The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-08
NATURAL GAS
CASE BURSTS
into court
Petition Federal Judge to
Restrain Prosecutor of
Vigo County.
INTERFERENCE CHARGED
Kentucky Firm Declares
WhitIOCk Working for
Personal Clients

Charges that Charles G.. Whit
lock, Vigo county prosecutor is
"using unlawfully" his position "for
the private benefit of personal cli-
ents and himself" are contained In
petition for temporary restraining
order against Whitlock, his deputies
and the Vigo county sheriff and
deputies filed in federal court here
by the Kentucky Natural Gas Com
pany.
This is the same company which
is seeking to furnish natural gas to
Indianapolis corporations.
Hearing on the petition is to be
held here Thursday morning be-
fore Federal Judge Robert G. Bait
zell when Substantiating testimony
is expected to be produced by Miller
81 Miller attorneys for the natu-
raj gas company.
Outline of what is termed "a pro-
gram for the purpose Of harassing
interfering and stopping work" on
the laying of the natural gas con-
Germs mains into Terre Haute is
given in the petition.
Attorney for Industries"
1t charges that Whitlock is at
tempting to obstruct the work "in
the hope and with the wrongful de-
sign and purpose of compelling the
plaintiff to make certain agreements
as to the furnishing of natural gas
TO certain individuals and corpora
tionS" at Terre Haute "and debating
and controlling the prices at which
such gas should be furnished to such
corporations and individuals"
Whitlock, the petition asserts, ais
attorney for certain industries ano
persons and proposes to prevent the
gas company from going on with
the work of laying the mains until
the Kentucky Natural Gas Com
pany would furnish the natural gas
ut prices which he would dictate. .
Alleged threats made by the pros
ecutor to kick the natural gas
company out of Indiana" are set
forth in the petition together with
the history of Whitlock's verbal and
legal attacks upon the company.
Claim S1,5OO,OOO Expense
The petition declares that ST, $780,
900 is being expended by the COM
pany in laying its pipe lines from
the Kentucky field through Evans
vile and Terre Haute to Indianap-
oils and that the open flow of its
gas wells reach $50, 900 900 cubic feet
daily.
A franchise was obtained from
the Vigo county commissioners to
lay the mains into that county;
and on April IA, 1881, a contract was
made with the Universal Gas Com
pany at Terre Haute to deliver nat
lral gas to the Indiana Consumers
Gas and By-Products Company for
fifteen years.
Contracts were made with Conner
SJ Sons Construction Company of
Terre Haute to lay a lateral main
to the plant at cost of 10000 for
construction and $4,000 for pipes.
Work started on June l, 1881, with
approximately 125 men employed on
the job.
"On June 26 Whitlock visited the
scene of the work and threatened
to Jail the employees unless work
was stopped" On the same day,
1t is alleged he filed an affidavit in
the Vigo circuit court charging that
the contracting firm was obstruct-
ing the road while laying the mains.
Warrants Are Issued
Warrants for the arrest of the
employees were issued, but none was
served except on the Kentucky
Natural Gas Company. The pc
titlon sets out that work was stopped
on June q and that in the mean
while Whitlock went before the cir
cunt court to obtain an injunction to
halt the laying of the mains.
Not only does the Kentucky Nat
ural Gas Company ask for a tenn
porary restraining order against
Whitlock, the sheriff, Joseph M
Dreher and twelve deputies, but
Judge Baltzell also is asked to man.
date Whitlock to drop his criminal
prosecutions and the injunction
ry,4f