The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-02-23
BOARD TURNS
ABOUT FACE
IN BID BATTLE
Second Lowest Offer Taken
by Commissioners for
Vote Machinery.
CITY FIRM GETS WORK
Tentative Contract With
Elders Company Illegal,
Officials Hint.

Forced to back down, by warning
that is might be illegal, from their
announced intention of awarding
contract for voter registration
equipment to higher bidder, coun-
ty commissioners today did an about
face and awarded the contract to
the second lowest bidder.
After a conference Of several
hours between board members,
President Ernest K. Marker issued
a formal statement announcing that
the board had reconsidered its orig
inal plan to give the contract to
the indianapolis Office Furniture
Company, of which Bowman Elder,
unofficial adviser to Governor Paul
v. McNutt. is an official, on its bid
of S28. 1920.
Instead, Mr. Marker announced.
it had been decided that bid of the
indianapolis Printing Company,
S24,355. is the lowest and best bid
submitted. and conforms to the
specifications on which proposals
were invited"
The proposal was signed by all
three commissioners, Mr.. Marker
and John w Mann, who originally
voted in favor of the nigh bidder,
and Dow w Vorhies, who originally
favored the indianapolis Printing
Company bid.
RaIstOn Approves Change
County Clerk B. Ralston said he
was pleased with the final action of
the board, and announced that the
equipment probably could be in
stalled in time to start registration
of voters by March l or 2. Regis
tration, under the 1888 law, was to
have started Jan. Is. but was de-
layed by an unsuccessful appeal to
the courts.
The boards change today followed
protests of county cOuncilmen and
other officials that to accept the
higher bid would be waste of pub
lie funds, and that the higher bid
was illegal because the bidder ahd
been permitted to alter its proposal.
Threats that he would have some
real stories for the newspapers be-
fore this thing is over with" were
made today by Commissioner
Marker.
Mr.. Marker denied that he and
Mr.. Mann were threatened with jail
or prison by Charles B. Clarke,
county attorney, for permitting Mr..
Elders company to alter its bid.
The commissioner said Mr.. Clarke
merely said the contract might be
illegal because the bid had been
altered.
Denies Retaliation Threat
Mr.. Marker denied also that he
threatened to retaliate against
members of his party who opposed
the contract. or to inf1ict physical
injury on newspaper men.
He said he told a reporter for one
newspaper that somebody would
get punched in the nose if he con-
tinued to print such untrue stories "
and that he referred only to the
reporter to whom he was speaking.
The bid of Mr.. Elders company
was about $4,000 higher than the
low bid. which was held to be for
equipment not according to Specifi-
cations. Three other bidders. whose
equipment was said by county
officials to be satisfactory, were
lower than that of Mr.. Elders COM
pany.
Mr.. Marker denied that he or Mr.
Mann sought an opinion on the
validity of the tentative contract
award from the Indiana attorney
general.
Reelection May Be Fought
Fabian w. Biemer. chief deputy
That the candidacy OF Mr.. Marker
and Mr.. Mann for reelection this
will be fought by the Cox-Baker-
GroSSart faction of the Democratic
party was indicated followed the
squabble.
Mr.. Mann was selected by the
faction leaders for the commissioner
post to succeed Thomas H. Ellis,
who died several weeks ago.
Fabian w. Biemer. chief deputy
auditor. is reported to have said
he would not allow claims for the
contract. and to have commented to
Mr.. Mann that I'VE picked you out
of a CWA gang for commissioner
and We viii send you back to the
CWA gang"
Mr.. Mann was foreman of a CWA
crew when he vas named commits
sioner.