The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-02-12
PETITION FROM ROBY
PROMOTERS SIDE LAID BEFORE
THE GOVERNOR.
Peculiar Document Filled with the
Usual Arguments i'm Favor of
Such Institutions.

Governor Matthews yesterday received
copy of the memorial that is to be presented
to the Legislature to-day by Edward Roby
and Edward A. Shedd, owners of the ground
which the Columbia Athletic Associa-
ton, in which O'Malley was the manager,
and of the Roby Fair Association, of which
James OLeary is president, is situated.
The petition begins by saying: THE under
signed pray that the protection of the Con-
stitution and the laws may be extended
to the northwest corner sof the State 1t
then recites that the petitioners own a tract
of ground which was sold to Dominick
O'Malley for S14500. Then the story of the
descent of the troops of the State upon the
association is told, and the memorial con-
tinues as follows:
your petitioners have been informed that
these crimes were committed. in execution
of a conspiracy, suddenly and by surprise,
to seize said lands and houses into the
hands of the State, and expel the owners
and said o Malley therefrom, and keep them
of the property SO seized, and prevent and
destroy the sale thereof; such conspiracy
extending also to unlawfully harassing and
destroying said O'Ialley. to drive him into
Insolvency SO that he could not pay for said
land and should lose all that he had ex-
pended thereon, which was to be rendered
valueleSs to any person.
The petitioners further declare that:
by the law of nations, as Well the
while paid by it. and under it's officers,
wantonly makes war on any nation or in
aner ana tbe stae y undeT Rp
to make good the less so wantonly caused"
1t Is set forth that a number Of crimes, in
northern part of the State without any at
tempt to call out the military power of the
State. The seizure Of the property by the
sale TO OMalley was fhwarted. The petit
ton then uses the following strong lam
LAS the whole atrocity was committed I'M
der mere pretense the motive was not the
execution of the laws, but their violation.
We will not charge any personal motive on
any one; the persons against whom the war
was directed. and who We're ruined by it
may pursue that branch; but we will sug-
gest that if it lies in the power of any
deputy sheriff, sheriff, mayor, Judge or court
to call out the troops at the expense of the
State, to seize property, and to break up any
enterprise, exhibition or work, under pre-
tense that a slight misdemeanor may be COM
chamber secret information that a felony is
probably in the locality this State furnishes
the best facilities Tor pad men to biackmaii
Those who will deliberately commit perjury
and violate the most sacred provisions of
the Constitution on the pretense that some
one else is Il criminal, belong to the GRIM
inal class, and will find pretexts to use their
acts for their own emolument as we'll as
their own spite, revenge. or self-righteous-
ness" ~
The petition contains great deal about
| the relative amount OF SamDI1nS at RObv
and Indianapolis and repels the charge af-
fecting the character of the habitues of
Roby, especially of the women. 1t makes
a defense of winter racing and ends as
follows: s-slf-Gs-4
THE foundation of the trouble is that a
few persons who are either ignorant or
bad have sought to overturn the govern
ment of the State and to govern it them
selves according to their own notions, or
for their own particular purposes and adj
vantage. They would undertake war meas
ures in a time of profound peace, making
bad presidents and examples of pure
tyranny. They rebel against the circum-
stances which surround them, and set
themselves up as leaders in an attmept to
alter the fundamental principles of the
State and assume to Themselves the char
acter of dictators. making adjudging and
applying special law for each particular
case or for some particular locality