The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-07-25
offer by jackson to
Control Naming of Prosecutor
BAmgrily Spu1med by Moray
Ring Sought to Bar Remy;
Stephenson Then Worked
on Governors Attorney,
in Effort to Swing Deal,
but Failed.
By FRANK ]. PRINCE
(Copyright, 1927, by The Indian
apolis Times)

apolis Times)
81 have lost my money, l
NAV lose my Office. Perhaps l
will lose my liberty. But l still
will carry with me a sense OF
self-respect that l could not
have if | made such a bargain. -
1t is Warren T. McCray, then
.Governor, speaking on Dec. 8,
1923.
He is under indictment. And he
is speaking to Ed jackson, tnen
Secretary of State and now Gov
ernor, who just has brought to nm
the most amazing offer ever made
to a man in similar circumstances.
1t was an offer to furnish $4,000
for attorneys fees for McCray, a
pledge that no jury in Marion
County. or elsewhere ever would
convict McCray on any charge, and
in return he was asked to name not
William H. Remy, but James P. Nc
Donald. whom George v. Coffin
wished to place in the prosecutors
office.
Offer Twice Made to McCray
With the placing of the two
"black boxes" of D. G. Stephenson
in the hands of the prosecutors,
The Times is enabled to print for
the first time this unwritten chapter
in Indiana politics, a chapter more
dramatic and more suggestive than
any other yet revealed in the entire
story of Stephensonism.
That offer was made not once,
but twice.
The first time It was made by
Jackson, who had come from con-
ference in his own Office with
George v. Coffin and a man who
was the financial backer of the en-
tire campaign to obtain control of
Indiana and make Jackson Cover
nor and Coffin boss ~ Il.
Second Offer Made
When the offer was made to Nc
Cray, he did not hesitate. His re-
sponse was immediate and emphatic.
Tears were streaming down his face,
or so at least Jackson reported to
the conferees who had sent him.
He saw a prison in the near dis
tance. He saw the humiliation and
disgrace sure to be his. He did not
reach out for this promise of liberty,
which he probably knew might be
his.
And his reply was that he would
carry to a prison cell his sense OF
respect rather than lose it in such
a manner.
Conference Called
On the morning Of that day, Will
liam P. Evans, then prosecutor OF
Marion County, son-in-law Of Nc
Cray, was scheduled to turn in his
resignation. He had made public
announcement that he would recon-
mend that his chief deputy, William
H. Remy, be appointed as his sue
ceSSor.
1t was then that conference was
called at the Office of Jackson. then
secretary of state.
At that time there was working
agreement with certain forces and
influences in Indiana that funds OF
practically unlimited quantities
would be furnished to place Jackson
in the Governors chair and Coffin
in control of the machinery Of Ma
rion County.
"Slush Fund" Available
A representative Of the financial
powers back of the campaign was
called into the conference and a
demand that $4,000 be furnished
that day was made.
The purpose for which the money
was to be used and the program
was made clear. An offer was to
be made to Governor McCray that
this money was to be given him in
return for the appointment, not of
Remy, whom Coffin did not control,
but of James P. Mcdonald, local
attorney.
McCray was to be assured that
If Coffin could name the prosecutor
to be appointed he need not fear
any conviction in Marion county or
elsewhere.
1t was Known that McCray was
pressed badly for funds. He was
without money to perfect his de-
fense. His own money already had
been spent.
To this man, badly in need Of
money and deserted by many of
his friends, that immunity and
money was to be offered in return
for the one Office of prosecuting at
torney of this county, the Office
which could control all criminal
prosecutions and which would en-
able the political machine, as it was
discussed in that Office, to take
10000 votes in the primary without
fear.
Ed Jackson left that conference.
He went to the Office of McCray.
He hesitated and then made the
proposal agreed upon.
He repeated what had been de-
eided upon.
Scores Offer
1t was then that McCray exhibited
a courage that no other Governor