mishawaka;
assistant clerk of the Senate.
Sam. N. Quillin, indianapolis; clerk
of the House.
Paul c. Hill, Greencastle; assistant
clerk of the House.
John D. Jack Shea, Indianapolis;
chief doorkeeper of the Senate in the
1913 Legislature and now custodian
of the State House.
George w. Sands, South Bend; a
representative in the 1913 Legisla-
ture.
Mason J. Niblack, Vincennes;
parliamentarian of the House in the
1913 General Assembly.
George c. Stelhorn, Indianapolis;
expressing clerk in the House in 1913.
Douglas Bolser, Newcastle; prin-
cipal doorkeeper in the House in
1913.
May Not Be Binding.
The theory of the defense of the
men indicted on the charge that they
presented false claims against the
State at the last legislature by caus-
ing pay checks to be issued to party
workers for services not performed
will be that each General Assembly is
authority within itself in determining
the amount to be appropriated for its
expenses and in the appointment of
clerks, doorkeepers and other en-
ployes.
The indictments were brought under
an enactment of 1895 limiting the
number of employees of the House and
Senate and providing for imprison-
ment of not less than two nor more
than fourteen years for those who
violated it. The enactment also pro-
vides for fine.
The committee was to have power
to remove employees and to employ as
many as necessary to carry on the
work. The last night of the session
the House approved all the warrants
issued by the Speaker and attested by
the assistant clerk. Members and
attaches of the House under indict-
ment are counting on this action to
clear them of the Indictment
Many who are prominent in poll
teal affairs expressed the belief that
at least one of the accused will be
brought to trial soon that test case
may be made that will have a direct
bearing on the others.
GCQMANS TAKE OnZ