The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-19
CITY COUNCIL
SETS DATE to
AIR CHARGES
Department Heads Called
Wednesday to Answer
JeWett Accusation.
ALLEGATIONS BRIEFE0
Ex-Mayor ReCountS Long
List of irregularities
in Purchasing.

OAbJ d1 POI NAAANAAb A4NeNaAf FAeAANN~
with copies of their automobile
acquisitions and purchase orders,
will be witnesses before the city
councils investigating committee
Wednesday afternoon at to answer
charges of Irregularities made by
Charles w. Jewett, former mayor.
In a thirty-page brief read Mon-
day afternoon to the council COM
mittee composed of Herman Iieber.
Edward w. Harris and Earl
Buchanan, JeWett recounted
charges made during the mayoralty
campaign.
Jewett charged:
Automobiles and trucks have been
purchased in wholesale lots by The
present purchasing department..
More than sixty new items of motor
equipment we're purchased during
the first eight months of this year,
including cars not needed.
Tax Money Refunded
Gasoline tax money refunded to
the city by the state has been used
for the purchase of these automo-
biles without authorization by the
council" as required by law.
Joel f. Baker, city purchasing
agent, bought a La Sale sedan for
the use of Chief of Police Claude
NJ. Worley on two purchase orders,
thus circumventing the law requir-
ing council approval of purchases
of $4,000 or more.
No accounting is made to coun-
ell of the general authority it grants
to make purchases; and for its own
protection, thorough investigation
should be made to know how that
authority has been used
Court records and statements OF
attorneys for the city and plaintiffs
in the suits compromised by John
w. Hoffman, corporation counsel
and Oren Hack warrant complete
investigation to determine why the
city consented to pay Dilling & Co.
and the Granite Sand and Gravel
Company $228,OO0 more than the
award of the board Of works while
the five other owners Of land to be
used in flood control work were paid
only the awards made by the board.
AppraisaIs Hiked
Jewett also pointed out that at
some ones request the appraisal ex-
perts employed by the city increased
their valuations from SCI, ,737.75 to
1925 900 for the Granite Sand and
Gravel Company land, and for Dill
ing 81 Co. from $55,500 to 100000.
The council committee under the
guidance of James w. Noel, special
counsel, first investigated the
charges Of split purchase orders
preferred against Baker.
1t was brought out that although
the La Sale body never has been
separated from it's chassis since the
car left the factory, John Ambuhl,
secretary to Police Chief Worley,
gave two receipts for the car; one
dated July 6 for the chassis and an
other dated July 13 for the body.
CAS- a matter of fact" questioned
Noel, "there was no reason for these
two dates except to fortify this
transaction, was there? What do
you think of the these two dates?"
Didn't Notice Dates
Il did not even notice those two
dates" Baker replied. II can not ex-
plain why the receipts were dated a
week apart"
According to Baker, he was called
by Worley and told there was a hur-
ried need for a car.
Two acquisitions came from the
board of safety, one for a body and
the other f. a chassis" Baker said.
Finally we came to an agree
ment with the Burke Cadillac peo-
pie for La Sale sedan with six
wire wheels and heavier bullet proof
windshield glass for $2,650 This
figure represented a reduction Of
S5O5 from the list price, he said.
Il inspected the car" Baker said,
land the body and the chassis were
together.
"A single invoice was made to the
city and was sent to the controllers
office.
Demanded Payment
"a few weeks later, some one
called from the company to inquire
why they had not been paid. A.
B. Good of the controllers depart
ment then told me that the invoice
was for $2,650 and could not be paid
without authorization Of the
council.
MY inspector then obtained the
two receipts from the board Of
public safety and these were turned
over to the controllers Office. which
has refused payment" Baker testi-
fed
Sterling Holt, city controller. fol-
lowed Baker and declared that the
irregularity Of the divided requisi-
ton struck him as something that
should be called to the attention Of
the council before making payment
and that he had planned to do so
and had refrained from sending q