The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-11
WILL @ WISP
MAYOR SHOWS
UP IN COURT.
Bangs Appears at Hearing
and Citizens Go Wild
With Joy.
BY Upton BLISH
Times sta m Writer

HUN lNG ON, lnQ.. Jan. IL
Mayor Clare w. H. Bangs came
home today!
Dramatically. as he left New
Years Day with a rollicking skip
ahead of the sheriff, the Mayor to-
dav astounded his cheering citizens
by walking into the very Circuit
Court whose order he has beer
avoiding.
He sat down at the defendants
table along with City Attorney
Claude Cline and, sternly repri-
manded by the court and ordered to
cease any further ation, the
overalled citizens subsidized into an
awed silence.
The hearing proceeded. 1t was on
an order issued by the Circuit Court
New Years Day on application of
the Northern Indiana Power Co. re-
straining the City Of Huntington
from entering into the commercial
or residential electric power bust
ness which the city since then has
continued stubbor1ly to do.
First Official Appearance
Attorney Cline and J. P. Adkins,
superintendent of utilities, were
served with the restraining order as
their men on that historic day con-
nected the first home with munich
pal power and carried out CAM
paign pledge within an hour after
going into Office.
But the Mayor, former college
president and lawyer with an in
ternational license, left the city and
since then, unencumbered by the
court order the sheriff never was
able t9 serve, has directed further
work In connections until total
of nearly so customers have been
connected.
When the Mayor seated himself
at the defendants table today it was
the first time he had been official
ly present in the city for II days.
What are your plans?" The In
dianapolis Times asked him.
Attorneys Wrangle Bitterly
Il have no statement to make
other than that no matter what &C
ton this court takes 1 shall have the
work go along the same lines" the
Mayor said. Il have the organiza =
ton perfected to do it and many
potential customers have agreed to
take municipal service when we can
get to them"
The Mayors entrance into the
court was not the only disconcerting
event of the court day for the at
torneys of the Northern Indiana
Power Co.
When court took up at 10 before
Special Judge David Smith, in
walked pint-sized Attorney Cline, a
three-in-one defendant and defense
attorney in addition. The other two
defendants, Mayor Bangs and Ad-
kins. did not appear.
How" asked the company's at
torneys, Fred Bowers and Milo N.
Feitner, can We conduct hear
ing if there are no defendants?"
The crowd guffawed.
81 Am the Defendants"
II am the defendants said pint
sized Attorney Cline, and not as the
defendants, but as their attorney,
he asked the court to name a bond
which he said the company should
post to guarantee payment for any
damage that might come to the
city's property because of the re-
straining order,
Attorney Bowers mentioned s25,-
900. There was much argument
and finally Attorney Cline said he
thought that would be all right.
Then the judge said he thought it
was all right.
Attorney Bowers jumped to his
feet. He had changed his mind.
Il think that's a ridiculous
amount" he stormed.
The packed courtroom booed.
Then there was a general discus
sion about reduction of the bond to
$4,000 and, on being asked by the
court, Attorney Cline said he had no
objection.