The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-29
OIL Way FOR
PERPETUAT|NG
COFFIN RULE.
Henchmen of Boss Meet to
Railroad Hugg, Taylor
as Chairmen.
SECRET CALL SENT OUT
Hawkins Slated to Quit;
State G. 0. P. Chief in
Legality Protest.
BY BEN STERN

A~ANAN ~ ASASAN
With the machinery well oiled,
henchmen of George v. Coffin will
assemble in the Knights of Pythias
building tonight to perpetuate the
Coffin machine, not in name, but
in actuality.
Secret calls for county meeting
to receive the resignation of Omer
Hawkins, county chairman, and to
elect a successor were delivered per-
sonally to precinct committeeman
late Thursday night and early today
by several employees under Charles
Mann, county highway superintend~
ent.
Hawkins attempted to maintain
the secrecy today by denying that
such call had been issued. But
it was learned Hawkins had handed
his resignation to Al Middleton,
Ninth ward chairman and court
house custodian.
The county chairman's resigna-
ton comes on the heels of the letter
of resignation as Seventh district
committeeman sent by Coffin to
Harry C. Fenton, secretary of the
state committee.
Delayed Mailing
Although Coff1n's resignation was
dated Nov. "a, he did not ma it u11-
til Nov. 27, when he left for Chicago
to consult specialists regarding HE
stomach ailments.
The district chairman announced
Nov. 5 that he would resign, but took
no definite action until his political
control was made secure through
the appointment Of sixty precinct
committeemen for the new precincts
designated by the commiss- -oners in
1928.
Coffin also removed several
through the power vested in Hawk
ms as county chairman and in their
stead, appointed those who would be
loyal to him.
Coffin henchmen claim they will
elect their candidates for both coun-
ty and district Craftsmanship by a
two to one vote. Regular reorgan-
ization will follow the May, 1880,
primary.
Coffin organization plans are said
to call for the election Of Martin
Hugg, Indianapolis attorney and
school board counsel, as county
chairman, then to have the meeting
resolve itself into a district conven-
ton and elect as district chairman
William L. Taylor, former attorney
general and preSident-elect OF the
State Bar Association.
This under state rules Is irregular
according to Eliza Rogers OF Len-
anon, state chairman. Rogers today
declared that election Of a success
sor ID Coffin must be under the SUI
pervision of the state committee.
The state chairman, he said, is
sues a call for the district meeting
in which he sets out the time, place
and cause for call.
Rogers was to be in Indianapolis
late today to confer regarding the
calling of the meeting.
If the county organization resolves
itself into that Of the district, an
appeal can be made to the state
committee and might result in a
declaration that the election was in
valid.
So far, Taylor is without oppo-
sition and is known to have de-
clared that If the post is offered
him, he will accept it.
County Battle Point
The county Craftsmanship, on the
other hand, will he the post over
which the battle will rage.
There are two known candidates,
Hugg and Todd Young, deposed
Seventh ward chairman and man.
ager for Elmer Gay when the latter
opposed Alfred M. Glossbrenner for
the Republican nomination for
mayor.
There is a possibility that precinct
committeeman who also are MEM
bers of the Irvington Republican
Club will nominate Schuyler Now
rer, head of the G. o. P. veterans
organization and former state in
heritance tax commissioner.
Hugg and Taylor, however, are
10 ha aIaoAal