The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-25

No Control of the Bad Elements At
tempted by the Board of Public Safety.
Gamblers and Thugs Are Bringing the City
Back TO the Reign of Terror-"Hamlet"
Nolan Sore Over His Defeat.
WHY BUsKIRK WAS NAMED.
His Nomination Was the Result OF a bargain
with Law-Breakers.

His Nomination Was the Result of a Bargain
with Law-Breakers.
Il venture the assertion" said a we'll
known Democratic politician, in q small
way, yesterday. that within three years
there will be no living with the thugs,
gamblers and other criminal classes in this
city. We're coming back to the reign of
terror We had some years ago. and will get
back to it a great deal faster within the
next year or two This was not O start
ling prediction, considering the fact that
the speaker was a Democrat. andhad faithin
the belief that his party will succeed at the
polls in October; but as he Is in a position
10 know whereof be speaks his words are
worth remembering, and bis reasons are
worth considering.
In the first place" said he, you know
there has been no effort since the police
force passed into our hands to control this
element. Gambling has become open and
bold. Kissel's and one or two joints on
illinois street 10 been described in the
newspapers as running at full blast, but
the police have never made a move to
break it NJ l can take you to fourteen
places. within five blocks of the Journal
office, where the tiger RACES regularly from
. o'clock'P. NJ. until q a. NJ. The police know
every one of these places. but they are as
safe from interference as though they were
upon q desert island. Whether the authori-
ties are liked or not. 1t amounts to the
same thing-everything goes. So much tor
gambling. Now, do not need to tell Won
that every '~speak-easy' and over half the
saloons in town are wide open all night
long and every Sunday"
Yes, ] know that" replied the reporter.
Not long ago / offered to TAX President
Holt, of the Board of Public safety into a
dozen places, within half as many blocks.
any night, after IL O'clock. or any Sunday
afternoon, and buy HIM n drink at each
place. but he has never accepted the offer"
Now, then" continued the Democrat.
that's the way the thing stands now. and
the gamblers, with all the vicious element
that usually follows them. are beginning to
fill up the town. Two years ago IL was
next to impossible to find q game in In
dIaDapOlis. Now IL you drop a hin that
You have n roll and want to test yOur luck
you'll have a dozen unner after you IN
less time than it takes to tell about It."
why do you think it will be worse
within the next year or twof" was asked.
-Buskirk is the chief reason" he replied.
His nomination as police judge was I'M
questionably purchased by a pledge to the
gang that he would go light on them.
Pierce Norton could have had that nOmina-
ton as easy as rolling off a log If he would
nave COIStDtcA u " tuc SdDfo hinu a oonts
but be would not do it. Judge Norton is
not much of a Y. NJ. G.. "A. man, l know, but
he has got some sense of the decent pro-
prieties of a judicial Office. and refused
point blank to make any pledges as to what
he would do on the bench. Busklrk. on the
other hand, has been an Inveterate poker
player for years. IS acquainted with all the
gamblers, and had no computations about
promising everything that was asked. Did
you notice that In his speech III the con-
vention he promised to deal out justice
tempered with a very large slice of mercy
with emphasis on the very larger That's
the sum and substance OF his campaign,
and I've no doubt he'll be elected. and his
administration of the Office will attract vice
to the city. as molasses draws flies"
Il suppose you'll vote for himf'
"Yes, / suppose ! will. Pm q Democrat.
and you know we generally vote the ticket
self is on it. / don't think much more of
Sullivan than I do of Bnskirk, for the
Mayor could stop this business of wide
open grOg-sbops and gamblingif he had the
courage, but / expect to vote for him just
the same, because Pm a Democrat"
what do you think of Sullivan"
"MOst overrated man in town." replied
the lawyer" You pat him on the head and
say you're q nice fellow. Tom and his am
and he's a harmless enemy. He is con-
trolled almost entirely by the News. the
News IS controlled by Frenzel, and there
you are. If Sullivan is beaten this time he
will disappear as completely from public
view as though toe earth bad sw allowed
him, and the News will cease to boss the
Democratic party"
Still You intend to vote the whole DEM
ocratic tlcket?"
..Oh ya. ~, n namocrot vou Lpow