The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-09
I'm THELAW,'
BOASTLA|D TO
PROSECUTOR
Natural Gas Co. Brands
Vigo County Official
as Emperor
BALTZELL ON BENCH
Federal Judge Will Rule on
Concerns Petition for
Injunction.
BALTzELL ON BENCH

EuIDOTISQ Gl1OIJS VI OIldItSS Os
Whitlock, prosecutor, and labeled
Emperor Of Vigo County" to ha-
raSs the Kentucky Natural Gas
Company in its laying of a lateral
pipeline to the plant of the Uni
verSal Gas Company in Terre Haute.
we're described in federal court here
today by a half-dozen or more wit
nesseS.
Narration of Whitlock's alleged
high-haded attitude with officials Of
the natural gas company consumed
the morning session of hearing on
the Kentucky concerns petition for
an injunction from Judge Robert
G. Baltzell to halt the prosecutors
interference with the work. The
hearing continued this afternoon.
The prosecutors so-called "arbi-
trary" attitude was described by II.
M. Donovan Curran OF st. Louis,
vice-president of the company.
He told how after Whitlock made
an affidavit that the company's en-
ployeS we're obstructing the high
ways while laying the pipe and an
nounced that he would arrest all OF
the workmen, Curran and w. j.
Hinchey, president in charge
of operation, and their attorneys
had a conference with Whitlock.
Arrest Was Threatened
At that conference the prosecutor
declared that the franchise the gas
company obtained from the county
commissioners was not valid and
that the company had no right to
operate in Indiana, it was testified.
Whitlock then threatened to ar
rest all Of the employees of the COM
pany on wholesale basis if they
tried to continue operations, the
court was told.
'Whitlock declared" Curran testi-
fed, that if We did not meet all Of
his demands he would not permit
US to proceed.
"You must break your contract
with the Universal Gas Company
(Terre Haute distributing concernl
and sell gas at prices satisfactory
to me-" Whitlock, it was testified.
asserted.
When told by Curran that the
public service commission regulated
the rates, witness said, he declared:
Il make the laws for Vigo county
and you'll Go as say while you are
here
81 Make the Law
"You are not in Indiana, you are
not in the United States, you are
in Vigo county, where I make the
laws"
At this point Judge BaltzeH in
quired whether "I will have to get f.
a passport next time I go to Terre
Haute?"
Whitlock, in his attack upon the
company, asserted that the officials
would have to get a new franchise
satisfactory to him and that the
county commissioners could act only
on franchise as he told them to,
witnesses said.
1t was then that Samuel Miller.
attorney for the natural gas COM
amp, termed him the emperor OF
Vigo county"
The prosecutor, it was testified,
also declared that if the Kentucky
company wanted to make contracts
with Terre Haute industries it would
have to negotiate with him as he
represented.
Curran testified how attempts
were made to placate Whitlock, but
the prosecutor wouldn't talk to
them.
"You are in Vigo county now" he
declared. Il am going to do every
think can to keep you out of this
county and throw you out of the
state" the testimony went on to
declare.
Attempt to End Hearing
Judge BaltzeI indicated that in
his opinion the gas company would
have to test the validity of the
franchise in the state courts, but
he continued the hearing on the
petition for an injunction against
Whitlock for alleged interfering
With the construction Of the pipe
line.
Attorneys for Whitlock, the sher-
if, John Dreher, and twelve dep
uties filed motions to dismiss the
petition on the ground that there Is
no federal question involved, al
though the complaint and the ex-
animation brought out that the
Kentucky natural gas company is a
foreign corporation doing an inter-
state business.
Photographs were introduced to
show that the highways were not
DISTRACTED by pipe line laying, and
Hinchey testified at length as to
the methods used.
Attempt to end the hearing this
afternoon will be made by judge
Baltzell, who is to leave Friday for
Superior, Wis, where he is to occu-
nv fho bench