The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-02-12
LAUNCH PROBE
into PRINTING
GRAFT CHARGE
$4,000 Paid for Advertising
Never Printed, County
Attorney Told.
BY DICK MILLER
Times staff Writer

SAdH hAlbcI
A double-edged probe into the
payment this year by Marion Coun-
ty officials of more than $4,000 for
services alleged never to have been
performed has been launched, The
Indianapolis Times learned today.
First, John Linder, county attor-
ney, is seeking to determine the le-
gality of the payment of $4261 to
the indianapolis Commercial, daily
publication of legal news, for adj
vertisements-of sales of property
for the collection of delinquent taxes
which never was published, ano
would have been illegal if they hao
been published.
Secondly, County commissioners
armed with at least one instance in
which the county reWrote, and con-
tinued to pay premiums on, an in
surance policy covering car which
has been in the junk heap for some
time, sought to determine how many
more such cases there are and how
much money is involved.
Advertising Never Published
Attorney Under has before him
these facts in the payment of the
money to the indianapolis Com
mercial for advertising never pub
lished: Developments are chrono-
logical)
Jan. 11-Senate Bill Is, providing
for a years moratorium on the sale
of property for delinquent taxes,
was passed by the Senate under
suspended rules. The bill, it's sponsor
said, was intended primarily to save
thousands of dollars which counties
otherwise would have to spend ad-
vertising these sales.
Jan. 14-The bill passed the House
under suspension of rules.
Jan. 14-County commissioners
John NeWhouse and Dow Vorhies
signed voucher directing the
county to pay to the Indianapolis
Commercial the sum of $4251 go.
This sum was billed by the Com
mercial as charges for the publica-
ton of 14,172 items advertising sales
of property for delinquent taxes.
Check Is Made Out
These were to have been published
on Jan. 10, Jan. 26 and Feb. 2. The
sale was to have been Feb. IL, set by
law as the first sale date for 1885.
Jan. 15-The House corrected a
technical mistake in the bill, passed
it again under suspension of rules,
and sent it to Gov. Paul V. McNutt
for his consideration.
Jan. 16-A check for the money
was made out by the county auditors
office, payable to the Commercial.
Jan. 16-County Auditor Charles
Grossart left for vacation in
Florida, where he still is.
Jan. 17-Gov. McNutt signed the
bill, which became law immedi-
ately because of the emergency
clause.
Jan. 1.-THE check was cashed
and returned to the auditors Office
Thus, The indianapolis CONNER
cial on one day was paid, in adj
vance of publication, for advertis-
ing on sales for delinquent taxes
that on the next day were them
selves rendered illegal by the action
of the Governor.
Moreover, there was never, until
Feb. 7, attached to the bill submit
ted by the Commercial and paid by
the county, any proof of publica-
tion-since the notices never hac
been published-nor any proofs tc
show that the notices ever were sci
up into type in readiness for pub
LEGATION. On Feb. 7 a roll Of proofs
was attached.
Newhouse Joins Under
Attorney Linder will seek to de-
termine whether the labor cost OF
setting up type for the advertise
ments that never we're printed was
a legitimate expense that the coun-
ty should have paid, and, if so
whether payment should have been
made before a court case with pre-
sentation of sworn testimony.
Commissioner Newhouse said he
had been led to believe that the
bill was for advertising published
before Jan. 1 when he came into
office. He joined forces with Attor-
ney Under. Commissioner Ernest
Marker was at home i'll Jan. Il
when the voucher was signed. He
said he would not have signed il
had he been at the meeting.
Commissioner Vorhies says he
thinks the payment was legal. Marx
Gray, editor of the Commercial ano
18th Ward Democratic chairman
says The payment was legal and con-
forms with procedures OF other
years.