The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-26
A ~BARTENDER'S STORY
COLBERT TRIED TO HAVE HIM SELL
GOODIES COMMITTEE ELQUOR.
Democratic Committee Evidently
Wanted to Trap Fred Brant, a
Republican, but Failed.

Every few days some new light is thrown
upon the methods employed by the Demo-
cratic "Good-e citizens committee to Sc
cure campaign thunder for the Democratic
county central committee. The develop
ments show that the committee was not
making an honest effort to find saloon keep
ers who were making a practice of violating
the liquor laws, but was out for the purpose
of getting thunder" for the political COM
mittee which instigated the tour. The COM
mittee evidently proceeded on the theory
that the end justified the means.
1t has been shown that in one saloon ex-
Sergeant Hagerdorn pleaded his friendship
to induce the saloon keeper to violate the
law, after he had said positively that he
had been observing it. 1t now appears from
a ~bartender's statement that Thomas Col
bert. ex-superintendent Of police, tried the
effect of his persuasive powers to induce
the bartender to violate the law, after the
bartender had refused the request OF the
committee for drinks. The Journal, a few
days ago. published a history of this tour
of the "Good-e citizens" as it was reported
to have come direct from the inner circle
of the Democratic committee rooms. 1t
was stated that Colbert was responsible
for Hagerdorn being chosen as the guide
for the committee. Captain Colbert de-
MED. in the most emphatic terms, that he
was in any way connected with the trip.
The wrath of the saloon keepers had begun
to gather in dark and threatening clouds
that hung over the Democratic horizon
Ever since the tour came into notoriety the
Democratic committee has been making SUI
perhuman efforts TO avoid the results of its
political folly in inStigating the trip. The
saloon proprietors, however, are highly in
censed, and are not so careful as to what
they say about the tour as the political
committee and originatorS OF the scheme.
Most of the saloon men are perfectly will
ing to tell all they know about the facts
in the case.
One of the saloons visited by the commit
tee on the Sunday when the tour was made
was that of Fred Brandt, at A West WASH
ington street. Ex-Superintendent Colbert,
IL is stated, was in the saloon. which is also
a restaurant. at about IL O'Clock, on the
morning when the committee, guided by
ex-Sergeant Hagerdorn, came in. There
were only two persons besides Hagerdorn in
the crowd at this place.
What transpired In the saloon has been
told by George Wyatt. the bartender. He
was asked yesterday afternoon to tell what
took place when the committee sought TO
purchase drinks. He talked freely and
without reserve. Wyatt said:
The three Of them, l know Hagerdorn,
but do not know who the other two were,
drinks. L told them / could not sell them
anything on Sunday. Colbert was standing
near the crowd when / refused the request.
He had come into the saloon a few minutes
before the others. When l refused to sell
the drinks Colbert spoke up and said Why
don't you let them have something? They
are all right / said that might be true
but ] could not sell anything on Sunday.
Colbert again tried to induce me TO sell to
them and said Don't you know Hagerdorn?
He left the force when / did, / answered
that 1 knew Hagerdorn but could not sell
the crowd anything TO drink. Hagerdorn
and the two men with him then left the
saloon and Colbert went out right after
they did"
TIC further show the Democratic scheme in
the Good-e Citizen Investigation it may be
stated that Fred Brandt has been regarded
as a Republican and it was probably the
intention of the Democratic committee to
nave the Good-e committee buy drinks at
Brandts so that it could. be stated that
the police were allowing a Republican
saloon keeper to keep open on Sunda
Instead, the committee found that the bar
tender would not sell the liquor on SUM-
day, although he was assured by Colbert,
as Wyatt states, that the men were all
right. One of Colbert's friends says he was
an innocent party and did not know that
the men who wanted drinks composed a
smelling committee.