The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-09-19
DuvaII Declares He Made no
Deal With Armitage,
Rated as Liability
CALM UNDER QUIZZING
Campaign Donations Placed
in Bank, Returned to
Boss He Testifies.
Detailed Testimony on Page 81

tDetalled Testimony on Page 81
Cody, cautiously and at times
with a mild pat upon his chair arm
for emphasis, Mayor John L. Du-
vail today permitted his attorneys
to draw from him a detailed denial
of the story of corrupt practices
the State had offered against him
in Criminal Court last week.
The mayor, seldom straying
from the limits of the questions
asked him, denied:
l. That William H. Armitage,
who aspired to retain the control
Of city hall affairs he enjoyed in
the Shank administration, gave him
$14,500 for his campaign fund. He
said Armitage gave him only
$4,000.
Denies Spending Money
2. That he spent any part of this
in his campaign. He said he care
fully placed the sum, obtained In
$1,000, $4,000 and $4,000 lots, In a
safety deposit box and gave it back
to Armitage after the election.
3. That he had promised Armi-
tage two places on the board of
works and the city civil engineer ap-
pointment, or that Armitage ever
even asked him for an appointment
before the election.
Armitage had testified for the
State that Duval fell in readily
with his proposal that they work
together politically and that they
had an explicit understanding that
Armitage was to get the appoint
ments in return for the contribr-
tions.
Duvall also denied the story of
Frank Sipe, former constable, that
when Sipe reminded him of a prom
Use to name him city market master,
he demanded a $4,000 bribe.
Believed Armitage Liability
Duvall, always responding to the
careful questions of his attorneys,
drew a picture of Armitage as having
importuned him time after tins 10
accept his political and financial
support and of himself as having
warred off the offers, because he be-
lieved Armitage to be more Of a
liability than an asset.
The mayor is the only witness in
the trial, so far, who has had op-
portunity of hearing what others
have testified. Being the defendant,
he could not be excluded, as were all
other witnesses.
The mayor, in general, supported
and added details to the story which
his brother-in-law, William G.
Buser, told Saturday.
BuSer Back on Stand
Buser was recalled to the stand
when court opened this morning,
He was late and the opening was
delayed five minutes.
The State asked Buser a few
questions about his meeting with
Armitage in the Tazewell Hotel in
Pekin. ILL.,, and then was blocked
by defense objection to query
as to whether he ever heard Duvali
make any speeches against Armitage
during the campaign.
Duvall followed Buser.
The State, in cross -examination
Saturday and today, attempted to
catch Buser in a discrepancy in an
effort to discredit his testimony
which SD oiametrically opposed that
of Armitage.
Gets Testimony Tangled
Armitage had testified he followed
Duvall to Illinois after having re-
ceived a note from Duvall requesting
him to do so. The defense has at
tempted to show that Duvall cid not
send word to Armitage, but that
Armitage, desperate to get a look
in on patronage, found out he was
in Pekin from relative Of Duvall
and chased him there.
The State caught Buser in only
one apparent discrepancy upon
cross examination. Buser had tcs-
titled that he had happened onto
Armitage in the Tazewell Hotel in
Pekin, the morning after the mayor
and Buser had gone to Illinois.
The State asked Buser how he
happened to meet Armitage in the
hotel. Buser said he was in the
habit Of taking morning walks and
just happened into the hotel.
Then the State asked Buser how
he went to the hotel and Buser re-
piled: Gin an automobile.