The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-14
RoCkport Man Declares He
Bought Berth for Son,
Paying $3.50.
SECRET VISIT is Barred
EmiSSary Came to Home to
PeddIe Mail Post, Is
Girls Charge.
BY BEN STERN
Times Stan Correspondent

dA4Q DdA IC4CQ LAC a S4l1dA4 III dQ6I III
selling public Offices intruSted to
his discretion, was described here
today. as the trial of Harry E. Row
bottom upon charges of selling
postof1ce appointments, opened in
federal court.
Entire groundwork of the govern
ment's case against the three-time
congressman was laid by George r.
Jeffrey. district attorney, in his
opening statement to the jury.
The defense waived an opening
statement. Jeffrey followed his
plan of campaign, which had not
been changed by Nugent Dodds,
assistant encouragement from
Washington, who this morning did
not participate actively in the trial.
A jury was obtained after only an
hours questioning.
Faces Nine Counts
The trial was opened with Fed
eral Judge Charles Woodward 81
Chicago reading the nine counts in
the indictment against the ex-
congressman.
First important witness called by
Jeffrey was Miss Evelyn Aver, who
told how william C. DAVIDSON came
to her home in Rockport. Ind, and
asked to see her father, Walter G.
Aver.
Davisson was discharged as
Petersburg postmaster Immediately
upon disclosure Of the alleged ir-
Irregularities.
Davisson asked the girl to step
to the rear of the house and told
her he did not want any one to
know he was in the town, Miss
Aver testified.
"You tell her father to call Row
bottom tonight or early in the
morning and go to Evansville and
see him at his hotel, she testified
DavisSon said to her.
"Jobs to Self
"You know Harry Rowbottom)
was defeated in the campaign and
he spent lot of his money, so he
now has some postmastersaips and
rural mail carrier jobs to dispose of, -
she testified DAVIDSON told her.
Following his daughter to the
stand, Aver testified he wanted to
obtain a rural mail carrier position
for his son, Gresham Aver.
Aver told the jury he went to
Evansville, Nov. II, 1880, to see
Rowbottom; that he was not there
and he conversed with Fred J.
Fisher, Rowbottom's campaign man
ager. Aver testified he told Fisher
he wanted to get that rural mail
carrier job for his son"
=" You know, We have been offered
$500 for that job Aver said Fisher
told him. viii you give s5O0P'"
Agrees to Pay
Il agreed, after some hesitancy."
Aver testified.
Fisher then, according to Ayers
testimony, said: This may be a
dirty, mean question, but how much
would you give?"
Aver said he replied that he did
not know.
Aver testified that Fisher ad-
vanced the cost of the job" to $75O
and that he agreed to pay this i'll
stead of $500. Aver said he asked
Fisher to send a message to Row
bottom that he would pay $3.50.
Continuing, Aver testified that on
Nov. II he returned to Evansville
and asked Rowbottom who the man
was at his ayers home.
Called Fine Christian"
Billy DAWSON" Ayr said Row.
bottom answered.
Aver said Rowbottom declared
DAWSON was "as fine a Christian
gentleman as you ever saw"
Rowbottom then asked for the
$3.50, Aver testified. Aver told the
jury that he hesitated about giving
the money to Rowbottom.
III give it to some one to hold"
Aver testified he told Rowbottom.
"Rowbottom told me that he didn't
want any one to know about it. be-
cause there were too many who
would talk too much"
After further conversation. Aver
testified, he returned to his home.
and the next day obtained the
money" and brought it to Rowbot
tom. The government did not ask
where Aver obtained the money.
I told Rowbottom all I could
raise was $780," Aver testified. Il
am a poor man. Rowbottom told
me that he had to have $3.50 for
That Jof or I wouldn't get it. I sent
my brother. Aaron, who was with
me, out and he came back with the
rest Of the money"
Jury Is Chosen
Members of the jury hearing
the case are: j. A. Ellis. Or
leans, farmer; Charles Brown. Rock
vile, hardware merchant: Grant
Hughel, Anderson, farmer; Edward
Corrie, Madison, farmer; Elmer Les
ter, Scottsburg. farmer; Lon Credv.
Nashville, storekeeper; Henry c.
Davis Jr., Kokomo, manufacturer.
Carl Bailey, Selma, painter: Frank
r. Keifner, Terre Haute. real es-
tate operator; Dan Carpenter, Wee
oersourg, farmer; John Hill, sixteen
miles east Of Indianapolis, farmer.
and John Borrum, Upton, furniture
dealer.
Shortly after Rowbottom entered
the courtroom his wife and son
Emerson. accompanied by his former
secretary, Miss Edna Roberts, also
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