The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-22

age OHtJ
timekeeper, Nr. Hostetter was
booming Greenlee. Mr.. Coy conferred
with him and told him to stop it, the
report said. But Coy didn't tell him to
back Townsend and therefore was
given an okay for following Mr. Hop
kins instructions against using
WPA for a candidate, the report
continued.
Second case was Art Webb
Greencastle, who told investigators
that he was a Greenlee supporter
and denied that he had been told to
switch to Townsend or leave WPA.
Report Found False
Third case was Charles r. Deets
of WPA at Lafayette, who was
charged with filing a slate of Town
send delegates. This was found to
be false, although his son, having
the same name, and a student at
Purdue in the same class as Mr..
Townsends son. did work to procure
IpWIlSeIlQ uelct,ateS.
Fourth case was that of Ollie
Davis, who was transferred from
Terre Taute WPA to the State
house. He denied any attempt at
political coercion by Mr.. Coy, as had
been charged by the Greenlee forces.
Fifth case was Frank Morton,
Valparaiso, and Charles Skillen,
Winamac, who supported the story
of M. j. Sallwasser of WPA that he
had told them Gov. McNutt had
broken with Greenlee. but denied
that they were told I'VE are not put
ting any Greenlee men to work"
Alleged Abuses Cited
Sixth and what might be termed
the VanNuys' exhibit was the al
legged political abuses in st. Joseph
County. There Mr.. Williams found,
as charged, that the majority of
the nonrelief WPA employees run
ming as delegates had been selected
by the Montgomery organization"
Senator VanNuys had asserted
that they were hand picked by Ches-
ter A. Montgomery, state securities
commissioner and old-time Demo-
cratic political boss" in st. Joseph
County.
That WPA political coercion was
not used there was indicated by the
defeat of those delegates, Mr.. Will
liams pointed out.
Senator VanNuys expressed pleas
ure at the findings and the view
that Mr.. Hopkins upheld his posi-
ton against coercion.
Satisfied With Report
Il am perfectly satisfied with the
report" Senator VanNuyS said.
And 1 am convinced that Mr.. Hop
kins is in sympathy with my posi-
ton and will not permit any Loli-
tics to be played in WPA in the ftu-
ture."
Senator Sherman Minton, who
termed the original VanNuys
charges purely political" offered
the following comment on the re-
port:
'It checks exactly with all the ex-
perience my office has had in trac-
ing down complaints Of the dis
gruntled."
Nominally Senator Minton is a
hacker of Greenlee for Governor,
but his ardor cooled with Mr.. Green
lees launching the "McHaleism'
charges, against the McNutt organi-
cation.
Senator Minton still considers
himself a McNutt man.
Complete Text Given
The complete text of Mr.. Will
liamS' report follows:
"Dear Mr.. Hopkins:
Pursuant to your instructions ]
have made an investigation of the
complaints of Senator VanNuys
relative to alleged political abuses
on the part of WPA officials in In
diana. I have either interviewed
personally, or have had interviewed
by competent investigators. all OF
the persons referred to by Senator
VanNuys in his letter to you. I am
outlining below the results of these
interviews.
Il, Curtis Hostetter, publisher OF
the Rockville Tribune, and WPA
timekeeper.
Senator VanNuys had been in
formed that Mr.. Hostetter was sum-
moned by Mr.. Coy for a personal
conference with the implication
that Mr.. Coy attempted to apply
pressure upon Mr.. Hostetter to per-
suade him to abandon support OF
Candidate Greenlee.
MY findings are that Mr.. Coy