The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-12-07
ACCUSATION
TO IMPEACH
SHERIFF FILED
Action of Grand Jury Grows
Out Of Escape of William
Coleman from County Jail
Penalty is Removal.
CASE WILL Be TRIED

An accusation for the impeachment
of Sheriff Carl Wadman, growing out
OF the escape of William H Coleman
from the county jail, was filed in cir
cult court by the grand jury Wednes-
day,
The statement of the grand jury was
not accompanied with bill of indict-
ment and is q proceedings provided
for by the statutes where it is claimed
officers have failed or neglected to
perform their duty.
Under the law, the coroner is the
official who is charged with the duty
of serving the summons when a sher-
if is charged with such al offense
Coroner Bond served the summons
on Sheriff Wadman this afternoon
The presentment against Sheriff
Wadman reads that he then and
there, unlawfully. voluntarily. careless
ly, and negligently did suffer and per
NIT said William H. Coleman to es-
cape from custody"
As soon as the answer TO the pre-
sentiment has been filed, the case will
be set for trial before the Judge Of the
circuit court and must be tried by a
| jury. The time fixed for Sheriff Wad-
man 10 appear before the court is
! Dec. q.
Sheriff Wadman took office on Jan.
I !. 1921, for a twO-year term. Four
years prior to that he was a deputy
under Sheriff Glenn Carr, and before
| that was with the city fire depart
ment for eight years.
Removal is Penalty.
11
| vides no penalty, excepting removal
from office.
The firm of Robbins, Keller and
Robbins, has been retained to defend
/ Sheriff Wadman
Coleman escaped from the insane
/ ward Of the county Jail early on Not.
! %, after he had been found guilty of
| passing fraudulent checks and had
! been sentenced to serve a term in tho
state prison.
He was arrested in Phoenix, Ariz.,
and was taken TO Richmond by Sher-
| if Wadman. Besides passing fraudul-
! ent checks here, Coleman had tried to
, do the same thing in Phoenix, which
led to his arrest there.
! He pleaded guilty when he was ar
raigned here
! The grand jury made an investiga-
/ tiOn of the escape and the present
] proceedings are a result of the probe
! Sheriff Wadman inclined to the belief
! that Coleman was given outside as
sistanCe and that a bar was slipped
to him through the wire netting of q
window, with which he was able to
pry oucn the doors of the cell.
Reward Offered.
A reward of $500 for the capture OF
Coleman has been offered. His es-
cape has been q mystery and many
conjecturcs and much speculation has
been rife regarding the method of his
escape.
The attorneys for Sheriff Wadman
said that MT Wadman had been
guilty of no intentional misconduct
and that he desired a full hearing at
an early date
Accusation in Full
The accusation in full against Sher-
iff Wadman is as follows.
THAT Carl Wadman. on the 25th day
Of November. 1921, at and in the city
of Richmond. in the county Of Wayne.
state of Indiana. being then and there
sheriff of said county. and as such
sheriff then and there having one vii
liam II. Coleman in his custody as a
prisoner by virtue of a commitment
duly issued to him by the honorable
William A. Bond. judge of Wayne cir
cult court of said state in accordance
with a lawful judgment duly rendered
by said Judge in q lawful session Of
said WAYNE circuit court and in open
court held in the city of Richmond
said county and state, on the 21st day
+ Of November 1921, the same being the
43rd judicial day of the October term.
> 1921. of said court, said judgment be
ing then and there in full force and
effect, committing said William H.
, Coleman to the Indiana state prison
for an indeterminate period OF from
, one to five years. and assessing a fine
in the penal sum of $25 payable TO
, said state of Indiana on his the said
William H Coleman's plea Of guilty
, TO a valid Indictment charging him
with having on the twelfth day Of
October. 1921. issued a fraudulent
check against the Second National
bank of Richmond, Ind, did then and
: there, unIawfully, voluntarily, careless
! ly and negligently suffer and permit
: the said William H. Coleman then
+ and there being, to escape from hi
custody"
@ The presentment was signed by the
, members of the grand jury who are
. Perry Williams, II. w. Williams, Wi
>. liam T. SchoOley. Guy Anderson. c