The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-15
FORCED TO PAY UNUSUAL SUMS INTO
TAGGART CAMPAIGN FUND.
Inspectors Getting $50 n Month Com
PEELED to Pay $4O-Levy
ON Saloons.

How to get money out Of the city treasury
for political purposes without encountering
the grand jury is a problem that has been
solved by the mayor and his city COM
mittee. Large sums of money have been
appropriated, in the first place, ostensibly
to make such improvements as repairing
streets, building bridges and perfecting
drains, but in reality to employ Taggart
heelers for thirty d. This money is
made to serve a double purpose. Voters are
employed and then 'bled" to swell the cor
ruption fund Men who are employed at
day labor do not escape the campaign as
SCISSOR. Inspectors who get $50 month are
required to pay $40 into Chairman
Spencers Golfers. OF course, there has been
a lot of Kicking, but it is done quietly.
Men who feel that it is unjust for the adj
ministration to wiring money from their
pockets that is needed 10 buy necessities
of life for their families are compelled to
keep their mouths shut for fear of losing
their jobs and what little is left them after
the assessor has received his ''bit." There
is no class of employees that escapes. None
of the clerks in the various city offices took
vacations this summer. During all the hot
weather they stuck to their posts, more
than one saying that he could not afford to
take a vacation this year, as he had to pay
his eamapign assessment"
Two or three were asked about it yester-
day.
'Oh, we are not assessed" said one. 1--WE
just make. contributions to help elect the
mayor. We owe our jobs to him. If we
don't put up, out we go.
The clerks are chary about giving details
as to amounts that they contribute" but
it must be good big sum il 1t is enough
to cut off their vacations
City Engineer Jeup, Controller johnson,
Mayor TaggaT and a few other heads of
departments including Superintendent Col
bert and Fire Chief Barrett, went away
for a few days but their subordinates had
to do their loafing in the courthouse base
ment or content themselves with an occa-
sonal trip to the ball grounds.
Beside the street gangs clerks in the va
rious departments and the heads of depart
ments, assessments have been made on fire.
The greatest fund, however, has been con-
tributed by the saloon men. The work CT
getting contributions" from them has
been conducted by Charlie Polster Vic
Backus and Joe" Schaub. The latter
worked the northeast part of the city, it
is reported while PolSter and BackuS went
the rounds of the remaining saloons. Con-
tributions" averaged $50, some of the sa-
loon men contributing 500 each, others $50.
Proprietors of some of the smaller places
were let off after putting up $25. An average
of $50 each from the five hundred saloon
men of the city would create a fund of
$25, 900. No such amount is needed for legit-
innate campaign expenses, 1t is claimed.
The fact that a state campaign was once
made with 5000 was referred to in a speech
the other night by f. j. Van VorhiS
The money that has been contributed"
by city employees and saloon men TO the
city committees fund is Independent of the
barrel" that is said to be kept in Keach'S
Klondike headquarters and will not be ham
died by the gold bugs.