The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-24
BALk COFFIN
MOVE TO GRAB
/. COUNTY RULE
Dodson Faction Check
mates Trick to Win Coun-
ell and Commission.
BALANCE IS MAINTAINED
Moore Refuses Deputy Job
and Equal Control Is
Assured.
BALANCE is MAINTAINED

A cunning bit of political intrigue
by which the Coffin Hawkins fac
tion of the county Republican or
ganization almost gained control of
both major administrative bodies of
the county government, the council
and the commission, was revealed
today.
Only by the refusal of Council
man Grant Moore, a member Of the
Dodson faction minority, to accept
a commission as deputy sheriff early
in August, were the four controlling
Coffin supporters thWart-
ed, Moore said today.
Acceptance of the commission
would have rendered Moore incapa-
BILE of holding his council job, Gre
ating a vacancy to be filled by the
four Coffin Hawkins councilmen.
Council Deadlock Looms
At present, the. council of seven
members is controlled by the four
Coffin Hawkins members, the other
three being Dodson workers. The
opposite balance of power obtains on
the commission, two of the three
being Dodson men, and one being of
the organization.
A possibility that the council will
be deadlocked, three and three, after
the November elections, as a result
of the maneuvers incident to the
Moore appointment. was admitted
nv both sides tOday
The situation arose when John E.
Shearer, a Coffin Hawkins majority
member, won the Republican
nomination for county commissioner
over his Dodson opponent.
If Shearer is elected, which is con-
sidered likely, he will resign as
councilman, ending the Coffin HaW-
kins majority control of that body,
and substituting a Coffln-Hawklns
majority on the commission, for a
Dodson combination that has been
in power there two years.
Ready to Help Foe
Facing this deadlock, the gaining
of a seat now held by Dodson
J supporter was the only way the
Cofin organization could retain its
control of the council, observers
pointed out.
Sheriff Omer Hawkins, also coun-
ty chairman and joint ruler OF the
organization in the county, said to-
day that Moore always wanted to
be a deputy. I told him some time
ago I'd put him on, but nothing
ever came of it."
Moore has aligned himself con-
sistently with the faction that op-
pose Hawkins in his own party.
ut became known they were
ready to appoint me a deputy"
Moore said. Hurried conferences
with Dodson conferes resulted in
Moore's refusal to accept.
Moore said he does not know
whether the papers ever were
drawn up for his appointment. Had
he been sworn in, the four Coffin
Hawkins members could have de-
clared his council seat vacant, fill
ing it by their own vote, it is be-
lieved.
Control May Shift
Whether Auditor Harry Dunn, a
Dodson cohort, gets the deciding
vote in case of a tie on the coun-
Gil is being investigated today by
attorneys for both groups.
If Dunn is allowed a vote, it
seemed likely that Shearer's seat
will be filled by a Dodson man,
shifting the power of the DodSon
men from commission to council
end the Hawkins Coffin control
8 from council to commission.
Unless the Republicans lose
Marion County, Shearer will be
elected to the commission to work
with George Snider, Coffin Hawkins
member, who has been the one man
minority two years, opposed to
CassiuS L. Hogle and Chrales O..
Sutton.
1t is Hogles seat which Shearer
will assume, if he is elected.
With Moore in the Dodson minor
aty on the council, are James Ed
wards and Frank Cones. The ad-
ministration consists of Shearer,
George N. Montgomery, council
president, Paul Dunn and DR.. Soils
RunnellS.