The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-10-13
PRESS QUIZ OF
BUSINESS men
ASSOCIATION
Better Business Bureau
Backs Probe of Alleged
'Court-Fixing' Racket.
EX-CITY JUDGE IS HEAD
Thomas C. WhaIIon Queried
About Reported High
Pressure CanvaSSing.
BY CHARLES E. CARLL

BY CHARLES +. CARLL
For more than a week, the Bet
ter Business Bureau has scrutinized
operations of the Indiana Business
Mems Association, Inc, which The
Times Saturday revealed solicited
membership by implied control Of
city courts and ability to fix cases
for members.
And for almost a similar period
Thomas G. Whallon. local attorney
and former city judge, president Of
the association, was aware that his
name was being used by some one
in the organization who gave i'm
piled if not outright promises OF
immunity from conviction on mis-
demeanors, he said today.
Additional inquiry into the al
legged racket will be made by the
Indiana State Bar Association in
South Bend Friday and Saturday,
Thomas G. Bachelor, secretary,
said after a conference with Attor-
General James M. Ogden today.
Shows Printers Letter
Resultant from The Times story
of activities of solicitors for the as
ISOLATION, Whallon today displayed
a letter from Arthur and Henry
Freyer, printers, who were to pub
lish the associations official book.
The letter, dated Oct. II, referred
to The Times story. 1t mentioned
a conference with Whallon last
week, in which use of the ex-judge's
name in soliciting membership was
discussed, and Whallon discouraged
the proposition.
1t declared no employee of the as
ISOLATION was authorized to prom
Use immunity for any infraction of
law or ordinance, or to promise Elk
ing" of cases. 1t also set out that
no one would be employed further
who was proven guilty Of resorting
to such tactics.
Not Put in Mails
The letter explained that printed
matter of the association was not
sent through mails because the let
tiers, once signed by prospect, be-
came a contract and receipt and
were carried on the person of the
solicitor.
David J. Byrnes. assistant man
ager of the Better Business Bureau,
in charge of the investigation for
that organization, said an official of
an Indianapolis laundry firm COM
planned that he had been solicited
for membership in the association,
acquired with purchase of advertis-
ing space in the official publication,
and had been promised favors if he
joined.
These favors included promises of
immunity from municipal criminal
court conviction, he said. The first
solicitation was by telephone, and
later the solicitor met him in his Of
flee and repeated the promises, he
said.
Asked for Policy Outline
Byrnes said he visited Whallon on
Wednesday and asked for an out
line of the associations policies.
Whallon refused a statement at the
time, but promised to set out the
associations aims and policies in a
letter within twenty-four or forty
eight hours, Byrnes said. Byrnes
added that the information has not
vet reached him.
A Better Business Bureau bulletin
on the association was held up by
Byrnes pending receipt of Whallon's
letter.
Informed that some one was using
his name in making promises of i'm
munity from municipal court con-
victions, Whallon denied he has
made any of the calls or promises,
and declared none of the solicitors
has authority to use my name"
The organization was formed for
the purpose of authorizing publica-
ton of the Commercial Guide and
Reference Manual which will be
published "by two individuals
whose names can not be revealed, y
according to e. G. Boswell, attorney,
and vice-president of the asSocia-
ton.
Business Men Angered
Whallon said he would investigate
the financial status of the organ
ization. Neither he nor Boswell
knew how much money had been
obtained by the solicitors in their
weeks work in the city, they ad-
mitted.
The solicitors are said to be under
direction of George Bieber, secre-
tary-treasurer, who is said to reside
in Chicago and who is known as an
advertising solicitor.
Business men have been incenSed
by the solicitors who have prac-
tically demanded they subscribe to
advertising. costing from SIS to
500 after their conversations with
Whallon."
Refusal to take ads has resulted
in proposals that they become
associate members" of the organ
ization, according to reports to The
Times. Some associate memberships
have been offered for SIS and others
for $40. it is reported.
Advertising subscription automati-
cally makes the subscriber a menu
Der of the association, Whallon said.
M<7A4fc IToco1