South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-04-27
HIDES BEHIND MASK
OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
Goodrich Gang May be Forced
Into Open by Ineffi-
cheney Charges.

SpeCiol % the News Times
LNDIANAPOLIS. april 26-The
republican administration of Indi-
ana is having a lot Of difficulties IN
hiding behind the mask or right
eousness which it's satellites are in
the habit of raising whenever some
Particularly vicious piece OF inefh-
cheney or worse comes 90 public
gaze.
So thoroughly shaken has been
the public confidence in Goodrich
fsm and its conduct Of state .ustita-
lions that charges of improperly,
neglect or misconduct from any
source are being believed and it is
no longer sufficient for the state ad-
nlinistration 10 assert its cleanliness
and declare them false.
Denial Not Enough.
The people of Indiana are de-
handing Investigation Of every
charge and whenever the Goodrich
controlled gang seeks to- deny the
charges 10 IS met with the assertion
that II they are not true there should
be an investigation in which 10 is
proved that :hey are false.
The Goodrich administration does
not dare investigate itself and the
predicament in which it is placed by
The lack OF weight Of its denials is
no less than would be produced by
admission Of charges made.
For example. Charles 0. McNulty,
a blind tiger operator. who was pa
rolled by Gov. Goodrich, rose up 70
declare that prisoners were mistreat-
ed at the penal farm. The COVER
nor attempted TO deny IL. declaring
that he had visited the penal farm
often and had never seen anything
o. that kind
Investigation Is Demanded.
The denial did not stick News
papers all over the state are de
handing an investigation of the
charges and men who have been at
the penal farm are writing i'm their
testimony in support of McNulty's
declarations.
Gov. Goodrich must defend him
self and the penal farm and he is
very, very loath TO have an investi-
cation Of il in the open. where his
own relations to its conduct can be
The Iauure OF the state board of
charities and corrections to inves-
tigate the conditions which have
been exposed at the Marion county
jail has hurt the state administra-
ton immensely. No denial OF this
failure was possible owing 20 the
federal court action. and the iGefi-
cheney OF the entire administration
Of the county and the state has
stood out as the leading feature of
the expose.
Would Muzzlc Press.
The Marion County eXponents Of
GoOdrichism are now trying hard to
kick up a counter agitation. They
have charged a lawyer who exposed
their improper grand jury methods
with obtaining a fee from a client
under false pretenses. but they have
asked three continuance when he
demanded an immediate trial.
They have attempted 10 cite news
paper men for contempt of court fol-
lowing the publication OF this law
yer's story. but after a week OF de-
lay the newspaper found ii neces-
sary 10 prod them into action on
the contempt proceedings
In the meanwhile Amos Butler.
secretary Of the state board OF char
tiles has been supplied with addi-
tiOnal information regarding the pc
nal farm and is sitting in a very
trying position.
He cannot hold a public hearing
on the charges without exposing the
Goodrich administration OF which
he Is a part
he cannot convince anyone that
the charges are not true without
holding just such an investigation.