The Indianapolis journal., 1890-11-01
THEPURPOSR OFDEMOCRATS
ATicket Thatthe UseofMoney and Tally.
Sheet Forgeries Made Possible.
Taggart with Large Salary and Liberal Allow.
ances-An Offer from Chairman Layman--
Republicans Respond Heartily-Notes.


A Democrat of high standing remarked
yesterday that it was very noticeable
feature of his party's possession of the
county and city Offices. that all those in
dicted for conspiracy in connection with
the tally-sheet forgeries of 1886 had been
rewarded. "All except Bernhamern said
he, have been affectionately remembered
by the party they served through fraudu-
lent acts and outrageous forgerles. Bern
hamer was the tool of the gang, and the
only recognition he got was term in the
penitentiary. Coy was there also, but his
Democratic colleagues in Council saw that
his seat in that body was reserved for him
sitter he put off the convict's stripes and
6onned again citizens clothes. Henry n.
Spaan, also indicted, was retained to
defend the notorious Harrison board
of trustees. whose management of
the Central Hospital for the In
sane became infamous through it's
abuses and corruptions. Besides the local
Democrats are throwing into his hands all
the legal business they can. John Fl. Coun-
selman was made door-keeper in the Sem
ate of 1887 for no other reason than that he
had been indicted for turning the returns
in his care as election inspector over to the
conspirators. Albert I. Beck, then the law
partner of Congressman Bynum, is now the
attorney, contrary to Law, of the present
trustees of the Central Hospital for the In
sane. DR.. Metcalf Is close to the counc lis
of Democracy and secretary of the State
Board of Health. George Budd was one of
the defaulter Sullivan's deputies in the
county clerks office. Thus it goes. all down
the list, wherever you find one who was
connected by conviction or complication
with that great crime there you see one an
object of the tender solicitude Of the local
Democracy
or two before the election, they were the
legitimate outcome of the Democratic
Doodle campaign of 1886. In that year the
candidates on the county ticket depended
ON Sullivan and IaRgart to- spend most OF
the money: Coy handled the thousands of
dollars collected from Democrats. but Sui
livan. the defaulter. and Taggart, who
wants second term in a rich office. dis
pensed their own funds. Sullivan's ex-
pendItures amounted to $4,000, while Tag
CART let GO of $4,000, which he fully recov-
cred before be was six months in the coun-
ty auditors Office. Had it not
been for these two men with
their bags of dollars there would have
be- been no tally-sheet forgeries that year.
The majority against the Democratic ticket
would have been so large that no blotting
out and inserting of tallies could have
changed the result without a greater crime
than the one committed. Along with the
election of Taqgart and Sullivan was the
missioners wholly Democratic. This of
fered an opportunity for the formation of
the court-hous ring. one of the first acts
oil which was to put Taggart at the head Of
sary. That 'nsn orsanaation the with 'n'Tse Tss
CART at it's head, conducted the county
campaign for Its party two years ago.
with the assistance of Coy in the peni-
tentiary. and was directed largely to Sc
curing for Tsggart q denomination for
county auditor. In the meantime John 4.
Sullivan violated his trust as county clerk
by robbing the widow and orphan and fee
ing in the night with the brand of thief
that crime, but condemnation for being a
ringleader in the tally sheet forgeries.
But the ring remained in power with Tag
CART at it's head, and it made distribution
Wilson was assigned to the clerks office,
Langenburg was to be made sheriff and
Osterman to be retained as treasurer. and
Taggart was not 20 be dis
turbed IN his possession of the
auditors office. He was getting rich at the
expense of the taxpayer. and would not
consent to remain boss without the Office,
as he wanted four years more of the sala-
ries and fees 1t assured. He was not willing
TO retire from office with four years salary
that source alone. That salary was based
on the census of 1880. with stipulated
sum up to twenty Thousand Of population
and 500 for each one thousand population
over the number stated; For the next four
years that will make the auditors salary
$4,000 year or $4,000 for four years.
There are legitimate fees connected with
the Office to increase the latter snm to $780,
000O or more. But'Taggart during the past
two years and eleven months has had
pickings through the favor o, The Demo-
cratic County Commissioners amounting
to S5,55502. The comm;ssioEels allowed
him this amount for what he claimed was
extra work and for which Snero is no legal
a second term it is possible these allow
ances would have been double the amount
given.
But in carrying out the .oLrt-house
rings scheme to divide the offices, opposi-
tion appeared to all of its candidates ex-
cept Osterman. He being without an op-
ponent made an act of political treachery
possible that has no equal. Backus was
defeated by Wilson through the comIiittee
on credentials in the county convention by
osiCCniCnb III 1aNOL cOdbfhk
sons delegates. whose seats had been con-
tested by Backus men. The price
of this agreement was the sacrifice
of Osterman when he was living in expec-
tation of getting his nomination without
opposition. He knew nothing of the polit-
ical outrage until it had been consummated
in the nomination of Backus for county
treasurer. Hence, if the ring re-elects
Taggart, keeps Wilson in the clerks Office,
elects Backus and Langenberg it will have
accomplished its purpose. That Is some
thing for the people to think about, and
save the county from the great burden Of
men who are close to Coy, and whose polit-
lcal lives are due to the vote Coy can
turn In their behalf
1t was within the last two weeks that ev-
idence of Democratic rascality in attempts
to induce floaters to mutilate their ballots.
and thus practically deprive them of votes.
appeared. The scheme was exposed, and
now the leaders of that party are assuming
intense indignation at even the possibility
of any such mutilation being done. At
their instigation the Sentinel published
yesterday what is claimed to be q similar
effort to corrupt the fioater. 1t Stated the
hoater had been instructed Ito pinch out a
small piece of the center of the ballot, put
it in his mouth until on the outside of the
election-room, and then deliver 1t 20 the
'boodler,' from whom the 'foater' gets his
SO The small portion of the ticket torn