The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-04-12

That applicants for permits
were being sent to the Har-
rison hotel where friends Of
Fry are writing bonds was
disclosed Tuesday afternoon,
when a Times reporter went
through the routine of Fry's
office at the Statehouse.
Formerly many Of the bonds were
written by Francis Sebastian, Lo-
gansport insurance man. McHale
came from LoganSpor., but denied
emphatically that he had anything
to do with bringing Sebastian here.
Both live at the indianapolis Ath-
letic Club.
Business Was Good
He explained that Sebastian came
to the city originally to write bonds
for Logansport beer permlttees and,
finding that most companies were
not ready to write them at that
time, he continued writing what
business he could get.
Fry said any requests made to
him regarding bonds had been an
sWered by saying that all licensed
companies are o. K.
Informed of the bond steering"
Governor McNutt today declared:
Il have no comment to make"
The Harrison hotel beer bonds
men are John c. Cap Cravens Of
Linton, the home town of Fry;
Henry w. Reinhart, Princeton. and
Frank Strehl, Owensville, Gibson
county Democratic chairman.
Also License Plate Officials
Cravens and Reinhart also handle
the license plate distribution in their
home communities, under Frank
Finney, bureau chief. Finney also
has interested himself in the bond
steering" it appeared, and is a fire.
quent caller on the hotel room Of
fees
Personal Investigation by a Times
reporter disclosed how the trio OBJ
tains business.
Tuesday afternoon the reporter
went to Room 1923 at the statehouse,
where blanks for beer permits are
issued. He inquired for a retail
permit for restaurant at FIT.
Wayne. One of the young women
in the Office, all of whom are work
ing for Fry, sorted out the blanks
and gave them to him.
Steered to Room 326
Take these" she said. IF YOU
want the permit right away, go
next door to Room 326 and then go
to Room 317 in the Harrison hotel.
Be sure to have a certified check
with you"
The reporter then went to Room
317 at the Harrison. where he talked
to a stocky gray-haired man an
swering Crayens' description.
Il was sent here from the state
house about beer permit the re-
porter said.
The man shook hands afably.
Sure thing he said. Come
right in
No Fees Split. He Says
The reporter then explained his
inquiry was for a friend and the
man said to come back later. giving
him a business card reading as fol-
lows
Surety and excise bond special
lists, applications completed, bond
signed and filed, Rooms 317-19 Har-
riSon hotel"
At the top of the card in small
print are the names:
"CravenS. Reinhart, Strehl."
Previously. numerous complaints
concerning the alleged bond steering
had been made TO The Times.
Later Tuesday, another Times re-
porter called on Cravens and told
him what had occurred.
CravenS stressed the point that
there was no fee splitting" with
any one in the StatehouSe. He de-
clared Fry had nothing to do With
the steering" CravenS said his
company had not handled as many
bonds as the Seaboard Company,
represented by Sebastian.
Save Money. His Claim
"Some companies are charging $40
for these bonds and We are charging
only SIS, so they save money by
toming here" Cravens commended.
Surety bonds must be provided on
all classes of beer permits. The bond
for restaurant beer sales is 81 000
One Democrat cleader said he
saw no harm in throwing the
business to faithful party workers"
as long as the rate was standardized
and there was no gouging.
Criticism from some of the Marion
county Democrats was based on the
fact that the business is going to
imported personal friends of the
politicians handling the beer con-
cessions.
Cravens said his bonds are writ
ten on the Madison Insurance Com
pany Madison, Ind. and that the
large surety bond firms wouldn't