The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-09
PULLED DOWN THE STAND
sCURRILOUs EFFORT no BREAK UP
REPUBLICAN MEETING.
Several People Hurt-Speeches at
Fountain Square to an Immense
Crowd Last Night.

nal success. Fountain square was fairly
black with people and the meeting was one
of the largest ever held in that part of
the city.
The incident that served as an Interrupt
ton and caused considerable excitement
was the collapse of the speakers stand,
about Sis o'clock. A dozen or more people
were on the stand at the time, and all went
down in the wreck. Two or three persons
were injured, but none seriously. The col
lapse came while Joseph B. Healing, the
first speaker of the evening, was making
his address. Among those besides Mr..
Healing on the stand at the time were
Judge Stubs, c. A. Bookwalter, John J.
Wenner Captain Garrett and Charles Stilz,
chairman Of the meeting The stand gave
way with crash and for a moment there
was great confusion, and it was feared
many were seriously hurt. David Harris,
an aged man who sat on the steps leading
to the stand, received the most serious in
jury. He received a bad cash on the back
of the head. He was helped to drug
store. where his injury was dressed and he
was then taken home. Captain Garrett
was also injured slightly. A boy, whose
name could not be learned, had his right leg
and foot severely bruised Nathan Gath,
of No. 846 Elm street, had his wrist badly
sprained. Ex-Judge Stubs received some
bruises. but he remained at the meeting
1t was openly charged about Fountain
square that the accident was the result of
a preconcerted and reckless plan to pull
down the stand and interfere with the
meeting. Within five minutes after the
stand fell the men VINO had charge of the
meeting secured convincing evidence that
such was the case. Within a few feet of
81,
drawn from one of the braces
that held the stand together, and
two or three men came forward with state
ments that they knew the stand had been
deliberately wrecked. The affdavits Of two
of these men were taken. The affidavit of
John Poole was to the effect that he stood
just behind the stand and was attracted
by two men who were encouraging some
boys to go under the stand and pull out the
props and braces. Poole says he went to the
other side of the stand for few minutes,
and then came back. Then he heard one
OF the above mentioned men say in an UNI
dertone: ''All right, let 'er CO." Poole says
that Immediately the stand collapsed. He
saw two men then run from the stand and
disappear in the crowd. He further swears
that when the man used the words, ''All
right let 'er 60" he bent over toward the
stand in the attitude of taking hold of it,
The affidavit of Samuel Keely say the af-
faint saw three men take hold of the stand
and he heard one man say "Let her go.
She will come" The stand Immediately col
lapsed. The men then ran through the
crowd" ]. c. Conner of No. Ills Ash street.
claims that he heard some one say as the
crash came. by Cd, we've got her.
TAGGART'S STREET-CAR RECORD.
The police came shortly after the acct
dent, but no one was arrested. The con-
fusion subsidized in a few minutes and the
speakers were invited to the balcony above
zimmers dry goods store, where Mr.. Keal-
ing proceeded with his speech. Mr. Healing
devoted his talk chiefly to the attitude Of
the mayor during the last Legislature when
the street-car bills were before the Senate
and House. He showed how Mayor Tag
CARTS Democratic friends in the Legislature
worked in the interests of the bill that
terminated the charter of the Citizens
street railroad, and how they reversed their
votes Wnen IT came to the 3-Cent-fare bill.
Mr.. Healing was followed by G.. A. Book
walter, who went into an exhaustive ex-
Rs discussion of Mavo pax sf2nb ba and
south of the Belt he referred to piece of
real estate of which the people Of the South
Side have heard a great deal. Mr.. BookWal-
ter's remarks are found in another column
Albert J. Beveridge was introduced and
made brief but convincing argument
against Taggartism. He spoke of the New
York Tammany and the gang rule in Chi
cago and San Francisco. He feared that
Indianapolis was coming under the infiu-
ence of this sort of rule. He referred to
this class of politicians political pirates,
without conscience and without a conVic-
ton that they would not sell for q vote.
He said that in every city of size where the
municipality has something of value to give
away there is an organization of political
adventurers whose constitution Is power
and whose bylaws are plumber. I'm New
York." said Mr.. Beveridge, lit is Tam
many, and in Indianapolis it is the old
Democratic gang that for ten years has
had charge of the machine and now seeks
to elect Thomas Taggart as its figure
Thomas Taggart were a Republican he
would not vote for him as long as he kept
himself surrounded with the influences that
are about him to-day.
After one or two songs by the Marion
Glee Club W. N Harding appeared on the
balcony and was greeted with q rousing
deserving of recognition at the hands of
the city government as any other part of
the city. It's streets are as beautiful and
its homes are as happy as those of any 10
cality Il will say in all seriousness" de-
clared the speaker, that if am
elected mayor l viii see to it that
there are no additional tracks laid down on
Pennsylvania street. Your property rights
here are too dear" Mr.. Harding was not
of the opinion that it was necessary to go
to another city and get a mayor to come
here and teach the people how to admins
ter the, city, government The people
| caught the reference TO the visit of Mayor
Harrison, of Chicago, to indianapolis, and
responded with a clatter of applause.
Mr. Harding promised TO give the people
an honest and clean administration. He
said he had no favorite to reward. He
would have no private snaps to give out
to bosom friends. He expected to treat the
office as public trust. He pledged his
honor and his manhood that as mayor of
the city he would obey the will of the COM
mon people. Il will not he declared, 'call
some bosom friend or clique around me
when it is necessary for conference, but
will call in the best business men of In
dianapolis to consult with me and when l
find the will of the people, that shall be my
will | want to make a fight for you as your
mayor / want 10 make it for cheaper gas.
Will you let me? (Cries of yes yes, yes we
will) have pride in this fight. My heart
and my life are in it. Before my time ex
pires you will have 70-cent gas. | want to
make a fight, too, for the Scent car fare.
and to beautify it. But I'll not tax the little
property owner to pay for the Dean property
and let the street-car company go untaxed.
I'll endeavor the best j can to stamp out
that rotten system of taxing the poor mans
property for the purpose OF building parks.
forget their manhood and do not abandon
the old ship of state If they 90 not turn
their backs on the memory of Oliver f. Nor
ton and do not forget the memory of Lin
coin; If they do their duty III be elected
by the largest majority ever given to any
man in this city
r. r. Shiel made the closing speech and
there was another song by the Marion Glee
Club.
HOLT DAMNATION MEETING.
49, o~6 Vehau Vr0uII Al