Philip McAbee

BRIBE OFFER

MAY RESULT

IN A PROBE.

Prosecuting Attorney Benadum

Intimates He Would

Like to Know More About

"Wide Open" Proposal.

Investigation, involving testimony by Press reporters has been promised in the near future. This was the substance of a declaration Friday morning by Prosecuting Attorney Clarence E. Benadum as the result of a news item in The Press Thursday evening. The story in question was regarding the statements made by C. E. Fisher, a member of the board of public safety, to the effect that certain "interests" in Muncie had recently offered the board the sum of $50,000 as a first payment, with the promise of two other payments to be made for the purpose of running "a wide open town" here.

The "interests" referred to are understood, so far as could be ascertained, to mean the liquor dealers and gambling house proprietors to whose benefit the "taking off the lid" would result. However, this is speculation. Chief public interest now centers about the identity of the men making the supposed offer.

A search for the man or men "higher up" responsible for the offer made by subordinates, was declared by Mr. Fisher "to have occupied three weeks" efforts by the police department and the board of works, without avail. At the same time, however, it was said that the department had not given up hope of eventual success and that several clues were in possession of officers.

Mr. Fisher refused, Friday morning, to amplify his story of Thursday concerning the alleged bribe offer.

McAbee Home Today.

There were no developments Friday in the controversy resulting from Mayor Quick's discharge of Philip McAbee, president of the board of public safety. It has been said that Mr. McAbee, who has been absent from the city this week, would return home Friday for the purpose of taking action in the matter. E. E. Rosenthal, local confectioner, has been appointed to the board to fill the vacancy left by Mr. McAbee, but he has not as yet qualified and is not expected to do so until after notice of McAbee's discharge has been served upon him in writing by the mayor.