The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-11
VAN NUYS HITS
'COFFINISM' AS
CURSE OF CITY
Democrats Hear Republican
Ticket Branded With
Machine Stamp.
! SULLIVAN IN KEYNOTE
Alignment of G. O. P. Boss
With Jackson Regime
Also Scored.
BY BEN STERN

BY BEN STERN
"Cofflnism, one of the most pu-
trid political machines that ever
throttled an American CITY," today
stood designated as the issue in the
municipal campaign.
The stamp of Coffinism has been
written in indelible ink across the
face of the Republican ticket -
placed there Thursday night by each
speaker at the Democratic rally in
Tomlinson hall which formally
opened the Democratic campaign.
TWO thousand heard the Demo-
cratic rooster crow and applauded
the barbed shafts of ridicule fired
by Frederick Van Nuys, former
United States district attorney;
James E. Deery, former city judge;
Albert Stump, former candidate for
United States senator, and Mayor
L. Ert Slack.
At the close of the meeting the
audience vociferously indorsed the
platform read by Reginald H. Sulli-
van, Demo cratic candidate for
mayor.
Sullivar1 promised, if elected, rep
resentatjon of all the citizenry; i'm
partial law enforcement; adoption
of tn ( city manager leagues plank
for municipal operation of the Citi-
Zens Gas Company; reduction of
taxes and rigid economy.
scores Machine
'If I an elected, there will be no
machine in the city hall" Sullivan
declared.
Especially do promise that no
influence shs Il develop in admins
tration to exert political control over
the school city Of Indianapolis"
The speech made by Alfred NJ.
GlosSbrenner, Republican candidate
for mayor, at Irvh,gton Monday
night, was the target for shafts from
all.
Van Nuys traced adoption Of the
city manager plan by a 6-to-1 vote.
''It was an edict from the people in
no uncertain terms that they desired
to rid themselves forever Of the
domination of a discredited and de-
posed police captain George V. Cof-
fin, Republican city chairman), who
for years has prostituted the civic
life Of the CITY," he said.
Behind Keene Suit
He declared Coffin caused Clifford
z. Keene to institute the suit at
tacking the constitutionality Of the
city manager law. After the law
vas thumbed down, Coffin picked
Keene for city councilman, and
GloSsbrenner accepted the selection,
Van Nuys asserted.
Not one of the councilmanlc can
didateS," Van NuyS declared, was
identified or known to be in SYM
pathy with the city manager form" ="
"GloSSbrenner swallowed Coff1n's
ticket, hook line and sinker," Van
Nuys charged.
He cited GloSsbrenner's record as
IAN opponent of organized labor
and an avowed advocate of the open
shop"
with brazen effrontery, unpa-
ralleled even in his own machina-
tions, Coffin asks the voters Of In
dianapolis 70 indorse the past rec
ord of his machine and intrench it
for another four years." said Van
NuyS
"Cofiinism gave us Jach.
vail and his four horSemen, -
Updyke. the congressman. Coffin
ism alone is responsible for the hu-
initiating spectacle of a Governor
Of Indiana pleading the statute of
limitations.
1T is Coffinism which has laid
its greedy and clammy hand upon
the public schools Of Indianapolis
and is undermining their usefulness
and responsibility to such a degree
that parents and patrons are up
rising in protest"
Deery likened Glossbrenner to
Caeser, who thrice was offered the
crown by Anthony" Baxter (Arthur
Baxter), put it by. although un-
willingly: and then accepted 1t
finally to be named by George Cof-
I'm as "the nobleSt Roman Of them
all"
The Democratic record Of the t
two years was extolled by Ma "
Slack, who declared that credit
should be given the whole force and
not one individual.
Stump called upon Democrats and
independents 10 win the city back
from graft and corruption foisted
ffr,oy7 II hxy (yoff1niSrn /"
Albert Sahm. secretary-treasurer
of the State Life Insurance Com
pany was chairman. Before intro
ducing the speakers he described the
mayoralty of Sullivan's father,
Thomas L. Sullivan, forty years ago.
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