Indiana daily times. [volume], April 15, 1922, Home Edition, Image 1

About Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922

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PROGRAMS OF EASTER SERVICES IN CITY CHURCHES APPEAR IN TODAY’S TIMES
TIMES’ RADIO SET
HAVE YOU SEEN IT?
IT'S A WONDER!
VOL. XXXIV.
JURY INDICTS SIPE AND 3 OTHERS
Will H. Latta, Edwin A. Hunt and Mrs. Mary Bell
Are Charged in Jurors’ Report With Conspiracy
to Embezzle Public Funds —Total About $150,000
Charges of conspiracy to embezzle pub
lic funds were made in indictments re
turned in Criminal Court today by the
Marion County grand jury against Rich
ard V Sipe. former Marion County clerk,
and three others, who are charged with
working with Sire.
According to the indictments, approxi
mately $150,000 of a trust fund is in
voiced.
Richard V. Sipe, embezzlement of pub
lic funds, failure to pay a court judg
ment of $5,000 due Mrs. Xo! B. FarrUh,
and conspiracy to embezzle public funds.
Will H. Latta, a lawyer, conspiracy to
embezzle public funds.
Edwin A. Hunt, president of the Pivot
City Realty Company, conspiracy to em
bezzle public funds.
Mrs. Mary Gunter Bell, cashier for Slpe
when he was county clerk, conspricay to
embezzle public funds.
The indictments were retnrned at 10
o’clock when the grand jury appeared in
the Criminal Court room.
The allegations upon which the indict
ments were known follow:
A trust fund totaling approximate
ly $150,000 was exhausted illegally by
Slpe and others through an alleged
conspiracy.
Slpe as county clerk was responsi
ble under a SIOO,OOO hond with the
Hartford Accident and Indemnity
Company as surety for all funds In
his possession.
Hunt is alleged to have approached
Slpe as county clerk for the purpose
of obtaining a “'loan” of about SIO,OOO
of public money and Hunt, who is de
scribed as an agent for I.nttu. knew
that money which Sipe loaned the
Pivot City Realty Company as well
as stocks given by Sipe to Hunt, were
from a public trust fund.
Sipe not only exhausted his entire
trust fund of more than $150,000, but
spent his e.’tire income, approximate
ly $93,000 In three years. It Is ad
mitted Sipe is penniless today.
BEGAN BUYING
STOCKS EARLY.
The indictment indicated that Sipe's
misuse of public funds began shortly
after he took office on Jan. 1, 1919. He
is said to have bought $1,500 of worth
less moTie stock soon after that date.
Under the law the county clerk pays
the salary of his deputies and clerks out
of his $31,000 a year Income. Prosecutor
Evans Is confident that Mr. Sipe after
delivering some certificates of stock to
the bonding company, is now “broke.”
The State is unable to show either
through grand Jury investigation or by
the field examiners of the State board of
accounts Just how much Sipe paid for
office help. It Is figured that there is
SIO,OOO a year gross clear revenue in the
clerk's office, but Sipe has nothing to
show for his margin of profit.
Both the prosecutor and the State
board of acci/unts during the weeks of
investigation, were handicapped by th**-
lack of accurate data showing office ex
penditures as Sipe mixed both his per
sonal and county moneys . This he ad
mitted in public statements following his
arrest on March 1. At that time he
stated he couldn't tell definitely, just
when he began using public funds to
“aid his friends." He admitted such
misuse of funds had been going on
nearly all the time he was in office.
EASY MONEY
SPENDER.
The extent of Sipe's fling at high
finance is indicated in the indictments. He
spent thousands of dollars with appar
ently no concern. He could not tell
when be spent his money or that of the
cctanty.
During the latter part of 1920, Sipe was
forced to begin "covering" his losses by
system of check kiting. By this
way he was able to postpone discovery
of hie defalcation until late last year
when he converted $.50,000 wor:h of stock
Into cash and by depositing the money
Statute Covering
Act of Embezzling
Provides Punishment of Fines and Indetermi
nate Sentence in State Prison.
Thu indictments against Richarl V.
Kipe were brought under the statute
covering embezzlement by officers and
the embezzlement of public funds. The
former follows:
2283 (Burns' Annotated inuiana Stat
utes* Embezzlement by Officers —Any
county treasurer, county auditor, sheriff,
clerk or receiver of any court, township
trustee, justice of the peace, mayor of
a city, city judge, constable, marshal
of any city or town, or any ofTicer or
agent of any county, civil or school
township, city, school city, town or
school town, who shall fraudulently fail
or refuse, at any time during the term
for which he was elected or appointed,
when legally required by the proper per
son or authority, to account for. deliver
and pay over to such person or persons
as may be lawfully entitled to receive
the same, all moneys, choses in action
or other property which may have come
into his hands by virtue of said office,
shall be deemed guilty of embezzlement,
and on conviction shall be imprisoned
in the State prison for any period not
less than one year nor more than five
years, and lined in any sum not exceed
ing SI,OOO. and rendered incapable of
holding any office of trust or profit for
any determinate period.”
The statute on embezzlement of pub
lic funds provides that when any pub
WEATHER
Forccast for Indianapolis and vicinllty
for the twenty four hours ending T
p m , April 16. 1922:
Fair and warmer tonight; Sunday un
settled and warmer.
nOIRI.Y TEMPERATE BE
6 a. in :j>
~ a. m 41
8 a. in 4t
9 a. m.... 4S
10 a. ra 52
11 a. ai 55
12 (noon) 58
1 p. Ul 00
2 p. m 62
was able to tide himself over fo.* a brief
period.
For fully five months before he con
fessed, Sipe schemed night and cay to
replace the funds in the banks. Ev.dence
has been obtnined by the State showing
the chck kiting system by which Sipe
concealed his use of the trust funds.
BOOKS IN GOOD
CONDITION.
lu connection with Sipe's cons .-sed
embezzlement is the outstanding fact
that the reports of the field examiners
of the State board of accounts show
that Sipe's books and records were
satisfactorily kept. It is indicated in the
indictement that evidence of shortages
was not revealed in his books, but in
the amount of money in various banks.
A system of transferring sums of
money from one bank to another per
mitted Sipe to default, a.though his
records looked straight. For nearly
three years, Sipe freely used county
money to the extend of thousands of
dollars at a time.
SIPE EASY
PICKING.
Sipe apparently was considered “easy
picking - ', by certain stock salesmen. A
partial list of his stock purchases fol
low :
About $6,500 north of stock in the
Celery Vesce Company and the Van
Friggle Chemical Company.
About $6,500 In the Universal Air
Compressor Company.
Approximately $5,000 worth of stock
in the Franklin Stores.
Approximately $11,750 in the Indi
anapolis Securities Company.
Thousands of dollars worth of
other stocks were purchased in small
amounts.
Sipe also "loaned" money to
“friends" without security.
Norman Zolezzi, who, according to Sipe,
Interested him in the Hoosler Stack and
Construction Company, succeeded In get
ting approximately $1(5,000 In "loans" on
notes. One note for $1,650 of the Hoosler
Stack and Construction Company. Is now
in the hands of John F. Robbins who
was appointed receiver for funds In Sipe's
possession and due him.
While appearing on the witness stand
during the hearing on a petition of a
receiver. Sipe admitted that he loaned the
Pivot City Realty Company about $6,700
The State has checked up and accounted
for approximately SIIO,OOO of Sipe's
shortage by investigating <hec.ka Issued
by Sipe as county clerk. Many of these
transactions have never been made pub
lic. Many who have "borrowed" from
Sipe have since returned the money to the
receiver.
Sipe was an easy victim of bnoochers"
who hang around th - * courthouse under
the guise of being political workers.
Sipe, it Is said, three days before he ad
tnitted his large losses, was freely ‘ oiling
the palms" of political hangerson.
Sipe said he did not real'ze he was so
hopelessly defaulting until November of
last year He then realized that he would
be unable to cover up his mounting
losses. Yet it was not until Feb. 2H that
Sipe told officials of his embezzlement "f
public funds.
The prosecutor is of the opinion that
with the bond, the money recovered and
the certificates of stock turned over to the
receiver, the county will not lose any
money.
County Clerk George V. Coffin, who
was appointed to succeed Sipe. stated
petitK 'ikeiv would be filed in Superior
Court, ora 1, asking that the receiver
tie Instructed to turn over certain sums
of money to the present clerk so he can
pay claims of parties in support cases.
It is believed Sipe will enter a plea of
guilty to at least one charge as he has
often declared while in jail that he .was
ready to begin serving his prison sen
tence.
lie official “converts to his own use. or
to the use of any other person or cor
poration, in any manner whatever, con
trary to law, or uses by way of Invest
ment in any kind of property, or loans,
ePhnr with or without interest, or de
posits with any person or corporation,
contrary to law, or exchanges for other
funds except as allowed by law. any
potion of such money, funds, securities,
bonds, rhoses in action or other prop
erty. is guilty of embezzlement, and, on
conviction, shall be imprisoned in the
State Prison not less than two years
nor more than twenty-one year, fined
not less exceeding double the value of
the money or other property embezzled,
and disfranchised and rendered incapable
of holding any office of trust or profit
for any determinate period."
Prosecutor Praises
Aids Who Helped to
Clear Up Sipe Case
Prosecutor William I’. Evans made
the following statement after the
grand jury returned the indictments
against Richard V. Sipe and others:
“The investigation involved a great
amount of work in the examination of
the records and accounts of Mr. Sipe.
I am greatly indebted to the services
rendered the grand Jury by the State
board of accounts in the making of
this investigatoin. Field Examiners
Holland and Jarvis were tireless in
their efforts to secure information
and to cooperate in every way in
getting the facts from all obtainable
records in the clerk's office.
“A report of the grand Jury will be
made later in open court, in which It
will be shown how the money was
spent by Mr. Sipe.
"1 have been assisted greatly by
Claude Worley, special investigator,
in this cage.”
LATTA SIGNING OWN BOND
. \'\ ££y
Will H. I.atta (left) signing his SIO,OOO bond, following his arrest on a
charge of conspiracy to embezzle public funds in connection with the $150,000
defalcations of Rh-hard V. Sipe, former county clerk; Sheriff George Snider
(center) and Chief Deputy Charles S. Wlltsle supervised the signing of the bond
in tlie sheriff's office.
SPECIFIC CHARGES AS BROUGHT
AGAINST THE FOUR DEFENDANTS
Former Clerk Is Ac
cused of Specific
Act.
Ihe in lictment against Richard V.
Sipe charging him with embezzlement
sets out the specific case of his having
embezzled $5,000 consisting of a Judg
ment paid into his office and due to
Nola I!. Parrish. Suit for the recovery
of this amount has been filed.
The text of this indictment follows
The grand jurors for the County of
Marion and State of Indiana, upon their
oaths, present that
on or about the sth day of November,
A !>., 191S. in the County or Marlon and
State aforesaid, the said Richard V. Sipe
was duly elected to the office o' clerk
• the Marion Circuit Court for the
of four years ending on the .'i'.st day of
December. 1922. tiiat the said Richard V.
Sipe was duly commissioned and gave
bond and duly qualified and entered upon
the discharge of the duties of the said
office on the Ist day of January, 1919.
that from and after said last -named date
and tip to and including the 28th day of
February, 1922. the said Richard V. Sipe
continued to perform the duties of said
office S3 the duly qualified and acting
clerk of the said Marlon Circuit Court,
and as such became and was the ex
officio clerk of the Marlon Superior Court,
the Marion Criminal Court, the Marion
juvenile court anti the Marion Probate
Court, all of seM Marion County and
said State of Hit. ana; that on or about
the 22nd day of November. 1921, there
was deposited with the said Richard Y.
Sipe as such clerk as aforesaid, the
sum of five thousand dollars ($5,000) oy
the Indiana Travelers' Accident Associa
tion, a corporation which said Indlanu
Travelers’ Accident Association, u cor
poration, was then and there one of
the defendants in the ease of Nola B.
Parrish against the Indiana Travelers’
Accident Association et al„ which naid
ense was No. A -14299 on the docket, of
tlie Superior Court of Marion County,
room 1, subject to Jie order of said
court, that thereafter a change of venue
was perfected in said cause and the said
cause was transferred to the Johnson
Circuit tMu . of Johnson County, In
diana. for trial: that the said sum of
live thousand dollars ($5,000) so paid to
the said Rb'hard V. Sipe. elerk as afore
said, was not transferred with the pa
pers in slid cause io the said Johnson
circuit Court, or to the clerk thereof,
but was retained by and in possession
of the said Richard V. Sipe as such
clerk as aforesaid; that thereafter said
cause was heard by the said Johnson
Circuit Court and the said Johnson Cir
cuit Court isued an order to and di
rected the --Hid Richard V. Sipe. clerk
as aforesaid, to pay ta the said Nola R.
Parrish or to Joseph R. Williams and
Chalmer Schlosser. her attorneys, a part
nership doing business under the firm
name and style of Williams A- Sehlosser.
the said sum of five thousand dollars
i55,0001 ; that thereafter to wit: on the
25th day of February, 1922. tlie said
Williams A Schlosser by Cha liner Sehlos
ser one of tlie members of said firm a
aforesaid, demanded of said Richard V.
Sipe. elerk as aforesaid, and while the
said Richard V. Sipe was then and there
tlie duly qualified and acting clerk of the
said Marion Circuit Court and the ex
offlclo clerk of the Marion Supreior
Court as aforesaid, and while acting ms
such clerk the said sum of five thousand
doilars (ss.oo<>i for and on behnlf of the
said Nola B. Parrish; that said demand
was made by the said Chalmer Schlosser
under the authority of and pursuant to
the order of said Johnson Circuit Court
as aforesaid: that the said sum of five
thousand dollars ($5,000) had been re
ceived by the said Richard V. Sipe as
such clerk, and that ho as such clerk
then and tnere unlawfully, feloniously
anil fraudulently, failed, neglected arid
refused to pay the said sum of five
thousand dollars ($5,000) or any part
thereof to the said Nola R. Parrish, or to
the said Williams & Schlosser, or to the
said Chalmer Schlosser, her attorneys ns
aforesaid, although the said Nola B. Fai
rish and the said Williams & Schlos
ser and the said Chalmer Schlosser, one
of the members of said srn as aforesaid,
were then and there entitled to receive
and were then and there willing and
ready to receive said sum of money, and
that they then and there demanded said
sum of mon >y be paid to them as afore
said. which said mini of money had been
received by and had come into the hands
end possession of the said Richard V.
Sipe. clerk as aforesaid, by virtue of
his said office as the said Richard V.
Sipe then ahd there well knew, con
trary to the form of the statute in such
case made and provided, and against the
pence and dignity of the State of Indiana.
INDIANAPOLIS, SATURDAY, APRIL 15, 1922.
Will H. Latta and
Edwin A. Hunt
Implicated.
The Joint Indictment against Richard
V. Sipe, Will 11. Latta and Edwin A.
Hunt, charges that the three toge.hcr
conspired to oinbezlo SIO,OCO in trust
funds converted to the use of Sipe, I.atta
and Hunt.
The text of the Indictment follows:
The grand Jurors for the County of
Marlon and State of Indiana, upon ’heir
outuh, yi. cut that Richard V. Sipe, Will
11. Latin and Edwin A. Hunt on ..r a'oiut
the sth day of November A. I>., 191S, at and
in the County of Marion and State afor •
said, Richard V. Sipe vas th n and there
duly elected to the office "f Clerk of the
Marlon Circuit Court of Marlmi County,
Indiana, for the term of four years, end
ing on the 31st day of December. 1922;
that thereafter the said Richard V. Sipe
was duly commissioned and gave hond
and duly qualified and entered upon the
discharge of the duties of the said office
on the Ist. day of January. 1919; that
from and after said last named date, and
up to und including the 28tb day of Feb
ruary, 1922. the said Richard V. Sint
continued to perform the duties of said
office as the duly qualified and acting
Clerk of said Marlon Circuit Court, ami
that as such, he became and was the ex
officio Clerk of the Marion Superlo
Court, th* Marion Criminal Court, the
Marlon Juvenile Court and of the Murion
Probate Court, all of Marlon County,
Indiana; that us such Clerk lie was
charged and entrusted with (he receipt,
safe keeping, tnii sfer and disbursement
of the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000) lawful and current money,
which said sum >f Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000) belonged to and was a part of
the trust funds which the said Richard
V Sipe in his rapacity as Clerk ns
aforesaid, had collected and received and
then and there had and held in his
possession and eontrol for safe keeping,
transfer and disbursement, anti said
tr*ust fund was then and there held by
him in ids official capacity as Clerk as
aforesaid, and that the same had been
collected by him as such Clerk, and which
sairi sum of Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000) was then and there in his posses
sion, eontrol and keeping as such Clerk
as aforesaid, and that the said Richard
V. Sipe while acting and performing the
duties as such Clerk of the Marlon Cir
cuit Court, and of the Marion Superior
Court and of the Marlon Criminal Court
and of the Marlon Juvenile court and for
the Marlon Probate Court as aforesaid,
and while In possession of and control
of said money as aforesaid, and while he
was then and there charged and entrusted
as such Clerk with the receipt, safe keep
ing, transfer and disbursement of said
money as aforesaid, did then and there
on or about the Ist day of October, 1921,
unlawfully, knowingly and feloniously
unite, combine, conspire, confederate and
agree to anil with Will 11. Latta and Ed
win A. Hunt for the object and purpose
and with the unlawful and felonious In
tent to then nnd there feloniously, un
lawfully and wilfully embezzle, convert
nnd appropriate the lid sum of Ten
Thousand Dollars ($lO, 0) to the use of
the said Richard V. Sip and to tlie use
of the said Will 11. Latta uid to the use
of the said Edwin A. Hup*, nnd each of
then., that at all times while the said
Richard V. Sipe, Will IT. I.atta and Ed
win A. Hunt were so feloniously uniting,
combining, conspiring, confederating and
agreeing to nnd with each other for the
object nnd purpose nn,d with the unlawful
and felonious intent to then and there
unlawfully, feloniously nnd wilfully em
bezzle the said sum of Ten Thousand
Doiisrs ($10,000) as aforesaid, the said
Richard V. Ripe, Will 11. Latta and Ed
win A. Hunt and each of them well
knew the said sum of Ten Thousand Dol
lars ($10,000) which they the said Rich
ard V. Ripe Will 11. I.atta nnd Edwin
A. Hunt and each of them had so un
lawfully, knowingly and feloniously
combined, conspired, confederated and
agreed to and with each other for the ob
ject nnd purpose nnd with the unlaw
ful and felonious intent to then and there
unlawfully, feloniously nnd wilfully em
bezzle the said Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000) which had been and was col
lected and then nnd there received and
held by the said Richard V. Ripe as su'h
Clerk ns aforesaid, and was a part of
the trust funds so held and under the
control of and In the possession of the
said Richard V. Ripe as such Clerk and
that the said Richard V. Sipe bad no
right or authority whatever, to appro
priate the said sum of Ten Thousand
Doilars ($10,000) or any part thereof to
his own use or to the use of either the
said Will H. Latta or the said Edwin A
Hunt, contrary to the form of the statule
in such ease made and provided and
against the peace and dignity of the State
of Indiana.
Latta Has Nothing
to Say Concerning
Indictment , He Says
‘I do not think I have anything to say
at this time," Will PI. I.atta said, when
told he had been Indicted. “I asked for
the privilege of appearing before the
grand Jury when this matter was under
consideration, but my request was not
granted. This is the first I have heard
of the indictment and until I know
some of the details of the charges against
me I will not make any statement.”
FALL CREEK
ON RAMPAGE;
RIVER RISING
Water Climbs to Within Few
Feet of Record
Mark.
BAD FLOOD IS FEARED
Fall Creek and White River were re
ported to be higher today than at any
time since 1910.
The water was within a few feet of the
top of flood walls in a number of places,
but with the coming of fair weather no
serious consequences were anticipated
along Fall Creek and White River.
* Fifty persons living In what is
known tis Happy Hollow, bounded on
the East by Belmont avenue and on the
West by JUg Eagle Creek, were forced
lo leave their homes, some of them by
skiffs. The land Is low and is first to
lie reached by back v ator and overflow
when Big Eagle Creek gets out of oon.-
trol. This district Is not protected by
flood walls. John Danner, Pa liner street
and Pershing avenue, helped a number
of persons from their homes with a b"af.
The heavy rains and wind have put
hundreds of telephones out of commis
sion in the last few days. Frank Wamp
ler, vice president and general manager
(Continued on Page Thirteen.)
Mary Gunter Bell Held
in Alleged Con
spiracy.
The Indictment against Ripe and Mary
Gunter Bell Jointly charging them with
conspiracy to embezzle charges that they
conspired together to embezle $150,000 In
trust funds. It charges that Mrs. Bell
well knew the money was being unlaw
fully converted to Ripe's use. The in
dictment follows:
The grand Jurors for the County of
Marlon and State of Indiana, upon their
oaths, present that Richard V. Ripe and
Mary Gunter Beil on or about the 3th
day of November A. D., 1918, at.
and in the County of Marlon
and State of Indiana aforesaid the
said Richard V. Ripe was duly elected
to the office of Clerk of the Marion
Circuit Court of Marion County, In
diana, for the term of four years ending
on the 31st day of December. 1922; that
the snid Richard V. Sipe was duly com
missioned and gave bond and' duly
qualified Rt.d entered upon the dis
charge of the duties of said office on
the Ist fiay of January. 1919; that from
and after said last named date nnd up
to and including the 28th Day of
February, 1922, the said Richard V.
Ripe continued to perform the duties of
said office as the duly qualified and
acting clerk of the said Marion Circuit
Court, and that ns such he became anil
was the ex officio Clerk of the Marlon
Superior Court, the Marion Criminal
Court, the Marlon Juvenile Court and the
Marlon Probate Court, r.U of Marion
County, Indiana; that on said Ist day of
January, 1919, the said Mary Gunter
Bell became the duly appointed, quali
fied and acting Deputy Clerk of the
said Marion Circuit Court and that front
and after said last named date, the said
Mary Gunter Bell continued to be the
duly appointed, qualified and acting
Clerk of said Marion Circuit Court, the
said Marion Superior Court, the said
Marlon Criminal Court, the said .Marlon
Juvenile Court and the said Marion
Probate Court, and that she thereafter
continuously performed the duties of
said Deputy Clerk up to and Including
the said 28th day of Februnry, 1922; that
on or about the 15th day of Febriary,
1922, the said Richard V. Ripe as afore
said, and the said Mary Gunter Bell,
Deputy Clerk ns aforesaid, at and in
said county of Marlon and State of In
diana, and then and there unlawfully,
knowingly and feloniously unite, com
bine, conspire, confederate and agree to
and with each other for the ohiect and
purpose and with the unlawful and
felonious intent to then and there un
lawfully, knowingly, feloniously and
wilfully embezzle, convert and appro
priate the sume of One Hundred and
Fifty Thousand ($150,000.00) Dollars to
the use of said Richard V. Sipe and to
the use of said Mary Gunter Bell nnd
each of them. The said Richard V. Ripe
as such Clerk ns aforesaid, had then und
there been and he was then and there
entrusted with the collection, receipt,
safe keeping, transfer and disbursement
of said sum of One Hundred Fifty
Thousand Dollars ($150,000.09) and that
said sum of One Hundred Fifty Thou
sand Dollars ($150,000) was then an l
there in tlie possession of and under the
eontrol of the snid Richard V. Ripe as
such Clerk ns aforesaid, and the said
Richard V. Sipe and the said Mary
Gunter Bell then and there well knew
and lhe said sum of One Hundred Fifty
Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00) was then
and there unlawfully, knowingly ami
feloniously converted to the use of the
said Richard V. Ripe and to tlie use of
the said Mary Gunter Bell and each of
them, contrary to the form of the
statute in such ease made and provided,
and against the peace and dignity of the
State of Indlnn.
“SAY IT WITH A
TIMES WANT AD”
Have you tiesltated in pur
chasing that automobile? To
day’s “Autos for Sale” col
umn may offer something
which may prompt you to
action.. Read the offerings.
MA in 3500. Classified Adv.
Dept.
SIPE MAKES
GUILTY PLEA
TO CHARGES
Deposed Clerk Admits
Embezzling Trust
Funds.
BOND OF $35,000
Sentence Will Be
Passed Monday,
April 24.
Pleas of guilty to three indictments
charging him with the embezzlement of
$150,000 of Marion County trust funds
and with conspiracy to embezzle rublic
funds, were entered in Criminal Court at
noon today by Richard V. Sipe, former
clerk of Marion County.
Sipe, after acknowledging the truth of
the indictments returned only an hour
previously, was released on bond totaling
$35,000.
County Treasurer Ralph Lemeke and
Lucius O. Hamilton, president of the
Hamilton-Harria Company, signed as
eurety Mr. Ripe’s bond guaranteeing his
appearance in court at 9 a. m. Monday,
April 21. when he will be sentenced.
Mr. Rtpa left the courthouse immediate
ly en route to Orange, where he intends
to visit his mother. Mrs. Sipe, wife of
the defendant, has been living with her
parents at Rushv'lle, since her husband
has been In jail.
While Mr. Sipe was pleading guilty,
Mrs. Mary Gunter Bell, indicted with
Sipe on a charge of conspiracy to em
bezzle, gave bond in the sum of SIO,OOO
with Charles Medias, a pawnbroker. 510-
512 Indiana avenue, as surety.
Will 11. I.atta, who was indicted with
Sipe on a conspiracy charge, gave hond
In the sum of SIO,OOO wilh Mrs. Wil
hemlna C. Brackett, the wife of Charles
11. Brackett of 2030 College avenue, as
surety. #
Edwin A. Hunt, also indicted with Mr.
Sipe on a conspiracy charge, gave bond
in the sura of $20,000 wtih George K.
Henderson, 1153 College urenue, us
surety.
Mrs. Bell, who. although Indicted un
der the name of Bell, signed her bond as
Mary Gunter, came to the sheriff's of
fice with Claude Worley, special investi
gator She was met by Ira M. Holmes,
her counted. Rite Immediately gave bond
guaranteeing her appearance on arraign
ment day in Criminal Court.
"My client has nothing to say." Mr.
Holmes stated. “She Is innocent and she
will be found so, that 1 have no doubt."
Mrs. Bell during the Investigation main
tained that she had nothing to do with
Ripe's shortage. She has said publicly
that she had loaned him $5,000 shortly
before he admitted his shortages.
81 PE PRESENTS
PATHETIC SPEC TAC LE.
Mr. Sipe presented a pitiful picture
as he stood before tlie bench of Judge
Collins In the Criminal Court.
lie waived the reading of the indictment
and entered pleas of guilty in a whisper.
Judge Collins snid Sipe would be per
mitted to straighten up his business
affairs before sentence is passed. Both
Mr. Hamilton nnd Mr. Lemeke were pres
ent in court when Prosecutor William P.
Evans recommended tho deposed clerk
be released on bail with Mr. Hamilton
and Mr. Lemeke ns surety.
After entering his plea of guilty, Sipe
held a short conference with John F.
Robins, receiver of all tho former clerk's
assets by virtue of an appointment made
in Superior Court, room 1.
Sipe was visibly affected while in
court. He Rtood witii his arms folded over
his chest nnd his head bowed down. He
almost broke into tears when newspaper
men asked him If he cared to make a
statement.
DECLARES HE HAS
NOTHING TO SAY.
He said he had nothing to say.
With Sipo entering a plea of guilty,
the State goes into the cases of the ether
three defendants with considerable evi
dence, It is acid.
The court has not fixed the date of ar
raignment.
Rope Breaks;
Thompson Dies
at City Hospital
When a rope around his neck broke
as he Jumped from the .T. M. & I. rail
road bridge over Garfield boulevard, in
an effort to commit suicide today George
W. Thompson, 523 Virginia avenue, failed
to die as he planned, but th eexpireil
two hours later at the city hospital.
Thompson had written a note in which
he said: “I have lost all control over
my mind.”
After the rope broke, Thompson
plunged about ten feet, to the side
walk, alighting on his head. lie sits- \
sered a deep scalp wound and possible
fracture of the skull. The narrow woven
rope cut deep into his neck and he was
almost strangled.
A letter written by Thompson was i
found in bis pocket.
It said: “In case of my death I would j
like to have Planner & Buchanan dis
pose of my body by cremation. My near
est kin is Mrs. Horace E. Ryan. Please
give her possession of any money or ‘
valuables I posses.” Signed, “George W.
Thompson.” “Please do not take my body*
to 523 Virginia avenue. I have lost all
control over my mind.”
Youth Is Killed
by Charged Lamp
ANDERSON, Ind.. April 15.—Contact
with a small lucandeseent lamp in the
shed, at the home of his grand-parents,
ea'used the death of Lowell, the 7 year
old son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hall,
•six miles west of this city. The lamp Is
believed to have been heavily charged
by a power wire which fell across it, as
a result of yesterday's storm.
YOU BET TIMES
RADIOPHONE IS
REAL SUCCESS!
Bernard Nicewanger. 16. 1018 North
La Salle street, a sophomore at Technical
High School, and a member of Boy
Scout Troop No. 41, is one of the many
boosters of the
Dally Times Ra
di o p h one. He
writes as follows:
“I am an ama
teur ‘radio bug,’
and have been for
tunate enough to
have the pleasure
of testing out in
my own borne tue
radio outfit which
is being given
away by the In
diana Dally Times.
"This is the best
crystal detector ra
diophone I have
ever used. Any
one can operate
this set because of
Its simplicity; it
has only one tun
ing device, l esides
the detector ad
justment. The out-
Bernard Nicewanger.
fit Is much more efficient than many
higher-priced sets, with many tuning
devices. The detector is very easy to lo
cate a ‘sensitive spot’ on the large piece
of galena, which is furnished with the
set.
“The phones (2,000 ohm Navy type) are
very sensitive and light in weight.
“I picked WOH (Hatfield Electric Com
pany) and several spark stations and
they were very loud and distinct.
“This radiophone is not a toy and I
recommend it to any one who desires a
good radio outfit."
WAKES TO FIND
NIGHT PROWLER
NEAR HER BED
Woman, Roused From Sleep,
Is Seized by Man Who
Escapes.
Mrs. Martin Wlltsee, 2129 Lexington
avenue, was awakened at 2:30 o'clock
when a man bending over her bed
seized her. She screamed and the in
truder ran into an adjoining room and
jumped through an open window. The
police were told that the man had
taken sl. The money was the property
of Ixenneth Wiltsee. The prowler was
barefooted.
The same burglar entered the home of
Mrs. Della Arnolds, 1025 St. Peter street,
forty minutes before he entered the
Wiltsee residence. The burglar flashed
an electric flashlight on Mrs. Arnolds
and she screamed and called for her
son. The prowler ran and Jumped
through the open window and escaped.
Robert Robinson, 1504 Fletcher avenue,
was awakened at 3:20 o’clock when the
same burglar who entered the Arnolds and
Wiltsee homes raised the window at his
residence. The man started to climb In,
but Robinson was awake and yelled at
the prowler, who ran.
Miss Lottie Andrus, a nurse rooming at
the Deaconess Hospital nurses’ home on
Senate avenue near Ohio street, was
awakened at 12:20 o'clock by a man
crawling across the floor of her room.
Her screams awakened Miss Marie Way,
another nurse who was In the same room.
The prowler escaped down a fire escape.
Raymond Gause, 629 Lexington avenue,
reported a motometer stolen from his
car last night while it was parked at
Michigan and Noble stretts. J. H.
Druley, living at the Plaza Hotel, told
the police a thief stole a tire off of his
automobile last night.
Oliver Lloyd, 562 Parker avenue, in
terrupted a burglar last night. Lloyd
started to leave his home at 11:15 o'clock
and as he opened a door surprised a
prowler attempting to raise a window.
The mau escaped.
PAIR OF ‘DOPE’
AGENTS TAKEN
Federal Sleuths Say They
May Have Ring Leaders.
Two alleged “dope peddlers”. Otto
Lelloy of Detroit, and Michael O. Bar
ton, alias John Jones, of Dayton, Ohio,
taken into custody by Federal narcotic
officers were brought before Charles W.
Moores, United States commissioner to
day.
LeKoy was bound over to the Federal
grand Jury under bond of $5,000 when
he waived arraignment, and In default
of bond was taken to jail. Barton’s case
was continued until Thur ay, April 20.
With the arrest of tlj .* men Federal
Agents Keene, Long np Braughton say
they believe they haw.- established con
necting links with gangs of dope peddlers,
which have been operating on an exten
sive scale between Buffalo, N. V., and St
Louis, Mo. Barton may be one of the
heads of the organization, they say.
According to Mr. Braughton, Jones
obtained Government narcotic permits
from dentist and physicians through
out the country by representing himself
as a Federal agent and then taking up
their unused blanks. These blanks after
wards were used by "forging" physicians
and dentists’ names to them, he says.
Lillian Stars
in New Play
in U. S. Senate
WASHINGTON, April 15.—Senators
turned gallants today when Mrs. Lillian
Russell Moore, former stage star and
recently special immigration commis
sioner to Europe, became the center of
applause ns a result of clashes in Senate
during debate on renewal of Ihe 3 per
cent restriction law. Senator Moses, Re
publican, of New Hampshire, charged
Senators Reed, Democrat, of Missouri,
and Harrison, Democrat, of Mississippi,
with "ungoiitlemanly conduct" for their
discussion of Mrs. Moore’s qualifications
as an immigration commissioner. Senator
Harrison, in turn, charged the Repub
licans with “discourteey toward Mrs.
Moore in ignoring her report on the im
migration situation.” .
HOME EDITION
TWO CENTS PEE COPY
MUST ASSIST
BEVERIDGE OR
OUT THEY GO
Mayor Shank Says
Ax Will Be Kept
Handy.
‘WAGON WITHOUT'
City Executive Is
Not Forgetting
‘Slights
What happened to Seth Ward, transfer
clerk in the city assessment bureau, who
lost his job, is a sample of what will be
fall other city employes who do not
work for Albert J. Beveridge, candidate
for the Republican nomination for United
States Senator, Mayor Shank Indicated
today. Ward was “fired” when he re
fused to act as chairman of the Marion
County Beveridge speaker bureau, an
nouncing himself to be for Senator Harry
S. New for renomination. Political lieu
tenants of the mayor are understood to
be passing the word among employes
that they had better get on the Beveridge
wagon or look for other employment.
“If they're not for Beveridge they're
not for me, and if they're not for me I
won't givo them jobs,” said the mayor.
HAS WARD JOB
OR HAS HE NOT?
There is some question at the city hall
as to whether Ward has been completely
severed from the city pay roll. Part of
his salary is paid by the board of park
commissioners and the rest by the board
of public works. The board of works
took formal action relieving him of his
Job. The park board has not. President
Charles A. Bookwalter of the park board,
who Is making speeches for Senator New,
Is quoted as saying that Ward is Brill
an employe of the park boaid, but Mrs.
Sarah Shank, wife of the mayor and
member of the board, is said by the
mayor to insist that Ward is not on the
park board pay roll.
“It doesn't make any difference,” said
Mr. Shank. “If he Isn't fired by the park
board now he will be. He’s gone. He a
lost. If they’re not for Beveridge
they’re not for me.”
The mayor was asked if he minded be
ing quoted thus.
‘‘No,” he said with emphasis. “That's
how I feel about it and if I feel that
way and act that way people might as
well know about it.
RECALLS NEW’S
ALLEGED INSULT.
“I'll never forget how Harry New in
sulted me as long as I live. A man can't
insult me the way he did and expect me
to forget It.
“I spent $l5O to go down to Washington
to see him after I got the nomination
and. asked him if he was with my or
ganization. ‘Well, I’m for the organi
zation,’ he said. ‘No,’ I said, ‘I want to
know if you're with my organization,’
and he Just replied that he was for ‘the
organization.’
“Then I was down at the Sererin call
ing on State Chairman Wasmuth and
Harry New and Charlie Jewett and
Lemeke and the rest of that crowd were
downstairs having a dinner. They didn't
even invite us down to eat with them.
"Then I got elected and he asked me
to come have a meeting with him. I told
him to go to heck. Do you think I can
forget how he treated me? If he’d Just
been decent when I was down at Wash
ington I’d be for him, but he wasn't and
I'm not for him.”
CHINESE WAR
LORDS READY
FOR BATTLE
Rival Generals Are Said to
Be Making War Prepa*
rations.
MUKDEN. Manchudia, April 15.—Gen.
Chang Tso Lin, war lord of Manchuria,
today dispatched 70,000 troops to Peking
to pave the way for the establishment of
anew Chinese government and to block
interference with his plans by Gen. Wu
Pei Fu, rival leader, in northern China.
General Chang plans to call a unifica
tion conference in Tien Tsin shortly.
Advices state Pekin is fearing the
downfall of the government and a clash
between Wu Pei Fu and Chang Tso Lin
for control.
Wu Pei Fu remains silent. He is re
ported busy in war like preparation, in
cluding securing large quantities of
munitions and the hiring of Germans to
make poison gas.
Young Married
Woman Missing
MARION, April 15.—Mrs. Delores Horn
backer, 18. and recently married, is miss
ing from her home and the police have
been asked to assist in locating her. No
reason is given for her absence, which
dates from Wednesday afternoon. Her
husband. Thomas Hornbacker, and her
fahtor, J. G. Armfleid, say she had started
to visit relatives in West Marion, when
last seen.
PROGRESS
GENOA, April 15.—“ We are getting
a bridge across tho stream/* said Pre
mier Lloyd George today in speaking;
of the difficulties that are disturb
ing the international economic con
ference.
“It might be said now/* continned
the British statesman, “that we are
driving- In the plies in the mud at
the bottom of the stream. Tlie edi
fice Is not yet above the surface of
the water, but these piles are pretty
firmly fixed and we ar still hammer
ing at them/*
NO. 290.