The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-09
ALLEGED ARMY
FRAUD Barred
BY CITY FIRM
Marmon-H Harrington First
to Notify U. S. of Pur-
ported Bride.
REPORT STARTED PROBE
Prominent Men Said to Be
Involved in Suspected
Graft Plan.

officials Of the Acknowledging
ton Company of indianapolis we're
revealed today as the public bene-
factors who first gave the govern
ment the opportunity to pounce
upon a band Of alleged lobbyists
who are said to have planned to
fleece the government in a sl0,000,-
600 army mOtorization program.
Although Colonel A. w. Herring
ton. president Of thN local auto
mobile company, and Cher officials
refused to be quoted, The Times
learned today that the alleged at
tempted bride of the indianapolis
officials supplied the department Of
Justice operatives with the missing
link in the purported widespread
conspiracy.
Reaching deep into the inner cir
Gle Of Washington political life, the
probe of the alleged conspiracy will
include not only persons high in Of
fetal positions. but acknowledgement
legionnaires, it was said.
EA-AinlN
The ex-army personnel of the
Indianapolis concern and a sacred
regard for government dealings
we're the factors which tripped up
the alleged conspirators in the re-
ported sIO,OOO,OOO scheme to de-
fraud the federal government, The
Times learned.
Both Colonel Harrington and
Daniel c. GlOssbrenner of the In
dianapOlis company are members Of
the reserve corps. Bert Dingley,
extracting driver and sales-manager
of the MarmOn Harrington Com
pany, unable to enter the army be-
cause of physical injuries suffered
in a racing mishap, stands high in
army circles because of his work
on the Liberty motor in the war.
To these men, The Times learned
today, came the suggestion from the
alleged conspirators that the In
dianapolis concern become a party
10 tie reported wholesale con-
spiracy.
Suggested by Telephone
The suggestion. it was learned,
came over the telephone, the alleged
conspirator suggesting that repre-
sentatives of the local concern meet
with him in Washington. The al
legged cOnspiratOr, it was learned, is
one of a group of acknowledgement
lawyers, prominent in legion circles.
The Indianapolis automobile Off
Gals. it was learned, insisted on
meeting the alleged conspirators
here. Then it was that the depart
ment of justice operatives stepped
into the case.
Army contracting" former
army officer told The Times" al
ways has been very much on the
up and up
An army officer who takes a meal
or a cigar from prospective bidders
puts himself under suspicion. 1 will
be surprised greatly if high-ranking
army officers are found TO be in
volved in this alleged conspiracy"
The huge expenditure of Sl0,000,-
900 for army motorization, around
which the alleged conspiracy CEN
tiers. is said to be the largest army
contract since 1917.
Bride Fee Asked
Persons familiar with the situa-
ton said today that the alleged
conspirators took advantage of the
fact that the money to be expended
came from public works admins
tratiOn funds and not war depart
ment funds as heretofore and would
pass into many states.
Not only the local company but
at least a score or more large auto
mobile concerns throughout the
country were reported approached
in the deal. it was said.
The suggestion to the Marmon-
Harrington Company. it was said,
was that a bride fee was to be
paid on a percentage basis. The
local company entered bids totaling
$1,000. 900 . for the army work, of
which per cent was said to be
added TO the bidding price TO be
paid later to the alleged conspira-
tors who represented themselves as
having an in" with the war de-
partment.