The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-26
POSITION OF THE POLICE
It's Uncertain if They Do Not Pay Into
the Democratic Corruption Fund.
They Are Requested TO See Backus and Give
Part of Their Wages TO the Party
Taggart's Way to Evade Issues.


p .r
Paid by the City for Doing Nothing, They. in
Turn, Pay for Their Places.
In all the years past of political practices
that the new charter was intended to re-
form there has not been such bold and
fragrant use of the police force as o political
machine as is now being made by the
Sullivan administration. The Democratic
members of the force. from superintendent
down, arc working under orders OF the
Democratic committee, and while they are
rushing about town spying upon the move
ments of Republican candidates. straight
ening ont" Democratic disaffection hero
and there with all sorts of promises from
headquarters, and soliciting votes for Sulli-
q from what Republicans they know
personally, the town Is left wide open.
grog- Bishops 'go" night and day and Sunday
too. Landowners get in their work I'M
molested. policy" king Faro" and other
forms of gambling flaunt themselves In the
face of . law-loving public without inter-
ference. thieves 90 uncaught and foot-pads
patrol the central streets of the city. And
oil because Superintendent Colbert and
the trusty Democrats under him are needed
and kept busy in Democratic campaign
work.
Colbert has spent any mount of time
among the "k:ckers' of the Fifteenth ward
within the past few days. going to see John
Griffin and other leaders of the antI-Sulli-
van movement and endeavoring to buy
them off with promises of positions. with
immunity from arrest If they happen to be
running 'speak-eSsies." and with other
promises. varled to suit the circumstances
Of each particular case. While he has been
engaged in this the Democratic patrolmen
lave been engaged in other similar work.
equally criminal in the eyes of the new
charter. which says:
It shall be unlawful for said Commissioner of
Public Safety, or any person appointed by them
or their predecessors: or holding any position on
vote at any election for any candidate, or 10
challenge any voter, or in any manner attempt
TO influence any electOr at such election, or tn be
q delegate or candidate for delegate to any
political convention, or to solicit for any candi-
date for or delegate to such convention, or to be
o member of any political committee. ANY per
son violating the provisions of this section shall
be fined I'm any sum not exceeding $500, to
which may be added imprisonment for a period
not exceeding six months.
Not only are the Democratic policemen
compelled to hustle for votes in order to
hold their jobs, but they are compelled to
stoop to the dirty work Of spying upon the
actions and movements Of the Republican
candidates. AS soon as Mr.. Herod enters
his law Office in the morning one of Mayor
Sullivan's policemen fastens his eye Upon
that Office. II Mr.. Herod leaves il this po-
liceman follows him to the limit Of his ter
ritory. and there turns the job of espionage
over to the policeman on the next beat.
And so it goes, from 8 o'clock in the morning
until Mr. Herod retlres for the night at his
home. The reason for this espionage is plain
enough. Every place HeTod goes during
the day or evening. and every man with
whom ho talks, arc promptly reported to the
Democratic committee. thus enabling the
committee to "go after ali the disaffected
Democrats he meets, and giving the Demo.
cratic organs an opportunity TO grossly and
shamefully misrepresent his every action.
But there is another duty the Democratic
relished even less than this. Last Thurs
day morning every Democrat on the force.
from captains down, received q little con-
fidential note from V. NJ. Backns. chairman
of the Democratic finance committee, dated
Aug. 10. requesting the night men to call on
him at the Hendricks club.room Friday af-
~ernoon, Aug. 81, at 3 o'clock. and not later
than4. The day men were requested to call
between z and . o'clock that same evening.
The note stated that it was important bust
moss, and to the interest of the recipient to
be there. This covert threat brought every
man there. Backus was on hand to receive
them, and coolly demanded $40 of each
patrolmal, and higher amounts of the CAP
tains and sergeants. If the men objected
he blandly informed them that their Jobs
were surely worth that much. The threat
worked like q charm, and the Door fellows
who did not have the money with them
promptly promised to pay on the next pay