The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-02
HOW COME?

John Williams director of State highways, is
under indictment in the Marion County courts on
charges of conspiracy to defraud the State.
He has repeatedly asserted that he was and is
being refused trial
1t has been year and a half since that indict-
ment was returned and there is no indication of an
early trial.
His friends have openly charged that Lawrence
Orr examiner of the State board of accounts, is re-
sponsibe for the indictments.
They have openly charged that the indictments
were part of deep-seated conspiracy, first foment
ed by D. c. Stephenson, to get grip on the State
highway funds Of fifteen millions year, and were
returned after the failure get control through the
State Legislature.
Six months after the indictments were returned,
the State legislative finance committee of which Orr
is a member, reduced the salary of Williams by
$1,000 year.
Williams has refused, it was asserted, to ac-
cept the cut and has drawn salary for that time.
And now very quietly, with Orr making the mo-
tion the salary is restored and the salary paid for
the entire period.
1t is declared that the motion by which the
salary was restored was made by Orr And it is
also charged and with great defnteness that only
three months ago Orr was responsible for flooding
the State with two pages of detailed figures which
endeavored to show that Williams and the highway
commission had been somewhat careless with sew
eral millions of dollars worth of materials received
from the Federal Government
Somewhere and some time, perhaps, jury will
pass upon any criminal acts of Williams. His claim
of innocence is quite emphatic and under every the
DRY of law and fair play he must be adjudged inno-
cent until the jury of his peers says otherwise.
But until that time citizens may be pardoned at
least mild curiosity into the activities of these two
parts of the State administration.
They may wish to know why Williams salary
cut, and if it were properly cut, why it is now
handed back to him with degree of secrecy that
is at least suspicious
And, in the absence of explanation, they
entitled to conjecture and a reasonable interpreta-
ton.
1t may be significant that the action follows
declaration by the head of the probing committee
of the Republican editors of the State that he will
very shortly produce evidences of the evils of Steph
enson in this State and the activities of that former
head of the klan former of the State ruler of
Legislatures and maker of at least one United
States Senator.
1t may be that the signal has been given that
this is time for between parts of the machine
which was created by Stephenson and which is still
ruled by his spirit
1t is reasonable to believe that the word has
gone out that wars must end and that there must
be united front in behalf of Senators James Eli
Watson and Arthur Robinson, bold front against
the public which may demand decency and which
may if the quarrels drag before the public too many
unpleasant facts, overthrow the entire machine.
At least citizens may turn to the Statehouse and
ask from Williams and Orr and from Governor Ed
Jackson, How Gomez"