Mayor Charles A. Niemeier 1922-1926

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Charles Niemeier was elected the Fifteenth Mayor of Princeton by the narrow margin over the previous Mayor C.A. Schubart.  Niemeier took his place in office on January 1, 1922 and was Mayor at the time the 1925 tornado devastated Princeton and killed 21 of its residents.  His leadership in the rebuilding of Princeton after the disaster will forever be overshadowed by charges of embezzling from the City while he was Mayor.

Charles Niemeier was born and raised in Evansville, Indiana, where he was employed in a grocery store owned by his father for many years.  Later moving to Princeton as an agent for the Express Company.  He would eventually marry Christine Sloan and they moved for a short time to Madison, Illinois, where they engaged in the grocery business.  When they moved back to Princeton in early 1914 and opened a grocery store in town, he became a successful businessman owning several stores at one point in his life.

The undoing of this successful businessman seems to have centered around his interest in politics.  Niemeier had stated publicly he was originally a Republican.  Later he became a Progressive and in 1921 he decided to enter the Mayoral race as a Democrat.  Niemeier defeated Dr. Abel in the primary and went on to win over the incumbent Mayor Shubart by a small margin in the general election. 

Following the election and with a City Council that was divided equally along party lines, Niemeier became a key factor in casting the deciding vote in many deadlocks at council meetings.

Niemeier was not always true to his party that put him in office, in order to get matters through, compromises were necessary, which caused Niemeier to be criticized by his own party.

Part of the job being Mayor in those days meant that you were also the presiding Judge over the City Court.  Niemeier lead the fight against bootleggers and liquor law violators.  He named Samuel H. Fettinger as Chief of Police and together they waged a persistent fight against law violators of this character.

Following the Tornado of 1925 Niemeier was involved in every volunteer effort to rebuild the City.  From the Dixie Bee Line, G.A.R. Encampment, to the reconstruction of homes.  Organizing band concerts, Mothers Day celebrations, in fact everything that needed a body, he supplied his at the sacrifice of his business.

In 1925 Niemeier was defeated in the Democratic primary by John F. Stukel.  His defeat affected him noticeably and much of his remaining time in office Niemeyer was sick and unable to attend to his duties as Mayor and City Court Judge.  Shortly after leaving office Niemeier left town unannounced and it soon became known that Niemeier was in financial trouble.  Niemeier had lost everything that he and his wife owned, his home, business, farm, automobiles, trucks, and household furniture and this was only the beginning of his problems.  An investigation of charges of embezzling was also underway.    Eventually a Grand Jury would return 20 indictments of embezzling from the City of Princeton while he was Mayor and 1 count of embezzling funds of his ward, Charles Swertzer, who was a clerk in the Niemeier Grocery Store.

Niemeier was arrested in Detroit, Michigan and returned to Princeton by a Gibson County Sheriff summons.  The bulk of the indictments against Niemeier stemmed from misappropriating fines levied by him during his term as Mayor and City Court Judge.

Niemeier made few public comments about the indictments, but here is what he had to say when he did speak.   “Bootleggers I fined while Mayor were responsible for my indictment, they were prevailed upon by my political enemies to testify against me.   When my term expired in 1926, I realized my enemies were after me, I did not fear them, but my friends persuaded me to leave.  I handed out some stiff fines to bootleggers.  My enemies got a hold of them and had me indicted.  Now, I’ll be glad to get it all over with, it is no fun being a fugitive.”  Niemeier went on to say, “My salary as Mayor was only $62.40 a month and my official duties interfered with my private business to such an extent that I lost $25,000 the four years I was Mayor”.

Niemeier was tried and found guilty of one count of embezzling from his ward, Charles Swertzer.  Niemeier agreed to a plea bargain, he plead guilty to four charges of embezzlement of City funds while acting as City Judge, 16 other indictments would be dropped and he would serve 5 – 4 year terms in the State prison system for each charge, to be served concurrently. 

Niemeier returned to Princeton after completing his sentence.  He was a penniless, broken man who lived out his final years at the County poor farm.

City of Princeton Indiana
Gibson County IN.
Researched By: Charlie Woodruff