The Indianapolis times., 1931-01-26
M'INTOSH GLAD
TO FACE QUIZ,
He DECLARES
Governors Move to Delay
Inquiry to Await Me>a
Evidence Fails.
LEGISLATURE TO ACT
Bert Fuller Also Ready for
Inquiry; Resolution
Is Ready.

puDIlC SSIFlCG COIIuIlLSSIOI1 9o,UUU
check scandal was scheduled to be
launched in the Indiana house of
representatives this afternoon.
Governor Harry G. Leslie came
to Attorney General James NJ
Ogden's Office this morning and
sought to delay further action in
the case until more evidence has
been procured.
He is said to have assured Og-
den that Commissioner Calvin
Mcintosh (Dem) of the commits
sion, who has been under fire in
Ogdens investigation will not be
reappointed when his term expires
May l.
Resolution Is Prepared
Mcintosh. in turn, issued a state
ment insisting that he is not guilty of
any bribery or misconduct and de-
clared he will welcome and has
asked. for a legislative investigation
Of the entire affair.
Representative Edward E. Eiken-
barry OeIn., Wabash) prepared the
resolution for house investigation
after comforting with leaders of that
body this morning.
1t will empower the investigating
committee to call Ogden, or any
other witnesses desired, and to re-
port their finding back to the house.
An unusual feature is the decision to
make Republican membership on
the committee greater than Demo-
cratic. 1t will be two to one on a
committee of three.
Statement Is Issued
The official statement of McIn-
tosh regarding the matter follows:
Several articles have recently ap-
peared in the Indianapolis press
which, by inference, sought to con-
meet me with certain expenditures
of the Southern Indiana Telephone
and Telegraph Company.
1.-THE attorney generals Office has
been making an investigation Of this
matter, and, as I understand it. has
had certain witnesses appear before
him in reference, in particular, to
Sc, 900 check claimed to have been
given by the company to one DR..
Lett, and which was casted by DR..
Lett near the time at which an or
der of the public service commits
sion of Indiana was promulgated
with reference to the Seymour ex-
change.
In order that the public may be
advised of the facts, I wish to say
that any insinuation that know
anything whatever about this check,
or was in anywise connected with
it, is absolutely false and unfound-
ed. I do not know DR.. Lett, never
have seen him, and have had no
connection with him directly or in
directly.
Wants Complete Inquiry
"After the Seymour order was
written. at the direction of the
public service commission of Indi-
ana, prepared an order denying
the Southern Indiana Telephone
and Telegraph Company an in
crease in rates, at other exchanges,
which would have caused the rate
payers of southern Indiana to pay
to this company more than 100000,
in addition to what the company
now is collecting. This company
sought to enjoin this order in the
United States court, but the injunc-
ton was denied.
''It was brought out in such hear
ing that the president of the COM
pany had expended large sums Of
money in his personal expenses.
The former president of this utility
is now seeking to punish some one
because I stood with the rate payers
on the question Of the fairness Of
this increase.
"a complete investigation of the
whole matter will show that it is
simply a case Of a disappointed ap-
plicant trying to get even,' and I
charge that the whole matter, so far
as I have any connection with it,
is a fabrication. 1t is my wish that
a complete investigation of the
whole matter be made to the end
that the truth may be known"
Ogden Takes Action
The whole matter was brought to
the forefront by Ogden, who called
Mcintosh into his Office Saturday
morning and tried TO force him to
resign from the commission.
This action followed a conference
Friday at which Governor Harry
G. Leslie was present. The Cover
nor, however, warned Ogden to be
sure of his ground before proceed
ing and Saturday declared he
would not ask McIntozh to resign
until evidence is produced.
Charges of the attorney-general
are based on statements Of Lon
Grifitts, former president of the
southern company. He asserted that
he gave Postmaster H. Lett of Sey-
mour, company headquarters, a
$4,000 check on Oct. II. 1929, for
unusual and extraordinary ex-
penses" il indianapolis as public
relations man.
Deny Any Misconduct
This was the time the Seymour
rate increases were voted unani-
mously by public service commits
sioners.
Other checks, totaling more than
$4,000, and covering a period up to
the time general rate increase was
denied the company last fall, are in
Volved in the probe, Ogden declared.
Name Of Bert Fuller, campaign
manager for Governor Harry G.
Leslie, has been linked with the
matter. Both Mcintosh and Fuller
vehenently deny any misconduct.