The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-20
POWER PLANT
CHIEF is FIRED;
CITY IN UPROAR
Mass Meeting Is Called;
Four CounCiImen Also
Are Targets.
TWO SUITS ARE FILED
0uSted Superintendent Asks
Showdown in Wabash
Circuit Court.
TWO SUITS ARE FILED
BY GEORGE SCHOFIELD
Times STAFF Correspondent

city is engaged in a bitter verbal
battle that has split its citizenry
and resulted in public demand
that the mayor and four city coun-
cilmen resign.
The towns half million dollar
power and light plant and its
recently deposed superintendent,
B. H. Freeland, are the source Of
the trouble, which threatens 10
assume greater proportions. One
faction, lined behind Freeland, di-
rector of the plant for the last five
years, charges Mayor Thomas Q.
Keller and four councilmen with
engineering Freeland'S discharge to
undermine the power plant, with
the ultimate aim of selling it to
power interests.
The other, and apparently much
smaller, faction, backs the mayor in
his move ousting the plant super
intendent.
FreeIand Files Suit
The latest development in the
case was the appointment Thurs
day Of Judge Frank Switzer of the
Wabash circuit court as special
Judge to try the two suits filed by
Freeland against the mayor and
council as result of his discharge.
He seeks full reinstatement and
demands a Showdown
Meanwhile, the town las forgotten
business, football, and politics
this isn't political Highland has
settled down to the battle. It is
literally true that Peru has little
time for anything but its own
private war.
Charges are hurled right and left,
threats Of drastic mea -ureS against
the mayor are made.
Mayor Keller has barricaded him
self in his Office and is "out" to all
callers. He has refused to talk to
newspaper men and has refused
challenges from the opposing city
council faction to "come out in
the open"
The resentment against Mayor
Keller and the four councilmen
supporting him, smou1dering for
nearly two years, was famed into
fame with Freeland's unexpected
discharge last month, and Monday
night a demonstration, in the form
Of a mass meeting, was held In pro-
test to the custer ruling.
1000 at Protest Meeting
More than 1000 persons, the larg-
est crowd of Peru taxpayers ever
assembled at a similar meeting, at
tended and voted unanimously to
demand the resignation of Keller
and his four aids and rei11state
Freeland.
The meeting was called by Michael
Young, president of the Peru
Labor Trades council, and six
speakers, among them Councilmen
Aaron Zook, William Daniels, and
U. G. Hippensteel, talked in oppo-
sition to the mayor.
Direct charges that Mayor Keller
and his faction of the council
planned to deliver the power plant
to "the interests" were made. The
mayor was quoted as saying "the
city has no business operating such
a plant" and his entire cbnduct in
the matter was assailed bitterly.
The mayors councilmen, Alden
Foote, Warren Tracy. H L. Fawley
and Charles Whittenberger, like the
mayor, refused to see newspaper
men Thursday.
Councilman Tells Story
Members of the opposing faction,
however, were not SO reticent.
Councilman Aaron Zook pointed
out that Freeland had been dis
charged without warning, for 'inA
competency" No definite charges
were made, he said. He told of how
a move to discharge Freeland two
years ago was spiked. He declared
the light plant, under Freeland's
direction, has increased almost
twofold in value
Only $40 900 of bonded indebted
ness on the plant remains, he said,
and $4,000 cash surplus from light
plant profits are on hand.
There is something definitely
wrong with this administration, he
asserted Everything connected
With this matter has been con-
Quoted behind closed doors, with the
mayor and his four henchmen con-
Quoting the business and then
iarnIning their measures through
in council meeting"
Branded Robbery"
Oliver p. Mohler, contractor and
former high school instructor, one
of the instigators of the mass meet
ing, was even more specific in his
denunciation of the administration.
"TheY are trying to rob us of our
light plant, a paying institution,
which has progressed amazingly
under Freeland's direction" he de-
clared.
They are attempting to make a
political football of the plant, try
ing to undermine it, so that the
citizens will lose faith in it and
ultimately sell it to the power in
terests"
Meanwhiel, the citizens eagerly
await the next city council meeting,
when it is rumored another mass
session will be held, to demand Free
lands reinstatement.
E..