The Indianapolis journal., 1896-08-27
IT'S A THING OF THE PAST
THE FORUM WILL NO LONGER RE
SOUND WITH BOY ORATORY,
Hut Judge Cox Did Not Interfere-It
Took Only a Few Respectful Words
from Marshal Hawkins.

The large number of campaign enthu-
siasts who have been doing their talking
at the corner OF Pennsylvania and Market
streets. TO the great annoyance of POST
master Sahm, will no longer bother him.
Their noise. made by cheering. cursing and
in other ways that are used by human be-
ings to give vent TO their feelings has been
very disagreeable to employees of the post
office, who are compelled TO hear 1t, it be-
ing necessary that the windows be left
open during the heat of the day. Besides
this personal annoyance. the crowds are
playing havoc with the business of the
money-order department of the building.
making it almost impossible for a person
to enter this part of the building. and if
he should happen to get in it is almost as
difficult to leave.
The matter went so far that IL became
unbearable. and Mr.. Sahm took steps to-
ward abolishing il. After telephoning TO the
police and getting no satisfaction, owing
to the late decision of Judge Cox. he sought
Marshal Hawkins, who is custodian Of the
government building. Yesterday morning,
while the debate was at its highest point.
Mr.. Hawkins made his appearance and in
a short speech requested the crowd to dis
perse, citing to them the damage they were
doing to the government and through the
government to themselves His remarks
were at first received indifferently, but he
finally succeeded in getting the attention
of the people and impressing them with
what he said. and since then there has
been no forum for the debaters.
Judge Cox appeared TO stand between the
police and the crowds. so Mr.. Sahm sent
him the following letter:
Permit me courteously to call attention
to the boisterous aSSemblages at the Mar
ket-street side of the postoffice. The mat
ter has progressed from friendly political
discussion to a seething whirlpool OF pro-
family, and to such an extent has this pro-
gressed that the money-order business of
my office Is being seriously interfered with.
May / not expect some relief at your
hands?'
The following letter from Judge Cox
speaks for itself:
which you call attention to the boisterous
assemblages at the Market-street side of
the postoffce, and in which you say that
the matter has progressed from friendly
political discussion to a seething whirlpool
of profanity ETC., and ask relief from me,
/ have received. am not policeman you
know. The police have ample authority TO
help you. 1 expressly stated to the officers
in the Locke cases, publicly, that the people
had the right to discuss politics on the
streets so long as they did il in an orderly
way; that when crowds became disorderly
and threatened the public peace. or when
any individual committed any specific Of
fense. it was the duty OF the police to act.
This leaves them. free to regulate these
crowds: to keep them orderly; to keep an
open way: to take into custody violators
of the law whom they find committing spe-
ciic offenses. Whether the police have
done their duty in this respect or not i
only know from your letter. The second
Locke arrest thought was overly oticious
if not spiteful. officer Smith. who arrest
ed him, had told me that he intended to ar
rest Locke for loitering he had told others
that he would arrest him just as often as
he could; that 1t did not matter how often
I discharged him. / still insist that the
people have a right to engage in the dis
cussion of public questions in the streets
in an orderly way. and that the Police
Court, while am in charge of it, will not
permit their persecution. But. as / have
said at all times, and outlined above there
is still large room for the police TO perform
their duty in the premises"