The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-03-11
COUNTY
FIGHT HOLDING
UP PAY OF 100
Row Over Highway Chief
Forces Men to Plead
for Poor Relief.
PAY ROLL IS TIED
Petty Politics Going Too
Far, Assert Leaders Who
Rap Commissioners.

County political leaders today
heaped criticism relentlessly upon
county commissioners for "Sacrific-
ing jobs and wages of 100 highway
workers to petty politics" in their
fight to GUST Charles w. Mann,
county highway superintendent.
The fight reached it's crisis Thurs
day when it became known that ap-
proximately 100 highway truck driv-
ers and laborers are appealing for
poor relief because their families
are without food and coal.
Pay rolls of the men, including
wages due since Jan. /, still were
held up by commissioners today,
despite advice of political leaders
that its foolish to let the Mann
fight go this far"
"Our hands are tied; the Mann
case is in court" is the only answer
Dow Vorhies and Thomas Ellis,
Democratic board members, give to
queries from reporters.
Politics Carried Too Far"
Politics has been carried too far
in this case," John McGregor for
mer county commissioner, declaed.
Those men should be paid the
wages due Them" Prosecutor Her.
bert Wilson, Democrat, declared.
For three months the Mann fight
has been characterized by repeated
efforts of commissioners to force
him to quit. He has served only
two years of a four-year term.
Prize of the fight, as far as COM
missioners are concerned, includes:
Appointment of a new superintend-
ent and the right to dictate appoint
ments of twenty-four assistant
county road Superintendents.
The highway post is a political
plum. Precinct committeeman usu-
ally get these assistant jobs.
License Dispute Remedied
Ellis has appointed his eight as
sistant superintendent, all of whom
have been ignored by Mann; Snider
Republican commissioner, has ap-
pointed eight, five of whom have
been bonded. while Vorhies has had
three of his eight appointees
bonded.
A license controversy that has
kept 200 ''made-work" employees
from their jobs on county highways
since March 1, was remedied today
by Mann, who put his trucks to
work, without license tags.
Affo.. on11fo,.x.i1,cr ~~v;4I, -kok1
Mann decided to use the trucks,
despite the law requiring govern
mental units to buy licenses. State
police will adopt "hands-off"
policy on county license arrests. A
transfer of highway funds to pur-
chase licenses will be made by the
county council Monday.
Commissioners recently convicted
Mann on charges of incompetencv.
malfeaSance in office and neglect
OF duties. They sat as judges at
his trial, considered a farce" from
beginning to end, by county Off
Gals.
Appealed to Circuit Court
Mann applied to circuit court.
where his case now is pending.
"Unmindful of highway workers"
Mann charged today, commission
erS are delaying the case
They have asked supreme court
to grant motion for a change of
venue, which Circuit Judge Harry
Q. Chamberlin refused
Highway workers are visiting the
county relief kitchen to get bread
and soup, was disclosed.
A few weeks ago, commissioners
attempted to speed their attempts
to GUST Mann by disclosing an af-
fidavit, charging an assistant high
way superintendent, Glen Lain.
Lawrence township, with overcharg-
ing the county for work done by an
employe, Roy Clair.
Prosecutor Herbert Wilson re-
fused a proposal of commissioners
that the matter be laid before the
Marion county grand jury.
Deal Efforts Hinted
Rumors of other attempted
deals to GUST Mann have been
circulated recently.
Mann declared today: 'Vorhies
has told me several times that this
IS not a personal fight against me
but just mere politics"
Admitting the emergency facing
highway workers is terrible" COM
miSisoners have weakened some
what. Checks were being sent to
nineteen assistant highway super
intendentS today, representing
wages due for last December. This