Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-04-30
FLEMING SAYS
HE WITNESSED
II SHADY WORK
Chas. w. Brown Sr. Threw
Out Shank Votes, Charges
Speaker.

Part Of the story of alleged election
frauds in the municipal primary of 1917,
in which Mayor Charles W. Jewett was
nominated was told by Henry Fleming,
negro, one of the organizers in the cam
paign of Edward j. Robson, in speech
at 523 Bowman street last night.
Jennings expose Of the NewsJewett
organization came after that body had
published an affidavit purpOrting to
have been signed by Charles w. Brown,
Sr, Republican inspector; Fred Bau-
mann, Democrat, judge, and James L.
Kinney, Democrat, clerk of the primary
election board in the First precinct of
the Fifth ward, in which it was stated
that there had been no Irregularities
there. The First is Fleming's home pre-
cinct.
Mr.. Brown, knows very we'll what
went on in the First precinct Of the
Fifth ward" said Fleming He also
knows what went on in the same precinct
during the last ten years, ali of which
time he has been inspector on the election
boards. He is an old man and a personal
friend of mine and 1 am surprised that
he would try to get out an affidavit try
ing to say that everything was square in
that precinct.
ABOUT THOSE
INITIATED BALLOTS,
"If he can get Mr.. Eldridge Pritchard,
the Republican clerk, to say that every
thing was square l will ask Mr.. Brown
If he does not remember that he read
the mutilated ballots to Mr.. Pritchard
and if he does not remember that l was
in the room until the party Of county
OfP ioIo oft ha nd
US to wait until they came back.
"Mr. Brown read the ballots. He was
careful not to let Mr.. Kinney and Mr..
Baumann, the Democrats, see what he was
doing. Whenever he ran across a ballot
upon which there was a vote for Jewett
and it was mutilated he read it and it
was Tailed anyway, but whenever there
was a mutilated ballot with a vote for
Shank on it it was thrown out.
Mr.. Baumann and Mr.. Kinney really
did not know what was going on, and
in signing the affidavit they tell the
truth. But, as to Mr.. Brown, can
squarely place the responsibility upon his
shoulders, and he knows that know that
his part of the affidavit is false.
MAYOR BY FRAUD"
WOULD MAKE HIT,
If Mr.. Jewett will simply answer the
questions l put to him the other eve
ming l will tell the whole story. If 1
were Booth Harrington and wanted to
write a political book I would first
search for a name and I think the one
would find would be Mayor by Fraud
"As the time is snort, l hope that he
answers before the primary, but If he
answers any time III answer him after
the primary as well as before.
I wonder why they don't get affidavits
I from the board Of the Fourteenth pre-
, cinct Of the Fifth ward, stating that a
certain county official, police sergeant
and a certain county sealer were not in
the room when the ballots were counted.
Il want it clearly understood that I
never have said that I stole any votes,
particularly 500 votes from one certain
precinct, but If the mayor wants to know
who did steal them and who was the
head Of the conspiracy I'll certainly tell
him"
Fleming's statement came after Charles
A. Bookwalter, former mayor, refused to
name the man higher up" in answer to
a challenge hurled at him by Mayor
Jewett MIR. Bookwalter had proclaimed
in earlier speeches that he would name
the man If the mayor desired il, but when
Jewett dared him to make it public Mr.
Bookwalter became silent.