Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-09-07
JUDGES WON'T
HOLD COURT IN
DIRTY ROOMS
Shut Doors Until County
Janitors Are Ready to
Clean Up.
NOT FIRST COMPLAINT

The expenditure of more than $1,000
of the taxpayers money for courthouse
janitors and a custodian In August
failed to render the courtrooms OF Su-
perior Judges Linn Hay and SCION D
Carter and Probate Judge Mahlon Bash
of the Marion county probate court
clean and sanitary enough In which TO
open court today.
The three judges literally went on q
"strike" and refused to open court until
the dirt and dust was removed.
Judge Carter of superior court, room .,
instructed his attaches not to open court
until the court room was made deceht
pIace in which TO do business
The baIliff of that court in working
the file cases dirtied his hands to such
an extent from the accumulated dust tnat
he was compelled to wash them before ne
could turn over important papers &c at
torneys.
Judge Bash of the probate court on
arriving at his courtroom early tnis
morning was astonished to find 1t dirty
and unkept. -.
He posted a sign on the door which
read: 'sThis courtroom will not De
opened until it is cleaned"
Judge Bash in discussing the condl-
rion of his courtroom, stated: 'on
coming here this morning l found my
courtroom to be the dirtiest hole l
have ever seen.
/ remained in his chambers this morn
ing while the janitors made a frantic
effort to clean 1t.
Judge Vincent Clifford Of superior
oourt room 4, complained of the con-
d{fiou of his cham berS.
The bailif of Judge Clifford's court,
on arriving at the courthouse TINS morn F,
ing. Immediately grabbed duster, ahc
before the Judge arrived had the courf-
room in fairly good condition.
JANITORs PAY
NO ATTENTION.
"The ianitors appointed by the county
commissioners will pay no attention 70
MS iudges and the only way l see 10 ger
service is for the judges to appoint tneii
own ianitors" Judge Clifford sara.
Judge Carter instructed his oaliilh ~
wait on the board of county comnis
sioners and ask them to appear III MS
chambers .bo
clerk Of the board Of commissioners NOT
a single commissioner was present, Dul
as soon as Commissioners Carl1n Snahk
and Lewis George arrived they lInhe'
diatelv went in post haste TO the ehaIn
bers of Judge Carter
II Is understood the court did not
ntnce words in describing conditions IN
the various courtrooms.
Judges Hay. Carter and CLIFFORD heiu
A conference in the chambers OF Judge
Hay prior to the appearance OF two e'
the commissioners before Judge Garter
This is not the first time that the
iudges have complained Of the dirty con-
dftIon of their courtrooms as jury
some time ago signed a written state
mant complaining of the unsanitary and
dirty condition in a jury room USED by
superior court, room
There was feeling around the court
house that somebody" would go to jail
for contempt of court IL conditions in
the courtrooms were not improved at
once.
wnile the three judges were holding
an Indignation meeting IN the chambers
Of Judge Hay, Custodian Benjamin ).
peiree. ward worker for commissioner
CarIfn Shank, looked into the chambers
of the court but on seeing the counsel
If war in progress immediately. beat it,
81 500
SPENT.
The records show s1,S0e has been spent
for ianitor service this summer while the
courts have been in vacation
The records in the office OF the coun-
tv commissioners show that Custodian
Pesrce and fourteen janitors were paid
a total Of 672.5O for period beginning
July is and ending Aug. 1.
Since that time two colored women
have been added to the janitor's stan
and the rooms where they had full
charge we're in excellent condition TO-
day.
The two women were appointed as soon
as It was decided that women could
vote In Indiana this fall
One of the women was assigned to the
courtroom of Judge Bash this morning
and after an hours work the 5udge
stated that his courtroom was cleaner
than it has been for years.
It Is thought that the negro janitors
at the courthouse were so busy getting
out a large republican registration last
Saturday that they overlooked their
duty to clean three Of the court rooms
Drastic action is expected by the
courts unless immediate steps are taken
(Continued on Page Eight)