The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-02-27


ley, chairman of the original
Investigation, Immediately
introduced a bill giving the
board of accounts the right to
90 into the private affairs of
any person, firm, board or other
body in any way connected
with armory constitution, and
appropriating $4,000 to pay
expenses of such investiga-
tion.
5. Lindley Immediately moved
suspension Of the rules, which the
senate voted, with only Senator Per-
kins of South Bend voting no. This
made it possible to get the bill on
second reading without the usual de-
lay accompanying consideration by
a committee.
6. To complete the rapid action,
Lindley then read the bill on third
reading himself, instead of having
clerk read it and explained it as he
went along. The bill passed with As
ayes and no negative votes. 1t now
goes to the house.
Action Near Record
The action on the bill comes near
setting a record, for it was passed
within quarter hour after intro
duction.
In taking its rapid action, the
senate, sitting as committee of
the whole, blocked what had prom
ised to be a long-winded smoke
screen debate over details of the
original investigating committees
report.
Some senators thought the report
went too far, others not far enough
and some were opposed to the SEN
ate spending any time on such in
vestigations.
Clements Is Leader
Senator French Clements Of Ev-
ansville started the real inquiry
move, when he presented the fol-
lowing motion, which was passed
and later approved by the senate
sitting as a senate, and now con-
stitutes the order for the state
board of accounts to proceed:
"Mr. President, your committee
of the whole has considered the re-
port of the armory investigating
committee and recommends that
the report be adopted and the de-
partment of supervision and inspec-
ton of public offices be authorized
to examine the plans and specffica-
tions Of the several armories con-
structed and under construction by
armory trustees, and to examine
the contracts entered into and ma
terials used, and that the report on
each armory be filed in the Office
Of the Governor upon completion"
Wants Witnesses Called
AutnOIIty IS INeeue0
Senator Lindley, in presenting the
bill giving the state board of ac-
counts specific power and money
with which to conduct the investiga-
ton, pointed out that without it the
board might meet difficulty in going
into the private books of the
Peoples State bank and its sub
sidiary, the Ostrom Realty Company.
The two firms have financed and
constructed all the armories. This
bill must be passed by both senate
and house and signed by the Gov
ernor before becoming a law.
Lindley pointed out that If the
accounts board reported directly to
the Governor, it would eliminate
delays. The probe committees re-
port merely recommends that the
accounts board investigate construc-
ton costs and report to the 1881
legislature The bill is signed by
all members of the probe committee.
Under the order as it stands the
Governor may, if the accounts board
finds anything wrong, Immediately
refer the matter to the attorney
general for legal action.
Throughout the intricate parlia-
mentary maneuyering which
marked the armory action. Senator
Joe Rand Beckett Of Indianapolis,
regarded as spokesman for Adiu-
-