The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-18
OFFICIAL GIVES
INSIDE DOPE IN
DALE PARDON|NC
Muncie Mayor Drinks Toast
to President; Van Nuys
Is Pleased.
BY WALKER STONE
Times Special Writer.

LINUS SpcCldA NEltcEs
WASHINGTON, Dec. 18-The
reason for pardoning Mayor George
Dale of Muncie, Ind, and refusing
a pardon to his police chief, Frank
Massey, was explained here today
by a department of justice official
who refused to permit the use Of his
name.
THE charge on which both men
we're convicted" said the official,
was conspiracy to violate prohi-
bition laws. The only direct
testimony offered at the trial
against Mayor Dale came from a
self-confessed crook. There were
several witnesses who offered direct
testimony against Mr.. Massey.
Although any one who will read
the trial record will doubt the
credibility of some of the testi-
mony against Mr.. Massey he con-
tinued, pardon officials of the
department felt it was not proper
for them to superimpose their judg-
ment over the judgment of the
jury, in the face of such volume
of testimony against Mr.. Massey.
Pardon officials who reviewed
this case can not understand why
Mayor Dale and Mr.. Massey were
tried together. They think there
should have been a severance. IS
Van Mugs Pleased
Senator Frederick Van Nuys, who
initiated the pardon proceedings in
behalf of Mayor Dale and Mr..
Massey, said today that. he was
highly pleased" with President
Roosevelt's action in giving Mayor
Dale an unconditional pardon, but
was disappointed at the failure of
Mr.. Massey to receive the same
treatment.
Senator Van Mugs said, however,
that he did not intend to ask the
department Of justice to make a
second review of the case.
George Dale should never have
been forced into the position of ask
ing for a pardon" said Senator Van
Nuys. "The government should
have asked him for a pardon for
treating him in such a wretched
manner"
eff there ever was a handmade
case, it was the case against George
Dale" said the senator.
Meanwhile, Mayor Dale, in Johns
Hopkins hospital at Baltimore, has
received scores of congratulatory
kilograms from well-wishers resid-
ing in all parts Of the United States.
The mayors legal and political bat
ties have held the attention of the
nation since he launched his famous
attack on the Ku KluX Khan more
than decade ago.
Grateful to President
The mayor, who is in the Balti-
more hospital receiving treatment
for an eye ailment, sat up in his
bed last night and, with a graham
cracker in one hand and glass of
milk in the other, drank a toast to
the health of President Roosevelt.
Il feel extremely grateful to
President Roosevelt" said Mayor
Dale.
This is a just and righteous par
don," he said. THE case was a
fabrication from the beginning to
end, and I don't think there was a
prosecution witness who told the
truth"
The mayor said he couldn't help
but say" that he hoped President
Roosevelt would reconsider Chief
Massey's petition for clemency, be-
cause 81 never caught him in any
crookedness-and I'm not dumb
The whole prosecution case, The
mayor said, was "trumped up by
political opponents, who brought in
federal spies and set up headquar-
tiers at the Y. M. G. A. in Muncie. y
From there" he said, they "sent
out stool pigeons to bring in wit
nesses to be coached
In explaining the Dale pardon,
the aforementioned department of
Justice Official pointed out that al
though Mayor Dale was charged
with conspiracy to protect boot
leggers, the overwhelming weight Of
evidence at the trial proved that
he actually drove out Of the city
the criminals he was accused OF