The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-08-29

ODDITY IN
PRINCETON
Charles Neimeier, AII-Around
Official, Chief Actor
in Case.
BIZ Times SpeciaI

By Times Special
~ RTNCETON, Ind, Aug. 20
- This is a tale of contempt Of
court-at least, that's what it
is called by Charles A. Neimeier, who
is mayor, police judge, detective and
grocer in this town.
Mayor Neimeier sat on counter
in his grocery with his hands in his
pockets and his pockets in his pants
and told most of 1t. The rest Is yet
to be told in the Circuit Court, to
which an appeal has been taken.
Briefly, here's the thread Of the
little tragedy, or comedy, for you may
call it either, as you like:
Mayor Neimeier sentenced William
Christian to sixty days on minor
charge and later paroled him to visit
his sick family.
Now He's Judge
Parole ended, Christian failed to re.
turn and Mayor Neimeier-no, we
mean Judge Neimeier-got all "het
up" about it.
Judge Neimeier-no. we mean Pc
licenan Neimeier-declared the dig
nifty of his court had been outraged,
so he descended from the bench and
started out personally to bring chris
tan back.
Policeman Neimeier-no, we mean
Detective Neimeier-traveled far and
yon in his search, spent S49.SO OF
his own money but returned empty
handed.
Suddenly, Christian went back TO
prison on his own accord to finish
serving his term.
And Now He's Mayor
Detective Neimeier-no. we mean
Mayor Neimeier-heard Of Christians
return. determined to collect his
1890 and sent Police Chief Fettinger
TO get him.
Mayor Neimeier-no, we mean
Judge Observation-Disclosures Christian
before him on a charge Of contempt
Of court and threatened TO send him
back to prison for a longer term
unless he paid the expense money
which had then grown from $49.3O to
$3.50 Christian paid 1t.
Christian felt he had been 'gyped"
and he hired Attorney Oscar Lanphar
to file suit fo- the recovery Of the
money.
So Judge Neimeier was sued.
Now Prosecutor
Defendant Neimeier-no we mean
Prosecutor Neimeer-cited Attorney
Lanphar for contempt Of court be
cause Lanphar. by fling such suit,
had grossly offended the dignity Of
the court"
Prosecutor Neimeier-no. we mean
Judge Neimeier-immediat hung
fine of $50 on Attorney Lanphar and
further declared that If the complaint
were not withdrawn he could consider
Lanphar "In continuous contempt Of
| court"
Lanphar. of course, appealed and
now its UP to the Circuit Court Of
Gibson County to decide II an attempt
to collect money from an individual
constitutes contempt Of court, espec-
| iaIlv in view of the fact that Chris
tian's case in Judge Neimeier's court
| had been ended before the collection
suit was filed.
1.-THE suit has nothing to do with
Neimeier's court" Attorney Lanphar
| declared. 1T is a personal affair be
tween Neimeier and Christian involv-
ing a business matter Of $3.50. Well
! fight it to the last ditch"
But Judge Neimeier-no. we mean
| Grocer Neimeier-sits on a cracker
box in his store with his hands in his
pockets and his pockets in his pants
| and vows that he Is going TO uphold
| the dignity of the judiciary.
az" he says. mot any lawyer, nor
anyone else. but I. Charles A. Net
meier, am the one to judge when a
| person is in contempt of my court"