The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-02-07
THE HIGHWAY FIASCO

Dismissal of the indictments against members
of the highway commission and certain junkS deal
ers after two years, must impress the people with
sense of the utter futity and poweressness of the
criminal court machinery of this county.
Two years ago these indictments were returned
by grand jury They are now dismissed without
trial or hearing on the ground that there is evil
dence to convict
For two years the members of the highway COM
mission have charged that the indictments against
them were framed by the influence of d. c. Stephen
son. for the purpose of obtaining control of the
mission which spends about fifteen million dollars
year.
For two years the charge has stood against
these and these dealers that they connived to
steal the property of the Government selling ma
terials at low prices, failing to account for certain
small articles which were presumably but part of
much larger transactions of a similar character.
The offer of Judge Collins to punish anyone who
used political power obtain these indictments is
but bit of humor when it is considered that for
Two years the charge that political influence
used has been banded about the State.
Certainly the public cannot be satisfied with
abrupt and simple termination of public matter.
Was there any evidence TWO years ago that the
Members of the highway commission did conspire
.riends of that commission and that these members
actually failed to account for part of the several
millions of dollars worth OF materials received
rom the Federal Government?
If there was evidence then, that evidence ought
to be brought out before jury who would pass
upon its suficency and either convict or acquit.
The members of the commission who were under
indictment and who have charged that they
victims of political conspiracy ought to be sat
sfed with such a termination of the charges against
them
Nor should the people of this State be content
TO let charges of this nature pass with so simple
statement of the lack of evidence.
If it be confessed that there was no evidence
two years ago upon which to base indictments, that
the grand jury was badly advised by it's legal ad-
wiser who is now judge by appointment, that it
was controlled and dictated by prejudice political
hatreds, much graver problem appears
If such is the situation, then there is a neces-
sity for even more drastic action than merely trying
these cases.
If the grand juries of this county have been
politically controlled and influenced the people of
the State have right to know the facts and to
apply the remedy
If there vas need of investiga ion by the
Legislature when the charges were a matter of con-
troversy bewteen two boards, there is greater need
now that there has been public admission that the
evidence necessary to convict is, lacking.
Two boards the highway commission and the
board of accounts, are involved.
This matter is of the many covered by the
resolution of investigation which was blocked by a
party caucus of Republican members of the Legsla-
ture last week
II it were merely expedient last week to ask
for an investigation, it becomes imperative
through the dismissal of these charges on Saturday
that such an investigation be held
One of two things is certain
Either a guilty highway commission is escaping
trial or grand jury politically controlled TO
indict honest men.
Whichever solution is accepted, there is need
OF thorough inquiry, without politics and without
prejudice.
Otherwise the handling of these cases must
stand to the lasting shame of the State as monu-
mental fasco.