Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-06-24
PUSS' MEINERT.
POLITICIAN, TO
TAKE JAIL TERM
Supreme Court Upholds Yer
dict of SIS Fine and Ten
Days Behind Bars.

The decision yesterdar Of the Indiana
State Supreme Court uphOlding the
judgment and sentence which was pro-
nOunced by Special Judge James n.
Berryhill in the Marion County Criminal
Court in the case of William Meinert
known as "Puss" Meinert and a former
powerful figure in politics at Evansville,
means that Meinert will be compelled to
pay u fine of $50 and costs and serve ten
days in the Marion County Jail. The
clerk Of the Criminal Court on receiving
official notice from the higher court, will
notify Attorney Ira NJ. Holmes Of Indi-
annapolis who is surety on Meinerts $500
appeal bond to deliver MeiHert in Gus
tody OF the sheriff Of Marion County.
Failure to produce Meinert would re-
suit, If the natural course is followed, in
the trial court setting aside the bond.
declaring it forfeited and ordering the
re-arrest Of Meinert.
"Puss" Meinert was the alleged head
Of the gambling trust" which existed,
according TO the evidence and the finding
Of the trial court at the Marion County
jail at the time Robert F. Miller, known
as Honest Bob" was sherif Of Marion
County.
ON April II, 1902, the Marion County
grand jury returned an indictment
against Meinert. John Douglas, Frank
Kemp and Adrian Van Cleave on charges
OF keeping a gaming house and know
ingly permitting gambling at the Marion
County jail. On June 4, 1920, Kemp and
Van Cleave were discharged al the close
of the introduction of the evidence of
the State on the ground that the State
had failed to make a case against them.
On motion Of the State, John Douglas
~ 4n
approve Of a motion to discharge Meinert
was introduced.
On June 10, 1920. Judge Berryhil
found Meinert guilty as charged and fined
him $25 and costs anC sentenced him
to ten days in Jail Me!nert at once ap-
pealed to the Supreme Court. On Aug.
%, 1920, an appeal was perfected when
bill Of exceptions was filed. The Su-
preme Court upheld the trial court late
yesterday.
This exposure Of Jail conditions dur
ing the regime Of former Sheriff Robert
f. Miller was caused by testimony Of
Federal prisoners. who were kept there.
Federal officers told Judge A B. An
derson that prisoners were practically
compelled to gamble so that Meinert,
who was a favored cell boss, could get
a "rake-of'' out of the pot"
Sheriff { iller was indicted on charges
Of neglect of duty for alleged serving of
"unwholesome. spoiled, nauseous, tainted
indigestible, improperly and insufficient
ly cooked food" to the prisoners.
His case has been allowed to sleep on
the Marion County Criminal Court docket
since July @. 1920, when the last entry
was made. The delay was started in the
Miller case when Judge James Collins of
the Criminal Court on May II declined
to proceed" as judge in the case and
named five judges. From that number
Judge Henry Vinton of the Circuit Court
at Lafayette, Ind, was selected He
qualified on June "a, 1920, and on July 6,
1920, heard argument on a motion of
the defendant to quash the indictment.
The record on the date of July 6, 1920
shows that Judge Vinton took the ruling
on the motion under advisement and not
a single entry has been recorded since
that date. The case has been allowed to
sleep for nearly a year.
The Supreme Court, in upho1dtng, Judge
Berryhill in the Meinert case, reld that
since the evidence showed that Meinert
presided over a table and even placed
the table in the cellhouse and arranged
it for the purposes of gambling, and that
poker for money had been played on this
table. and for which Melnert had OBJ
tained < cents for every pot" there was
sufficient evidence to warrant the higher
court in sustaining the finding of the
lower court.
Meinert was an alleged member Of the
famous Evansville "booze ring" which
was wiped out Of existence by Judge
Anderson.