The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-04-02
DEFENDING THE FORGERY GANG.

90 70 the penltentlary. Even the Hills Ooss
may give way before he is put into stripes,
and hence everything must be done that can
be done to make reasonable pretext for the
Intervention either of the Supreme Court Of
the United States or Of Grover Cleveland. In
order to secure this there must be again raised
the cry of political persecution, and so the
Sentinel congenially returns to its work of
lampooning and abusing the United States
Court, wherein Coy and Bernhamer were con-
victed and sentenced to the penitentiary.
Bernhamer is not SO dangerous a man
to the party as Coy, and hence
he has become convict "472;;" but Coy
is kept here a distinguished invalid.
At first he was ostentatiously entertained as
the guest of the Democratic party at first
class hotel. When that could no longer be
done with safety to Judicial propriety and
public sentiment, other forms Of delay inter
vened, and now the Democratic State organ
is devoting itself to its habitual task of defa-
NATION of Judge Woods. This has been its
course from the first. Day after day, week
after week, month after month, uttering no
word in condemnation of the crime of forgery
upon the tally-sheets, its columns teemed
with abuse for all who were engaged in the
effort to bring the criminals to justice. 1t
called the proceeding persecution, and not a
prosecution" and when the first grand jury,
packed by the accomplices of the conspirators,
failed to bring in an indictment, it declared:
1.-The action of the grand jury should have
settled the matter at once and for all. After
that all is persecution, in absolute contraven-
ton to the rights of the citizen"
So long as the intention of the district at
torney to prosecute the forgers was not dis
tinctly announced, the Sentinel defended and
sustained him, and became his traducer only
W hen it clearly appeared that he intended to
do his duty. When the first trial came
on, every effort was made to screen the guilty
by casting obloquy upon the prosecution.
Perkins, who had been defended and pro-
tected by the Sentinel so long as he did not
implicate his confederates. became 'fas moral
ly deformed as any creature out of hell"
compared with whom the betrayer of Christ
was spotless gentleman" ga felon without
one redeeming trait" "a monster of de-
pravity." The committee of one hundred
were denounced as "a band of SPIES" ga
horde of secret detectives" ga gang of prowl-
ers, tthey sweat venom at every pore" The
Sentinel scattered broadcast concerning Mr..
VIM. Henderson falsehoods which it was
afterwards compelled to retract in its own
used for the protection of these guilty men.
Hon. Solomon Clay pool, who was appointed
by Democratic Attorney general to aid a
Democratic district attorney in the prosecu-
ton, was characterized as IAN antiquated old
rooster" who ''makes picturesque tail
to the Republican kite and draws in
double harness with Sam Perkins" The
Sentinel justified even the brutal and
violent attack upon Mr.. Claypool on the
streets of Indianapolis by the notorious John
E. Sullivan, and quoted with approval the re-
mark of ga lady" who said, eff had been Sui
Ivan Iwould have 'cow-hideP him." The ar
ticle is entitled "Rampaging SOL"
Senator Weir, who had ventured to testify
20 SONIC udtCoT pEcJuuiCAeA W lie hCCus6up Oo-
came "Old Morg Weir" With the comment:
''The LaPorte farmers might utilize him as a
scare-crow." Every man who ventured to lift
up his voice even to give evidence against the
criminal gang must be denounced. The only
men in this business who were too pure to il
cur the displeasure of the Sentinel were the
men indicted-Sullivan, Coy Bernhamer and
their associates in the crime.
The Sentinel said: ''Mr. Simeon Coy is the
same genial, smiling, affable boss he was be-
fore the committee of one hundred began
barking at his heels, or Perkins concluded to
aid the pursuit"
sThe tally-sheet crime was committed by
many persons, in pursuance of felonious
conspiracy. 1t could not have been done by
one alone, particularly by Perkins. He could
not have obtained possession of the papers
upon which it was committed without the
concurrence and cooperation of others. The
Sentinel knew this perfectly well, yet. as
soon as Perkins implicated the rest of the
gang the Sentinel attributed the whole
forgery to him alone. cit is now known that
Sam Perkins committed she felony and the
Journal would, for this atrocious scamp, con-
vict Democrats for the benefit of the Re-
publican party. The Journal will never
be gratifed." said the forgery organ.
And again: GAS the proof shows, no one but
Perkins was involved in the felony. Up to
the time of Perkins's confession the whole
bad business was shrOuded in mystery. His
confession enables the community to fix the
guilt just where it belongs"
Judge Woods, who had been spoken of be-
fore the trial in complimentary terms, was
compared by the Sentinel to Lord Bacon, in
tba foIlow;no terms. GsWhoever charged