The Indianapolis times., 1928-07-10
BAIL SCANDAL
QUIZ ORDERED
BY CITY BAR
Committee Named to Sitt
Charges of Soliciting
by Court Attaches.
AID CERTAIN BoNDSMEN
Remy Given Data; Matter
May Be Taken Before
Grand Jury.

Investigation of activities of po-
lice, court attaches and other per-
sons in soliciting business for bonds
men and attorneys in municipal
courts will be started by a commit
tee of the indianapolis Bar Asso-
citation, it was learned tdoay.
This action follows several COM
plants relative to activities in the
municipal courts. The investigation
will open officially Wednesday after
noon, when deputy county and city
prosecutors assigned to- the mu-
nicipal courts will be called before
the probe committee.
1t is known that some of the data
now is in the hands of Prosecutor
William H. Remy and that if facts
uncovered in the probe warrant it,
the matter will be placed before
the Marion County grand jury.
Three on Committee
The committee which will conduct
the investigation is composed of
Paul c. Davis, former Superior
Court Judge Sidney NJ Miller, and
George Denny. These attorneys will
question the States representatives
in the courts in Davis office.
1t became known that the COM
mittee will meet several times and
it is expected that about twenty
witnesses will be heard.
Information obtained from these
witnesses may lead to a deeper in
vestigation into the actual activities
of the courts relative to the bond
business and action in some specified
cases.
Emsley w. Johnson, Bar Associa-
ton president, stated that the OPEN
ing business of the committee, which
he appointed, was to look into re-
ports that policemen and court at
taches had been approaching de-
PENDANTS in cases and recommending
certain bondsmen and attorneys to
them.
RunOr Bond Deals
There have been rumors recent
ly about police headquarters of nu-
merous corridor conversations"
which have led to arrested persons
selecting named bondsmen and
lawyers.
In letters sent to the prosecutors
1t was said: "The purpose is to in
veStigate the criminal branch Of
municipal courts as it relates to
professional bondsmen and to the
habit Of court attaches and patrol
men soliciting business for certain
lawyers"
Forfeiture of bonds seldom has
been carried out in municipal
courts Judge Paul G. Wetter or
derad forfeiture of a bond Monday
OH Clarence Carter, 1919 N. AR
senal Ave, arrested Saturday after
noon on charge of gaming with
seven other Negroes. He failed ID
show up in court Monday morning.
The remaining members of the
group were convicted and fined by
Wetter.
Three Days to Produce"
1t was learned during the after
noon at the clerks office that Wet
ter had given Beverly Howard, Ne
gro bondsman, who supplied Carter's
bond, three days to produce the de-
fendant.
For years the prosperity enjoyed
by professional bondsmen at police
headquarters has been a mystery.
Judges have from time to time an
nounced they intended to clean up
the situation, but these cleanups
have quietde down.
There have been rumors and
charges in open courts of money
splitting among persons connected
with the courts and police depart-
ment for obtaining business for law
yers and bondsmen.
Bondsmen affiliated with controls
ing city and county political factions
are reported to get the cream Of
the business.