The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-03-20
HIGHWAY CHIEF
TOLD THAT He
SHOULD RESIGN
Commissioner Brings Word
of LeSIie'S Wishes, but
Boss Stays On.
BOARD MAY ACT SOON
Fight to Retain Post Seen
as Likely; Must Be
Given Hearing.

As scheduled, Jess L. Murden,
Peru, Republican member of the
state highway commission, called on
Director John D. (Czar) Williams
today and told him that Governor
Harry G.. Leslie wants him to re-
sign and turn the job over to John
J. Brown, Rockport, now the Gov
ernor's secretary.
Murden emerged after several
hours with Williams to announce
to the waiting newspaper men that
Williams wasn't going to resign to-
DAY.
"Therew i'll be a meeting Of the
commission next week and we will
discuss the matter" Murden said.
Until that time I can say only that
there has been no official commits
sion action in regard to the Gov
ernor's proposal"
When Williams learned about the
Governors desires it was no news.
The matter had been discussed pre-
viously with the commissioners, he
admitted to newspaper men before
NIurden arrived.
May Fight Custer
He may fight the dismissal, on
the around that the. highway law
provides that. competent director
be appointed without regard to poll
tics and that he can be ousted only
for ''inefficiency, malfeasance, or
neglect of duty"
Then he must be given notice and
a hearing before the commissioners.
It may be that, as in years past,
the commissioners will get cold
feet and that Leslie will have to
wait until he puts in his own APP
pointees to do the job. The Gov
ernor could ask the commissioners
to resign.
PICK UP AS LAST ADD NEW lead
Seven years of dictatorship, which
often has been termed dictator
Ship. is Williams record in the de-
partment. During his term of office
approximately 1,700 miles of state
IOdQS nave -UGeil pdFSu'
Ardent attempts to GUST. him was
made by Governor Ed Jackson,
Williams even having been indicted
after the board of accounts exposed
his handling of war material from
the federal government.
a Indictments. Quashed
The indictments were quashed,
erter some years pending, by then
prosecutor William H. Remy of
Marion county.
A So-called "road-ripper" bill,
Giving Governor Jackson direct con-
trol over Williams job, failed in
the 1925 legislature.
Commissioners appointed by jack
son would become Williams men
apparently and before the Jackson
regime was over the Governor and
director were travelling about the
state together
Jackson devoted a large share of
his last legislative speech to the
directors praise.
But Leslie remained unconverted
and Williams must go" is plank
in his personal platform, which, like
others, he is determined to carry
out, his friends say.
Meetings Secret
One of the complainantS aside
from. "high-handed rule" against
the Williams regime is that the
millions spent by the department
hav been shrouded in more or less
mystery. Information coming from
the department has been filtered
through a paid publicity man.
Meetings of the commissioners
have been behind closed DOORS
When Albert j Wedeking, Dale,
now commission chairman, was ap-
pointed to the commission by Jack
son he announced that his would
lie changed.
He changed his mind.
He scarcely has made an an
nouncement since and would not
comment Tuesday on the Williams
removal. 1t was reported that the
lob of asking Williams to resign
has fallen to the LOT of Jesse Muir
cen. Peru. the Other Republican
member of the con;InEsSion.
Removed With Apologies"
Brown has a record of eight Yeas
rs chairman of the state tax CON-
mission. He was removed by Jack
sen. with profuse apologies, to make
room on the board for Jackson'S
secretary, Pliny Wo'fard.
After being out of the state
house but a few weeks he returned
to become Governor Leslie's secre-
tary. He handled this job through
out the legislature and during the
signing of the bills was assisted by
Gaylord Morton. who was formerly
in the state auditors Office.
PLAN MANAGER TALKS