The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-03-24
PUTTING THE SCREWS ON THE
COUNCIL LOBBY.
A CHAPTER ON GREASE"


head, . A Bit OF Unpublished History
the park swindle again-how it was first
professionally the transaction is swindle
the taxpayers to bear the blunt, &c. At
that time, the common council had passed
an ordinance by vote of fourteen to eleven,
providing for the purchase OF the southern
trotting park, but the transfer had not been
made because OF a little 5000 him
derance in the way since then, however,
the obstacle has been removed, and the pur-
chase of the park of Nicholas X. Ruckle, at
500, 800 made complete. In the article al
luded TO, the following statements were
made:
l. In June last the then owners of the
property, the Indian polls Fair association
proposed to sell to the city for $4,000. The
subject of purchase being referred to special
council committee and considered for two
weeks, the committe submitted an elaborate
report adverse to the purchase, which was
concurred in by the council.
,. The Fair association subsequently sold
the premises TO Nicholas r. Ruckle for $780,
600. After a delay of month or two in
duration, with threats of resale from the di
rectOrs, the sale to Ruckle was consum-
mated.
3. During this dallying the scheme of sell
ing the premises to the city was being di-
ligently worked up Unexpectedly to many
councilmen, the subject was introduces by
DIR. Stratford. Some were disposed to look
upon
THE MOVEMENT AS A JOKE,
and expected the ordinance would be strick-
en- from the files on first reading. In this
they were disappointed, for it passed the
first and second readings, and then the third,
almost before their eyes were fully opened.
Those who were opposed to the purchase saw
at glance, when the ordinance was engrcss-
ed, that thele was ring in the scheme. These
men were importuned by ]. w. Marsee, who
had been employed to manipulate the
council and engineer the enterprise through
that body. All sorts OF influences were
brought to bear upon them. II they couldn't
vote for the ordinance, the manipul ator
urged them not to speak against it, and was
halt angry with one councilman at least be-
cause he fatty refused to do anything for
MIN toward helping through a scheme he
considered detrimental to the interests of
The ward and the city at large. But the plans
had been well laid. By means of false rep
reservations as to the number of petitioners
for the purchase. the influence of interested
parties, coaxings, threatenIngs, etc, the
schemers had so worked upon fourteen conn
cilmen, that they voted IOr the ordinance,
and it became fixed fact. 1t has been OPEN
ly talked upon the street that money was
used in influencing some of these fourteen
men, but since no positive proof has come
to light this talk remains only a surmise for
the present" This passage from the article
referred to, is quoted in full, as it has a di-
rect bearing upon what is TO follow.
4. In June, when times were flush, the
city didn't want the park at $4,000, but five
months later, when the finances of the coun.
try are upon the very
VERGE OF DISRUPTION.
a change has crept over the scene, and the
city does want 1t at an advance of nearly IF
teen thousand dollars.
] 5. By discounting paper, however, it is
asserted that Colonel Ruckle actually pays
only about eighty-fve thousand dollars
Yet, almost before the ink upon the transfer
is dry, the land is bought by the city at ar
advance of $4,000. 1t is boldly limited
however, that Mr.. Ruckle does not cleal
this amount by several thousand dollars
The question naturally arises whether
parcel of land purchased at the beginning
of a financial panic for 500, 900, increases in
value daring month or so, the pressure
still continuing, to SOS, 500? No unpreju.
diced man, therefore, can argue that The
taxpayers of this city have not beer
swindled outright to the tune of $l9,500 il
| this nefariou- transaction.
The Developments of the last few weeks
show that these charge-, and others made il
this case by the Sentinel, were not founda
tionless, as will be seen by a perusal OF tn.
following juicy document:
THE COMPLAINT.
State OF Indiana, Marion County, in Su
perior Court, April Term, 1874.
owen Fuller, Elijah s.
Alvord and George
w. Wesley
Nicholas X Ruckle,
CORTLAND T. Whit
set and John ID.
Nicholas.
The plaintiffs, Owen Fuller, Elijah s. Al
word and George w. Wesley complain o.
the defendants, Nicholas r. Ruckle, Court
land ID. Whtset and John d. Nicholas, and
say that heretofore, to-wit, on the da,
of -, 1878. the said plaintiffs entered
into CO. partnership with the said defendant
in the purchase aud sale of a certain tract o
land, known as the Southern Park o. Indi
annapolis, and described as follows: Tn,
west half ~ of the northeast quartz
~ of section twenty-four (2i), township
} fifteen (l5), range three (3) EAST, in the dis
, trict of land subject to sale at Rockville
Indiana; also all that part of lot numbe
; sixteen (l6) of William Y. wiley's commits
sioner's subdivision of the east half (1zD o
the north west quarter ~ of section twenty
, four GAY. township fifteen Q5). north Q
range threeI3) east, which lies east OF the
, center ofthe main track oftbe Jeffersonvillt
, Madison & Indianapolis railroad; also, al
that part of lots seventeen (17) and eighteen
OF William Y. Wiley's commissioners sub
division of the east half ~ of the northwes
quarter C<) of section twenty four GA
lownsnif' fiIesn (l5l north of range tire
, 81 east, which lies east of the center of tn
] main track of the Jacksonville, Madison (
: Indianapolis railroad, subject, however, 7
; the right of way of the above named rail
} road company; that, by the terms Of sal
} contract of co-partnership, the said partie
4 xroro 70, hoor o0uo1Ix tho cnofa of said mn