The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-29
MIR. HARDING AND OTHERS SPEAK
TO ANOTHER FINE AUDIENCE.
Calls Attention to Facts that Taggart
Has Not Dared to Deny-In
the Third Ward.

in the hall above.
The Republicans were again greatly sur
prised at the size of the audience that
greeted them in the Thirteenth ward. The
stand had been pitched at the northwest
corner of the common and seats holding
about 400 people had been placed in front
of it. The people occupying the seats.
however. formed but a small section OF
the crowd that filed the common Japan
csc lights had been strung from the stand
to the corners of the lot, and gasoline lights
gave a wierd glow to the scene. 1t was
one of the most intensely earnest crowds
that has been seen in this campaign. There
was closer attention to the speakers, less
movement on the outskirts of the crowd,
and all the people that were there at the
beginning of the meeting were there at the
close anxious to hear more. Thomas r.
Quill presided.
Mr.. Harding made one of the best
speeches he has made during the campaign
and had the people with him from the start.
In the course of his speech he charged that
Mr.. Taggart had used his influence secretly,
as he supposed, against the 3-cent-fare bill
in the Legislature. Mr.. Healing made this
charge openly at the first meeting we held
in this campaign" said Mr.. Harding, land
Mr.. Taggart has never yet denied it. he
used an editorial paragraph from the Jour
nal printed last winter expressing the be-
lief that he was for the measure as his
denial but he has not himself denied the
charge. If he does deny it, shall prove
it,
1.-THE gas company is for Mr.. Taggart,
and why? Is it because the owners of the
company believe that Mr.. Taggart will
make an honest effort to have the price of
gas reduced? Is it not more likely that
they know that he will not Does the gas
company oppose me because 1t thinks ]
will not bring about cheaper gas? 1t knows
that this can be done and it knows that 1
will do it. and therein you will find the
reason why it is opposing me with all its
money and votes and influence But If
go down, 1 shall so down fighting for our
common interests; l shall go down with
your family and mine. / do not make
these charges without foundation. If you
want proof of the gas company's friendship
with Mr.. Taggart, go to the Grand Hotel
almost any morning and you can see John
r. Pearson waiting to take Mr.. Taggart
He poured a bit of molten lead into Ster-
ling r. Holt The Sentinel said he, "a
few weeks ago quoted Mr.. Holt as saying
the Republicans had a fool candidate and
the Democrats had fool organ ! freely
grant the latter part of the proposition.
And may be fool, but am not knave.
/ never deserted my party on the field of
battle and then stole the ammunition to
carry to its enemies"
Referring to the queer charge of the
evening Taggart organ that he had prom
iSed nothing better than TaSgart he said:
II ask you if Mr. Taggart has. promised
tain cheaper gas? No. Has he promised
to obtain cheaper telephone rates? No. HaS
he promised to in any way protect the peo-
pies interests as against those of these
quaSi-publc corporations? He wants to be
for you and for the company. AS always,
he wants to be on both sides of the ques~
ton"
MORE OF THE PARK SCANDAL.
After the applause greeting Mr.. Harding
at the close of his speech, Charles A. Book
walter was introduced and unfolded a little
more of the facts he has unearthed about
the deal by which Mayor Taggart was to
unload his bog land upon the city through
the Park Board. There is one subject TO
be discussed said he. that appeals pc
cularly to the people of this section He
took up the subject of the Dean ground
and showed that their property would be
assessed for it at from 10 cents to 81 a
front foot. A vote for the present admins
tratiOn, he declared was a vote to carry
through this scheme. He had here
tofore charged, and now charged again,
that an attempt had been made to manipu
late the park purchases SO as to line the
pockets of the favorites of the administra-
ton and fitch money from the public treas
ury for the head of the administration.
He had repeatedly charged that, with the
advice of the mayor and In order to line his
own pockets, the Park Board had gone
south of the Belt road, between the river
and the Bluff road, to purchase 100 acres
of bog land owned by Mayor Taggart at a
valuation of $500 an acre, when the records
showed that three years before Mr.; Tag
CART had purchased this land at
$45 an acre. He charged that this purpose
was carried by the Park Board until the
controller sent them communication de
claring his belief that the Council would
not appropriate more than $4C0 900. Then.
On Feb. g. was entered the written record
that this purchase had been dropped. But
where the public record left of" he con-
tinued. 1.-The sharp practice. the smooth
work, the secret conspiracy began.
charge, and challenge Mayor Taggart to
deny it, that on the 18th or 18th of Febru-
airy, at the Grand Hotel, a meeting of the
finance committee of the City Council was
held. Why was it not in the city offices?
IT was held in a little room just east of the
barroom of the hotel. and here in secret
they discussed the propriety of voting near
ly half a million of the peoples money.
Mr.. Walcott, the chairman of the commit
tee, was excluded, and the two Republican
members were not there. Mr.. Holt was
there and Mr.. Lieber was there. MIR. Tag
CART was there, with authority from Mr.
English to act as his proxy as a member
meeting, eight or nine days after the writ
ten record was made. a corrupt deal and
bargain was made to purchase fifty acres of
Taggart's bog land for 1000 This sum
was to be taken from the public treasury
to line the pockets of the mayor, by the
vote of the Council and Of the Park Board
that he had appointed.
AT MONINGER'S SALOON.
IT charge that on the 18th or 18th day
of February another meeting was held at
the courthouse. at which Mr.. Walcott and
Messrs. Allen and Cooper, the Republican
members, were present. 1 ask Mr.. Taggart
ii it is not a fact that at this meeting Dun
can Dewar presented a resolution to be
presented to the Council specifying what
lands were to be included. and that Mr..
Walcott objected because the bog land of
Mr.. Taggart was included. After Walcott
Cooper and Allen mad gone the committee
took an adjournment to Moningers sa-
Icon, on Illinois street and there again the
list of lands was decided upon, and l defy
land was again in the list. Eight or nine
days later they called another meeting of
the Democratic members of the finance
committee at the Grand Hotel and Mr.
Walcott was again left out The meeting
was held in room on the third floor. Be
sides the majority m9mbers of the commit
tee there were present Thomas Taggart
any one of those three gentlemen to deny
that they told several of their confidential
friends that they intended to get these
councilmen down there and give them a
champagne supper. They were to
entertain your servants and mine
with champagne supper. Who
buys the champagne for legislative
t.1ff 10 MIR mos hQN hrd