The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-19
WHYTHE sENTINELsQUEALs
The Enforcement Of Liquor Laws Has
Deprived Democracy of Revenue.
The Answer of Superintendent Travis to an
Attack By the Democratic Organ Upon
the Metropolitan Police Force.

force. wnlcn appeared IN the S6ntfn6I yesterday.
Superintendent Travis said to a Journal reporter
last evening" The attack is simply tissue of
fasehoods from one end to the other. Il is an
easy matter TO charge anything, but il is diff
ferens thing to prove it. The truth of the whole
business is, the enforcement of the liquor law
has ruined the Democratic party in this city.
While the Democrats had charge OF the force,
the saloons kept open allnight, the Liquor League
aourished, and the whisky ring paid from s.. 900
to SIC, 900 into the Democratic campaign fund
every year. Since the Republican Board of
Commissioners took charge the saloons
have been kept closed at night and Sunday.
The Liquor League has gone to PIECES, and the
consequence is the whisky not contribut-
ing 20 the Democratic campaign fund. The
fact that the Democrats beginning to squeal
is evidence that they being hurt. have
doubt they would like to the saloon. and
Liquor League flourish again. and their campaign
money coming easy. but they will be disap-
pointed as long I am Superintendent When
the Democrats call on saloon-keepers for cam
paign money the saloon keeper says: II owe
you nothing. Democratic patromen running
on this district, and they compel me to obey the
law. The consequence is my business is
being shattered. aud I feel under no
obligation to contribute to the party"
i want to say Tor the Democratic members or
the force that they all do their duty. The Sem
tinel complains that there Democrats on
the force. If there noneit Is the partys own
fault The force has been made from
equal number of men from both parties. and If
good manv OF those put as Democrats have
become Republicans. the Democratic party
ought not TO complain. The fact IS, many Dem
OeratIc patrolmen have become disguised With
their party. They have been abused and brow
beaten for doing their duty until they have no
love for the party The Sentinel is welcome to
rfA cir car ant f fn@ ahr - has
begun"
Superintendent Travis also spoke of the state
ment that in the enforcement Of the liquor law
Democratic on-keepers had been singled out
for special attention 81 have never" he said.
s'singled out any man to whom wanted special
attention paid The men simply told to
enforce the law and they treated all saloon
keepers alike. The truth is, some OF the Repub-
lican saioon-keepers have suffered the worst
from the enforcement of the law James Burns,
who was repeatedly fined for selling on Sunday,
and then sent to the oeniteutiary for two years
for perjury, Republican. and so was Jacob
Henry, who sent to the work house for sell
ing on Sunday
The officers smile at the statement that the
law was enforced and gam lsrs driven from the
city when the Democrats were in charge The
Sentinel should post itself before it makes
other attack" said Democratic officer on the
force TO a Journal reporter, yesterday. every
patrolman and officer on the force knows that
gamblers had full sway under all the old Dem
ocratic boards. While ODonnell was superin-
tendent there were dozens of gambling dens in
operation. and a patrolman was afraid TO report
the fact for fear he would be reDrImanded
When Colbert came on he threatened to make a
raid the amblers. but the commissioners
promptly sat down on HIM | knew OF
gambling going on. and on two occasions went
TO arrest the managers of the game. but they
assured me that Commissioner Pendleton had
given them permission to rum andI found out
that they told the truth. Holt was opposed to
much gambling, but Pendleton. as president
Of the board. sanctioned is, and every time Col
bert threatened to make move against the
lis Hat s1R nVh m
notorious fact that every order issued. whether
against gamblers saloon keepers. had a string
10 it, and the officers knew enough not to carry
out any order. Now 1t Is different neneVer
an order is issued we know what it means"
There isn't man on the police force who will
not contradict the statement in the Sentinel
that gamblers have fourished under Superin-
tendent Travis 1t is we'll known that on sever
al occasions he has had every place in the city
where gambling likely to be, raided. and
during his term in Office more gamblers have
been fined in the Mayors court than during the
four years of Democratic rule.
It is fact that the city has been overrun
with thieves during the past few months, but
while that is true the police have caught and
sent to the penitentiary during that time more
thieves than were convicted IN two years prev
ious. With force much too small for tho city.
Mr. Travis has managed it as TO make the
city a dangerous place for thieves. evidenced
by the fact that during the last month they have
been sent to the penitentiary at the rate of one
per day. With but two men constituting the
detective force. stolen property valued at So 600
owners
since March l. 1877
Another charge that is unfounded is the one
that the patrolmen lounge about the saloons all
night instead of watching their districts. Those
who are familiar with the feeling existing be-
tween saloon Keepers and the patrolmen know
the charge could not be true. 1t fact that
it they dared TO do so the saloon-keepers would
eject the patrolmen from their places of bust
ness such is their i'll feeling since the enforce
ment of the liquor law began. The patrolmen
do visit saloons frequently. Their duties require
ham ff.H n m ms mi
be. 1t is IN those places that thieves make their
headquarters, ard it is necessary to watch them
closely.
AFTER they had exhausted all else they at
tackled me because | am not sociable," said Mr..
Travis last night. There may be some truth
in their charge; but prefer to be known little
unsociable rather than man who would spend
my time around saloons, and resorts of i'll
reputs."
Sentinel reporter said at the station house
last evening, I'VE know there is no foundation
for the charges, but the journal and the News
were always attacking the Democratic force.
and the Sentinel has got to give it to this one.'
Quite q number OF the members OF
the force led to believe that Cap
tain Colbert inspired the Sentineps at
tack, from the fact that a can came
for him at the station-house from the Sentinel of
fee Saturday night He said last evening: Il had
no idea any such charges To appear. On
Friday the city editor of the Sentinel requested
meet him Saturday afternoon, but did not
do it. Saturday night he askad ms TO come up
to the office and not having any idea what he
wanted with me went He vas not at the Office
when | arrived, and | did not see him. IL had
known such article going appear |
should have done all could 10 have prevented
it. for there is no foundation for the charges it
makes
II of the best Democrats on the force"
said Thomas Stout, night turnkey at the station
house, "and want to say that there no truth
in what the Sentinel says. the charge it makes
reflects on every member of the force, and do
not blame them for objecting TO such an attack.
I can say for myself, and I believe for every
Democrat the force. that Superintendent
Travis has never mentioned politics to me since
he became chief"