The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-28
CITY, COUNTY,
u. 5. Wink AT
LAW VIOLATION
Investigation of Vanishing
Federal Booze Proves
Sorry Flop.
SUMNER DODGES ISSUE
Sheriff Does Nothing in
Dicks Case; MorriSSey
Ignores Fake Raid.

Investigations OF alleged major
law violations and corruption in the
core of city, county and federal
governments are dormant today,
while officials, with powers to halt
the irregularities, declined to take
action.
Several times, in the last three
months, improper activities and al
legged law violations by employees
and leaders of governmental de-
partments have been revealed. In
each instance, however, officials
have made but minor attempts to
uncover facts, although their ap-
parent negligence has brought a
storm of protest from all parts OF
the city and county.
First in Importance in the I'M
needed violations is the disappear
ance" of 1900 pints of whisky,
worth several thousand dollars,
from the basement of the federal
building. This liquor was stored
with other stocks after federal dry
agents confiscated it from a freight
car en- route to Chicago from Ev-
ansville.
At Chicago the liquor was sched-
uled to go through various cutting
processes to be resold to prohibition
law violators at gangster prices.
Search Apparently Dropped
Investigators were brought from
Washington. George R. jeffrey, dis
trict attorney, evinced interest IN
the probe. There was shakeup in
the local prohibition division The
investigation faltered; then halted
entirely. Since then neither jeffrey
nor any other federal official in In
dianapolis has developed any results
from clews which might lead to
capture of those guilty of the booze
steal. similar to the Squibb $4,000
liquor theft in 1926
inactivity in the investigation has
continued despite the city-wide re-
norts that much of the stolen liquor
was used in entertainments at an
expensive, near-downtown apart
ment.
A more recent revelation is that
Charles Edward (Red( Dicks, serv-
ing a six-month booze sentence in
the county Jail, is charged with hav-
NO almost absolute freedom" from
iail while a member of the chain"
gang.
Sumner DOdges Issue
Sheriff Charles (Buck) Sumner,
at the insistence of The Times,
opened an investigation into the
situation, which resulted in his as
sertion that there's nothing to it,
after questioning persons accused.
The charges not only accused
Dicks of leaving the chain" gang
to visit his wife and drive his new
car in various parts of the city
but also with continuing his liquor
business without surveillance by
county authorities.
Among charges against Dicks was
one that he had delivered booze to
deputy sheriffs in a downtown hotel
during one of his absences from the
county Jail.
Dicks and Roy Delvin, county
maintenance man, who supervised
the chain" gangs work, denied al
legations that Dicks ever had left
the gang.
Later Delvin admitted taking
Dicks twice to his home on Ores
ton drive. However, it was learned
that Dicks, shortly after his arrest
in March on the booze charge, had
moved from Creston drive. This in
formation, turned over to Sumner
by The Times, failed to bring con-
tipuance of the investigation.
Suspended for Two Days
However, it was learned today
that John Boyce, chief taller. had
been suspended for two days by
Ralph Hitch, chief deputy on
orders of Sumner while the latter
was in Chicago recently. The sus-
pension was revoked when Sumner
returned.
Boyce denied to The Times today
that he ever had been suspended.
Efforts to reopen the Dicks probe
with another check of court records,
which Municipal Judge William H
Sheaffer admits were altered, have
failed. The records read that Dicks
was to serve six months on the state
penal farm. AT the county Jail, the
records read the term be served in
Jail.
Meanwhile, Chief Mike MorrisSey
who returned Monday from vaca-
ton in the north part Of the coun-
try, has taken no action on the al
legged fake raid staged by Sergeant
Patsy Mcmahon and his friends on
a barbecue on Road 81 at Seventy
fifth street.
The raid took place almost three
weeks ago. The case was probed by
federsl authorities and city detec-
tives. MorrisSey heard the story
from the operator and an emplove
OF the place. They said they were
the victims Of the alleged fake raid.
Morrissey also heard stories of
t~Mahon and his friends that the
1. yuble i-sl been rrovoked by John
McCrady, employe. NO accused Nc
Mahon Of shaking me down for
5000 on liquor load,