The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1880-09-04
Judge J. M. Thurmond's Speech Last
Night

lneh' maze MS second campaign speech la
night, which he delivered from the plattor
OF the Texas u Pacific depot, speaking abo,
two hours and half. There were over thre
hundred persons present A number Of III
speakers adherents bore torches. lie bega
his talk by stating that he proposed to pr,
sent to those within his hearing, in plai
way, and that they were to be the Judges O
the justice and truth of what he said. 1t ha
been published, he said, ths
he received fees of offic
amounting to between $500 and So, SOC
but that he had never received more thai
Sl,10O, and that he had donated as mayo
$500 Of that to charitable purposes in the city
de referred to the castigations he had receiv
ed from the newspapers as being severe ant
unwarranted, and in speaking of the counci
said that if that body would establish
single one of the charges prefer ed agains
him he would resign all claims to the Office
and leave the city for ever. He alluded a
length to the course of the council through
out, critcising their actions. Before hi
election be had pledged the people that he
would remove all the lewd houses to some
out of.the-way place, but the city council
mad lnterrupted.him in this work, There wai
q house of ill.repute along side a school
house where children were going to school,
and when he had essayed to remove it the
council had said, mo let the
school house move" There was
another situated on one OF the principal
thoroughtsres in the city, by which children
on their way to school passed every day. He
had told the heads Of these houses that they
must move to some place away from the re-
spectacle neighborhoods, and they had
agreed to do so, because he had told them
that under the ordinance he would fine them
every day, bu. just at this juncture the coun-
Gil had defeated him in his purpose by pass
ing resolution to the effect that women of
ill.repute should be fined only once a month,
and not more nor less than SIS each. He We
toed the resolution, and they then threatened
to impesch him. He succeeded in getting
Johnny Thompson to close his variety thea.
ter on Sunday nights, by merely asking him
to do so. The speaker alluded to the rob-
berries committed, and insinuated that Mar
shall Morton and his force had been derelict
in discharging their duties. Robberies had been
committed and the perpetrators had gone
UNPUBLISHED. Country men would come into
the city and would be lured by sharpers to
the sinks of sin and shame, among which the
speaker mentioned the Red Light, where they
were robbed of their money and jewelry and
beaten up in a most trightful
manner. They were ashamed on account of
their families to make complaint. He had
given many poor robbed countryman
money to get his horse out of the stable. It
took vigilance upon the part of the officers to
suppress such crime, and the fault lay
with the marshal and his force.
He asserted that during his term of office he
had never been able to induce the police to
arrest any member of the Red Light for vio-
lation of the law. The speaker was severe in
his remarks regarding the police force and de-
nounced the Rel Light. He alluded to the
arrest of young Goldsby, boy brought be-
fore him on charge of fighting at that
place. Arthur Cain, the proprietor, had also
been arrested, but his name was subsequently
erased from the books of the station. house.
They had turned him loose. lie Investigated
the matter and discharged the boy, who was
re-arrested on the charge of using
profane language in that place, on writ
served ont before Justice Edwards. Judge
Hurt and he defended the boy, and the jury
ound him mot guilty. II was this that
arrayed Marshal Morton and the force against
lim.
Referring to the charges preferred by the
marshal and the police force against HIM he
'ad that officer on the 4th of July (which
was celebrated on the 6th), according to his
own statement, was drunk, the day of all
others when he should have remained sober.
The following night the council met, and the
marshal, who had not yet recovered
from the orgics of the proceeding day,
presented to the council the charges he
md his force preferred against him.
He then spoke Of each of the charges sepa'
rate, land fully giving what he termed an
explanation of them. He ridiculed the idea
If his being arraigned for abusing Arthur
Gain, alias Frenchy, and Texas Joe, whom he
mad lectured, and referred TO the stationhouse,
md the charge that he abused persons from
he bench and his attack upon the police in
young Goldsby. His adminstra-
ion had been one marked by economy,
which he had recommended in
every instance. He had recommended
! reduction of the police force, opposed the
purchase of such an expensive fire engine
,euse, and the issuing of bonds for tie build
NC of sewers, which he characterized MS
obbing scheme. He vetoed the resolution
o pass the latter when Alderman Wheelock
withdrew the resolution. He had saved the
ity that money. When the council had
ound it could not use him, they, with Mar
hal Morton, had begun system of warfare
lpon him.
In regard to fines he said that the council |
1anted him to raise them on the poor devils |
Tho got into trouble. So far as the gamblers |
we're concerned he could not fine the keepers |
f the games, as he did not have Jurisdiction |
4 the matter, but stated that he did fine them
nder the vagrant ordinance. The city
ttorney and Marshal Morton were old Off
ers in ahead of him, and they had never told
i'm he was doing wrong for nearly year
nd half. All his misdoings had been dis.
overed since he defended the boy Goldsby.
10 charged Alderman Wheelock with play
lg at keno and Alderman Bohny with
eeping a card table in the rear part of his
aloon, where he alleged cards were played
IT money. He closed by alluding to the
tanner in which the council had "oustcd"
i'm.
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