The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-03-22
BUILDING REGULATIONS
MENTIONED BY MEMBER
Part of Mayor in Proceedings
to Be PrObedl President
Walter W, Wise Says
Two Democrats and Two
Republicans to Be on Com
mittee, With Fifth Man to
Conduct Inquiy-'None to
Escape Attention. Slogan,

- ''' J ~
Escape Attention. Slogan,
Alleging open charges Of dishonesty
and corruption in city government
have come to their attention. city
cOuncllmen unanimously authorized
swee ping Investigation Of city govern
ment- The council met in special
session at D. M
With the resolution. a statement of
charges drafted by Councilman Otto
Ray. Democrat. was fled as prelim-
mary basis for the investigation.
Other specific charges viii come out
later, Ray said
He charged:
Disregard for interests Of the city
as a whole and property rights Of
taxpayers
Contracts Questioned
That the board Of works has been in
coIiusion with certain contractors who
were in a conspiracy to extort and
fraudulently obtain money by Illegal
letting and fraudulent execution Of
contracts
That the city building department
joined with the board of zoning ap-
peals in Illegal regulation Of certain
buildings.
That If the charges are true. an in
vestigation by the Marion county
grand jury should be instigated To in
dict city officials guilty Of violating
criminal statutes
The council VIII go into all these
- 4Hrv-rrre~111v- .rzr-ai
ment VIII escape attention said
President Wise. The part Of Mayor
Shank in some Of these proceeding
win be investigated. and before we
have finished, some oficilIs Of the
city may not be in office"
Appropriation Next Step
With the adoption Of the resolution,
an ordinance appropriating sum OF
money TO carry on the investigation
will BE- the next step. Wise said he
would appoint COuncilmen Heydon ".
Buchanan and Otto Ray, Democrats.
and Theodore J. Berndi and Lloyd D.
ClayCombe, Republicans, on a special
investigating committee He viii
name a fifth member later.
The resolution points out that
charges are not rejecting on any city
official. but the purpose is ito ascer-
tain facts and make an honest en-
deavor TO clear up the cloud Of sus-
picion in certain city departments
Reports Of the council meeting fur
nished the chief topic Of conversation
at the city hall today. although none
Of the city executives would make
any statement
The people are losing confidence IN
some of the public officials. and If
these charges can be proved. the
guilty ones should be exposed. dis
charged and prosecuted" said Wise
The resolution authorizes the inves-
ugatiOn committee 10 have full access /
to records Of every department Of the
city, issue subpoenaes and exercise
any steps toward Impeachment
thought necessary
Lawyers Consulted
COuncilman's Rays charges repre-
sent a thirtyday investigation. and
cover eight typewritten pages. He has
pointed out that lawyers have been
consulted, and proceedings are In ac-
cord with State laws regarding the
powers Of council
We have our own little Teapot
Dome,'" Ray says IN referring to a
transaction whereby Mayor Shank
sold a part Of his front yard on Z.
Washington st. for $9,527 to the
Standard Oil Company for a filing
station He charges consent for erec-
ton OF a filing station was up to the
city plan commission, but was granted
by the park board
A city official was interested in the
sale Of this land, Ray charges.
Suit Is Charge Basis
The charges Of coIlusion with con-
tractors against the board Of works
ar CHASED on a complaint filed by west
side citizens fled with the Marion Su-
preior Court. in which the name of
William Armitage, political adviser of
the Shank administration. is men
toned.
Ray charges that contracts were
let on orders Of "a certain person
influential with the mayor"
II know of no reason why, if these
facts are ascertained to be correct. !
that the Criminal Court of Marion
County aided by a grand jury, should
not do their part to vindicate the
laws and afford taxpayers aid" Ray
saia