The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-03-07
LESLIE ASKS
FULL PROBE OF
HIS SPENDING
Governor Demands Inquiry
of Bills Paid From Home
Maintenance Fund.
CHALLENGE TO NIBLACK
City Senator Should Be One
to Start Recovery Suit,
He Asserts.

=
morning announced that not only
would he welcome an investigation
Of home furnishing expenditures
from his emergency contingent
fund, but that he also wanted the
examiners to look into bills paid
from his $4,000 maintenance fund.
These bills. he asserted, are in the
keeping of Gaylord Morton, sec
rotary for pardon and paroles, who,
until two months ago, has been paid
$3.50 a month salary from the
emergency contingent fund.
Morton now is paid from the
Statehouse maintenance fund, the
Governor explained.
Leslie also declared that he feels
that it is the duty of State Senator
John Niblack personally to start
a recovery suit for the 5000 for
furnishings spent from the con-
tingent fund. Niblack urged Thurs
day that such action be taken by
the encouragement.
Urges Action by Niblack
"Niblack Is a holdover senator
from Marion county" Leslie said.
TITS up to him to start suit If he
thinks the money has been spent
wrongfully and not try to pass the
buck to the attorney general.
He knows the intent of the leg
islature in this matter and is also
a lawyer.
IT will waive all my rights and
appear in court or before any body
of legislative Investigators that
wants to take this matter up.
IF any one questions my honesty
I always am ready to defend it. It's
the one thing in my life in which
I feel that 1 can maintain a just
pride"
In accordance with the $4,000
annual appropriation for mainte-
nance of the Governors mansion, a
voucher for $833.33 is made out to
him monthly.
$4,000 Spent From Fund
1t was the expenditure of some
$4,000 from the emergency con-
tingent fund. instead of the main
tenance fund. for refurnishing and
renoVating the mansion, that
subjected him to. criticism.
Constitutionality of the payment
Of a $4,000 annual maintenance
fund is being questioned by several
state officials as it docs indirectly
what can not be done directly
increases the salary Of an incumbent
Governor.
The state Constitution strictly
prohibits the increase in salary of
an incumbent governor, they point
out.
The Governors salary is $4,000 a
year. The $4,000 maintenance
fund virtually makes the salary
$4,000 year.
Members of the Marion county
delegation to the legislature have
voiced the opinion that when they
voted for the $4,000 maintenance
fund, they thought it would be
used to keep the mansion in fit
condition and not be used as SAL
airy boost.
Orr to Start Probe
In response to the Governors de-
mand for investigation of his ex-
penditures from the emergency
fund, Lawrence F. Orr, chief Of the
state board of accounts, announced
the examination would be started
Monday, with Ure M. Frazer and
Ira Holland the examiners.
Neither Orr nor the Governor has
asked Attorney-G General James M.
Ogden for an opinion as to legality
Of the expenditures made from the
contingent fund for fur
niture, gold-incrusted tableware,
rugs, dozens of ash trays,
yoblets, and more than a score OF
bridge and table lamps.
Other Governors have not had
two secretaries nor an annual man.
sion maintenance fund of $4,000.
Expenditures on Record
The expenditures made by Leslie
for the furnishing Of the house from
the emergency contingent fund are
all a matter of record in the Of
fee of Archie Bobbitt, auditor Of
state.
-Four dozen ash trays in one order,
other ash trays ranging in price
from so cents TO $2025 each; a Gig
aret box for SIS; a match box for
$3.50; another antique brass cigaret
box for s765; one payment Of
So 1892 90 for drapes, curtains and
spread; Arabian awnings for s42448,
and another payment Of s4.995.85
for rugs and linoleum are included,
with many more sundry items in
the expenditures from the emer-
gency contingent fund.
The Governor declared he had
had expressions from his friends
the state to the effect
that if the $4,000 expenditure on
the mansion is held to have been
or illegal, his friends
l. l. l..