The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-09-10
ED JACKSON
ACCUSED OF
CONSPIRACY
Mayor Duvall Of INDIANAPOLIS
and Others Also Named
in Indictments
McCRAY Is MENTIONED
Accusations Culn,inate Probe
Started by Stephenson's
Revelations
McCRAY Is MENTIONED

Indianapolis. Sept. --RY-From q
PRISON cell where the quondam grand
dragon Of the Indiana Ku khx Kim
is serving life sentence for murder.
the finger Of alleged political corrup-
ton has been pointed at Ind;ar.,x
Inlel executive. at the mayor Of In
uiahapOlis and at two other nrom,n
ent political figures Of the state.
:. Indictment OF Governor Ed Jackson.
Mayor John l.. Duvall, George "
Ioffin. chairman Of the Marion coun-
ty Undianapolis) Republican COM
mIttee. and Robert |. Marsh. formerly
law partner of the governor. was
the elimination Of investigations
started nearly year ago by revela-
tlons Of ID. c. Stephenson. the form
er nigh klansmen, now in prison at
Michigan City.
Serious Charges Made
Under the indictments. returned
late yesterday by a Marion county
grand jury. Governor Jackson. Coffin
and Marsh are charged with con-
spiracy to commit felony and with
attempted bribery. Mayor Duvall
was indicted under the corrupt prac-
tices act.
Governor Jackson is the second
successive Indiana chief executive to
face criminal charges. His predeces-
sor. Warren T. McCray, was paroled
only few days ago from federal
prison where he was sent for con-
spiracy to use the mails to dcfraud.
McCray's name, too, figured prom
inently in the present charges. Gov
ernor Jackson, Marsh, Coffin and
Stephenson are charged in the indict-
ment with having offered the then
governor. McCray. $4,000 il he would
name James E. Mcdonald prosecutor
tor Marion county.
Jackson at the time was secretary
Of state and McCray was under in
dictment. The alleged bribe also was
said to have included s> ffe. {, im-
munity from proseeutic..
McCray lntimidated
The grand jury. in its report yes
terday. also charged efforts were
made to intimidate McCray so that
he would not reveal an attempt had
been made to brbe him. The threat
Of interference with plans for his
parole from prison were held before
McCray. the true bill said.
Mayor Duvall was indicted on vir-
tually the same charges as were con-
tanned in an affidavit filed against
him by the prosecuting attorney sew
eral weeks ago, and on which he is
scheduled to 60 to trial Monday. The
indictment charges the mayor prom
Used William p. Armitege, lndianapo-
lis politician, the right to name men
to city positions. in return for polit-
ical support in the primary and
election of 1925, which put Duvall in
to office.
A note written in Stephenson's
cell, and secreted out of the prison
into the hands Of Thomas II. Adams.
cial, started the series of investiga-
tiOnS.
StephensOn's Charges
Stephenson's charges were that
some Of the states leading politicians
and office holders had engaged with
him in political intrigue, both during
and after the time he was grand
dragon Of the kuKlux Khan.
Mystery, in The form Of "black
boxes" alleged by Stephenson to
contain documentary proof Of his
charges, the disappearances Of star
witnesses with subsequent country
wide searches, trips to the Indiana
state prison to interview Stephenson,
and an investigation by the u. 5.
senate's investigating committee, un-
der Senator James Reed of Missouri.
were among the high lights Of the
long probe.
The first grand jury action came
nearly a year ago, when the jury was
automatically discharged after IL
weeks Of investigation. Voluminous
testimony was turned over to the
criminal court authorities by the
jury The second grand jury was
discharged after one Of the jurors in
an affidavit charged he had been ap-
preached aud offered bribe if he
would vote not to indict Mayor Du-
vail.
An independent investigation was
then taken up by William H. Remy,
prosecutor Of Marion county. which
ended in the filing of an affidavit
against Mayor Duvall, charging con-
spiracy to commit felony and vio-
lation Of the corrupt practices act.
for which the mayor is to stand
trial Monday.