The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-11-04
PACE CHARGES
"FRAME.UP"
IN AFFIDAVIT
Makes Public Letter
From Strayer

In an affidavit signed Saturday by
James F. Pace, Democratic candidate
for prosecuting attorney, whose defeat
the Ku Klux K1an is seeking to ac-
complish at the election next Tues
day, he makes the direct charge that
the bottle OF liquor found in his pos
session when he was arrested on the
evening of Sept. % was placed in one
OF his pockets by one of the arresting
officers, Patrolman Cussins, while he
was being held by the other officer,
Patrolman Seymour.
The framing" of Pace was brought
about by a conspiracy engineered By
the COMMITTEE Of seven" which di-
rects the political activities of the To-
cal Ku Klux Klan. The committee in
question has drawn up slate of can
didates, selected from both Republi-
can and Democratic nominees, and to
put this slate across Klan representa-
tives have been working energetically
for some weeks, aided by a "slush'
fund, raised by voluntary subscr1p-
tions of Klan members.
Strayer Letter Published
The framing" of Pace came six
DAYS after his Republican opponent
for the office of prosecuting attorney.
Frank Strayer, had addressed a letter
to him in which Pace was referred to
as a Coward" despite PAGES excel
lent war record, as degenerate"
and as "un-American." The Strayer
letter appears elsewhere, also the re-
ply made to it by Pace.
In the Friday issue of The Palla-
dium. the statement was made in an
article dealing with the political ac-
tivities of the Klan that Chief of Po-
lice Eversman had admitted he had
no evidence against Pace which would
be considered valid in court Satur-
day Chief Eversman confirmed this
statement in a communication over his
own signature, reading:
Explains Statement
To the Citizens of Richmond:
| was quoted correctly by the Pal
ladium in it's issue of Nov. 3, 1922,
under the head of Ku Klux Klan, but
do not want my statement to be mis-
construed.
The statement which you published
was as follows:
"Wm. Exersman, chief of police. is
responsible for the statement that he
has no evidence, which would be held
valid in court, connecting Pace with
any violation of the liquor law.
On Sept 30, 1922, Officers Cussins
and Seymour arrested James F. Pace
on South Eleventh street for having
LIQUOR in his possession. When the
officers arrested him it was in his hip
pocket, and he is guilty of being in
possession of same. AS far as anyone
putting liquor in his pocket, the arrest
ing officers or the police department.
do not know as to that, but he sure
was violating the liquor law in that
case. | do not know of any other evi-
dence against Pace for violating the
LIQUOR law that would be valid in
court. All we have is several COM
plants that he was bootlegging, but
these were anonymous telephone COM
munications. / do not know who they
came from. VIM. F. EVERSMAN,
Chief of Police.
Exonerates officer
Chief Eversman is convinced, how
ever, that the liquor found on Pace
was not placed on PAGES person by a
police officer He added that IL 1T
could be proved that Pace had been
framed" the two arresting officers
would De ulSCldTBeu.
Subjoining is copy of the affidavit
signed by Pace in which he directly
charges that a police officer placed
liquor in one of his pockets:
State of Indiana, County of Wayne, SIS.
James F. Pace, being duly sworn ac-
cording to law, deposes and says: ut
was on the afternoon of September
2Sth, about .. m, Robert Jordan,
,r-hz s1c friond tn n
flee and told me that he had quite a
few friends in the north end who were
helping me in my campaign. that he
too, was campaigning for me, as he
was well acquainted among the col
ored voters of Richmond, and par
ticularly in that section.
Jordan told me he wanted me to
meet a certain party and we made
arrangements whereby | was to call
at his place Of employment and he
would give nc the details there
On the following evening, September
Goth. he called me on the phone at
about 6:15 p IN. and asked me If
was going TO call there as | agreed
| told him | would and that I ex.
pected to get there about $50 p. M
However, I had another appointment
at my office and did not arrive al
Jordan's until p, m. and waited there
about half an hour. and then left Jor
dan at $3.50 D. m. and proceeded to
Westcott hotel wash room where
cleaned up and had my shoes shined
| left the Westcott shining parlor
about S:4 p m. and went to meet the
party in question, at spot on South
Eleventh street, near Shurley's tax
garage stand. where Jordan had di
rected me TO go.
AS | passed the alley, two men who
had been waiting there approached
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uEppIM ILNlnM MINED