The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-07
BARES OFFER
OF $4,000 IN
CRIME PROBE
Wife of Prominent Steuben
County Man Says He
May Accept.
QUIZ IN INDIANAPOLIS
Liquor Angle Studied Here
on Eve of Grand Jury
Session.
QUIZ IN INDIANAPOLIS
BY BEN STERN

ANGOLA, Ind, Jan. MY hus-
band can't sleep. He walks the
floor and Wrings his hands. He said
that he has been offered $4,000 to
keep his mouth shut about the bank
ROBBERY and murder, and he thinks
he will take it,"
This is the statement of the wife
of q prominent Steuben county
political figure to a friend and it
has now become a part of the mass
of evidence which will be presented
to the Steuben county grand jury
when it meets Tuesday to investi-
gate one of the most flagrant cases
of corruption and crime among law
enforcement officials that has oc-
CURED in Indiana in recent years.
The list of crimes alleged includes
bank robbery, murder, arson, con-
spiracy to violate botl the national
and state prohibition laws, dealing
in "hot cars" and Just plain, ordi-
nary bootlegging.
Women Cause Break
And it is the women, disguised
with the Welter of crime, corrup-
ton and graft who are aiding the
state officials in gathering of the
voluminouS evidence which it is
hoped will result in indictment and
subsequent conviction of at least
six of the prominent political, Of
fetal and business figures of ths
states most northeastern county.
The trail of corruption leads into
federal and state official depart
ments, deputy sheriffs, mail clerks.
city officials and others are ilnpli-
Gated, investigators declared today.
A long conference of the investi-
gators was held today here when
additional information against
prominent persons was COUPLED.
In an effort to throw further
light upon the crime situation in
Steuben county, which will be
placed before the grand jury Tues
day, state police until today
quizzed known bootleggers in TT.
Wayne and in Indianapolis.
The Indianapolis bootleggers were
especially questioned regarding the
seizure of an automobile load Of
whisky April %, 1928, by Charles
Zimmerman, then Steuben county
sheriff. In the four years that
Zimmerman was sheriff he stopped
but onle caravan belonging to In
dianapoliS bootlepgers
Seized Cars and Truck
This consisted of two automobiles
and truck. the latter Carrying
liquor and being driven by Scott
Crawford and guarded by Alfred
Cones.
Behind them came a guard car
containing George Mclaughlin and
Raymond Kelly, with another
emergency car chosen by Louis
Barker bringing up the rear.
Mclaughlin, Kelly and Barker
were fined 5000 each and the cars
were confiscated and Crawford and
Cones were held on $500 bond
which they forfeited.
Questioning by state police was
directed at determining whether it
was necessary to arrange with Zina-
norman for protection, prices paid
and the possible collision of other
officials.
Mayor Under Fire
The grand jury will be asked to
investigate direct violation of the
statutes by Mayor OrYille Stevens
Of Angola. in trying felonies, when
his court has but the power of a
justice of the peace court.
In the four years of zinIner-
mans incumbency Stevens ordered
confiscation of thousands of cases
of liquor brought from Detroit,
Mich, collected approximately
$4,000 in fines, sentenced and find
about one hundred persons and
ordered confiscation Of about sew
enty-f1ve automobiles.
Il knew that l had no jurisdiction
IN the confiscation cases, but the
prosecutor. Milo Thompson, anC
Sheriff Zimmerman brought them
in to my court and passed SEN
tence," Stevens told The Indian
3polis correspondent.
Besides these cases on record
Zimmerman confiscated an un-
known but large number of auto
mobiles loaded with liquor from
which owners had fed. He gave no
record Of confiscations and nothing
is officially known of what became
of the liquor and automobiles.
Step by step the alibi Of ore Of
fetal as to his whereabouts when
ever the known crimes occurred Is
being cracked. It is expected that
it will be possible to present eyi~
dence to the grand jury which viii
result in completely shattering his
story.