The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-28
GOUGE OF CITY
MARKET STALL
HOLDERS AIRED
Funds Solicited to Fight
Bill in Trumped-Up
Scare.
S0LONS PASS BUCK
TOO Bad All A1ree: No
Cause for Alarm Build
ing Will Be Razed.
s0LoNs PASS BUCK


Efforts by politicians to raise a
purse of $3.50 among city market
standholderS to kill" a bill in the
Indiana house of representatives
which the StandhoIders were led to
believe would drive them out OF
their livelihood, we're disclosed by
. persons at the market today.
The biz, according to reliable at
torneys, would not in any way
jeopardize the Standholders. 1t was
reported that many of them have
pledged or actually contributed
sums, ranging from $40 to $25, for
the fund.
Exactly how the fund was to be
used has not been made clear
Standholders who were approached
said. They were led to believe that
this Is the usual way such things
are handled" and frightened at the
prospect of losing their business
readily contributed.
Cuts "Ante" to S400
It was reported that when it ap-
peared the $3.50 was too big a fund
successfully to raise the "ante" was
cut to $400
The bill in question is House Bill
324. 1t is in general language but
its sponsors say it purports to give
the city opportunity to clear the
title to Tomlinson hall preparatory
to issuing bonds with which to raze
thE hall and market buildings and
replace them with modern struc-
lures.
1t is a widely-known fact that the
city's title to the TomlinSon hall
property is clouded by a gap, but no
one in the present administration,
according to Mayor Slack, contem-
plates issuing any bonds or aban-
doning the market.
No Cause for Alarm
Other officials pointed out that
the original grant by which the city
acquired the site requires that the
city operate a market thereon and
the city is not now disposed to dis
obey this Injunction. Thus, the
officials pointed out, there is no oc-
casion for alarm on the part of the
Standholders.
Tracing the history of the bill was
difficult. 1t was introduced by Rep
resentatiye E. E. McGriff of Port
land, Ind. McGriff said it was
handed to him by Representative
Lloyd D. Claycombe of Indianap-
oils.
Claycornbe said the bill was given
to him by Clinton H. Givan, county
attorney. Givan and Claycombe
both are regarded as important cogs
in the political machine of George
V. Coffin, Seventh district and city
Republican chairman.
Conferred with Hack
Claycombe declared that be
doubted at that time that the bill
would clear the Tomlinson hall title
but that, as attorney for the city
plan commission he was interested
in municipal legal affairs and asked
Corporation Counsel Oren S. Hack
if the bill was all right. He sale
Hack told him it was, so he asked
McGriff to present it. believing it K
be a measure the city administration
was interested in.
The bill was referred to Judiciary
B. committee, of which Olaycomb'
is chairman and this committee re.
ported it favorably Feb. 18. 1t wa
sent to engroSsment and can b.
called down for final vote at an,
time.
whats the Big Idea?"
Claycombe said that in view o
the report of the attempt to rails
the $3.50 fund he did not believe h
woui5 call it down now.
II wonder what they are tryin:
to do, use me for the fall guy?'
calculated Claycombe when first in
formed that the attempt to rails,
the fund was being made.
Corporation Counsel Hack salt
that all he told Claycombe was tina
if "it cleared the title of Tomlinsol
hall it was all right. 1 still say so.
But, Hack added, he told a dele
CATION of SHAREHOLDERS just thi
week that they should ignore tn
bill because ''it had no effect ol
TomlinSon hall.
Informed of the attempt to rails
the fund Hack said:
That's awful. I'm sorry any on
has connected my name with tn
incident in any way
Mayor Comments
1t was equally confusing to trac
the origin of the $3.50 fund idea.
Shareholders said that Charles 1
Riddle, former board of works mem
Der. and another George ". Cofh,
lieutenant, conferred with a grou
of them several days ago and sug
gested that they employ him as
lobbyist to fight the bill.
.'The city administration is nc
interested nj the bill one way G
another" said Mayor l.. Ert Slacl
The bill does not clear the title t
Tomlinson hall, although that coul
be easily done if We desiped to d
So"