The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-09
WHY 1T SHOULD BE RETIRED
That Free Excursion May Get Some
People Into Jail.
Australian Ballot Law Covers the Case
"A Street-Car Reminds
cence of 1890.

LII NACiA CiiOA III ao bhCy oAANON AN We
fare of a community. The rebuke given to
the Sullivan administration, with its rot
t~enness. It's blackmail of the gamblers and
other lawbreakers. it's conspiracies to dl-
vert the public funds in the interest Of
Sullivan, its numerous financial blunders,
it's demagogism. it's ~toadyism to ex-convict
Coy and highwayman Polster, its efforts
to corrupt the ballot-the rebukes for all
of these will be approved by the citizens
Of Indianapolis with a majority to astonish
Sullivan, who is so blind he will not see.
There is nothing to prevent this majority
save bribery and Justification of the returns
by the gang running the Sullivan cam
paign, and, If the signs fail not, no her
culean effort can make this corruption OF
avail to Sim Coy, Charlie Polster and
Mayor Sullivan.
The evils of the Sullivan administration
have been commented on from time to
time In the last two years, and the people
are generally familiar with the conduct
Of the men to whom they have trusted
their municipal government. Three months
before the election, the gambling and sa-
loon orgies became more open and notori-
Gus because the lawbreakers knew that
Sullivan would have need of their services,
as he had two years before, and that he
would not dare to interfere. even as the
Don Quixote combination OH the police
bench would say. "to make a moral show"
1t is the old story of giving an inch; Sulli-
van gave the gamblers the right to run
faro banks and crap games. and the gam
blers proceeded to advertise the games,
Haunt them in the faces OF good citizens
and boast Of their power over the little
Mayor, who, John w. Kern says, has
never been charged with imbecility. No
torious gambling begets -.ner lawlessness.
Crimes became more frequent In the city.
me police were afraiu to prosecute
dispensation to violate the laws. II "BnT'
iron had the right TO break the laws rel
atlve to gambling and keeping open his sa-
ioon on sundays, why should the other man
not nave the right TO steal or knock a man
in the head? Then the police complained
mat whenever they had a case against one
OF these !awbreakers in Buskirk's court,
the presiding and protecting angel Of that
degraded tribunal would tell the boys to go
ana sin no more and vote for Buskirk. The
poilce could have broken up these dens by
raid1ng them every night, but Sullivan gave
no encouragement to such a course; in fact,
he was playing the same hand with his sue
ceSSor on the Police Court bench. 1t is no
wonder that a letnargy crept over the po-
lice; 1t Is no wonder that superintendent
Colbert closed up like a clam; it is no Won
der that policemen went to loafing in the
saloons and smoking ~slow-burning stogas.
Buskirk gave them the cue. not only nv his
judicial gymnastics. but by his very august
presence, which he loaned TO his friend
Bill Iron at Bib Irons notorious gam
bling house. 1t was a custom In merry
England Tor the proprietors of inns and
uram shops to erect figures over the doors
OF their establishments. Irons figure for
MS gambling house was the corporeal body
Of the police magistrate of the city OF In
dianapohs. 1t was not a graceful ~figure-a
trife stout, perhaps-bUt 1t did very well.
for it gave an air of legality to the place.
Old English shop keepers sometimes supple
mented their figures with such legends as
-Purveyors to His Grace of Manchester"
Iron could have supplemented his figure with
"Purveyors to His Disgrace OF Indianap-
the erection of a statue in bronze of this
Buskirkian figure. to be placed after next
Two years ago ex-convict Sim Coy and
the Democratic committee entered into a
bargain by which Coy was to declare him
self for the Republican candidate in order
scheme was a deep-laid one. Coy tried 10
thrust himself forward as a supporter of
the Republican candidate, and although he
was spurned by all Republicans, as a man
of his stripe should be, yet the afternoon
paper fell into the trap set 10y the Demo
cratic committee and lent its protest to
the hypocritical howl set up by the Demo
cratic organ. Coy was told that only two
more years of administration would be
needed to give the party a machine that
could control future elections, burdened
even by such men as Coy. Coy was told
That his time would come in two years,
The promise to Coy was made good after
the nefarious scheme had had it's effect In
the municipal election of 1891. Coy was
given full sweep in what he desired. he
house. and he wanted Others allowed the
privilege of running gambling houses in
order TO give him a position as leader over
this lawless element. He had no money ol
his own, as he was heavily embarrassed
whom he walked out of the northern Deni.
tertiary. 1t is said of Coy that he used ev.
GTNr cont In made 10 he l.
pay the debts he had incurred before nc
was sent to the peniteltiary. He went &c
Albert Lieber and John T. Frenzel. They
The money for building Coy an establish.
ment in the alley off Washinton street was
Forthcoming. Coy began to prosper b. the
aid of the gambling house he ran I'm connec
ton with his saloon. He decided to run fol
Council again, and was assured of Mayor
the heelers and inspectors from the City
Hall into Coy's ward on the day of the pri
mary in order to secure Coy's nomination
over o Z. White, who had served faith.
representative of organized labor. Coy wa.
nominated, and there was rejoicing in tn,
Coy called around to be %congratu
lated by his friend Tom SulIi
van. Decent Democrats in the ward an
nounced that under no condition would
they vote for this corrupt man, nor for
the Mayor, who helped nominate him by
"hA h1 lO0NO 0AtAiOANh Tie Mdlu IL
strongly Democratic. Coy was not salts
fled with his own domination over Sulli-
van. He wanted PolSter in the campaign.
Polster was n notorious character, and
could influence a number of the notorious
dive Keepers and others who were in the
neighborhood of Polster's place on Indi
ana avenue. Sullivan saw no reason why
a man who had pleaded guilty to Highway
robbery in the Criminal Court should not
be on the finance committee. He would bC
z. good man TO hold up disreputahle dive
keepers. Other saloon keepers were put
on the committee, and the work of levy.
ing blackmail began. Thousands of dol.
lars were obtained from the proprietors OF
gambling houses, Iron, according 10 his
own statement, putting up $500 as an ey-
TO cid their chum. Sullivan. Gambling was
not only notorious in all parts OF the city
but skin games were openly run. There
was no attempt at concealment, the doors
or the houses were wide open and lights
shone down on the streets and alleys from
the houses. Ed Hawkins president Of the
Board or Safety, came out In an apologetic
interview. in which he gave the reason for
allowing the gambling houses TO run a,
full blast. The Mayor was aware OF these
violations of the law. About that time
a Journal reporter sought 10 interview the
Mayor on gambling. and. much to the sur,
prise OF people generally. the Mayor said
he did not know that there was any gam
bling In the city. The public had not had
occasion TO impugn the Mayors words
before. That interview opened the eyes OF
the good citizens. After the reporter had
very notorious, the Mayor tried TO shirk
the responsibility on Buskirk. The Mavor,
I'm his feeble speeches, called the people
who were dcnouncing him for selling him