The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-04
THEY ASK PROTECTION
RESIDENTS OF SOUTH WEST STREET
ARE COMPLAINING BITTERLY.
Life Made a Burden to Them Under
the UnbridIed License of the Tag
CART Police Administration.

Since South West street was paved with
brick from Kentucky avenue to Morris
street, in 1893 it has steadily improved in
external appearance and to-day some of the
most comfortable and homelike houses on
the South Side are located on that thor
oughfare. The street has always been
known as a street of homes, as a great ma
jority of the residents own their own prop
erty. They are careful saving men and
have taken pride in adding to the attract
iveness of their surroundings for the sake
Of the families that were being reared. In
the old days when West street was but lit
tie better than a muddy country lane, it
had the reputation of being a pretty tough
part Of town and strangers did not care to
be down that way at night alone and I'M
protected, but conditions began to change
after the roadway was improved, and, with
the excellent police regulations that obtained
under the last administration the notorious
gangs were broken and disbanded or ban
ished to other sections.
To-day, under the license of the Taggart
rule, the conditions are worse than they
were in the first period of the streets his
tory. Rowdies and undesirable characters
from other parts of the southwest infest
the street, engage in brawls and drinking
bouts on the streets and in the alleys, cor
rupt young boys that are growing up and
have held unchecked sway for more than
a year. Residents of South West street
complain bitterly that the police do not pro-
tect them from the men who prey upon
them Many parents are afraid to allow
their children out for fear they will be con-
taminated by the evil atmosphere, and big,
lusty boys that ought to be out are kept
housed by discreet parents. The murmurs
are Sub rosa" Men are afraid to give in
formation that would land some of the
gangs in JAIL They dread personal violence.
Things are so bad that it is said we'll
known clergyman preached a sermon on the
condition of the street the other Sunday,
denouncing the notorious and open drunk
enness, dice throwing and general disgrace
full actions. West-street people feel all this
very keenly. They declare that the 'boo
gangs that hold forth do not belong on the
street, but gather in that community from
all other parts of the southwest, including
tough characters from Shantytown and the
shacks and households along the river. They
declare that if Mayor Taggart or his Board
of Public Safety were to decree that this
condition Of things must be wiped out and
a sufficient number of police officers were
kept stationed in the district for a few days
there would be at once a marked change.
No such relief is expected, not even in the
halcyon days after the election to which
the mayor refers so often and so fondly.
WHEN THE TROUBLE BEGAN.
The very next day after Taggart was
elected man who had lived on West street
all his life. and who owns property, says
the trouble began. There was saloon that
was run by a "tenderfoot''-a man strange
to South West street and it's ways. He in
Cured the enmity of one of the leaders of
the 'boo gang" before the election, and
there were threats that he would be paid
off after Tom Taggart gets in" He was.
A man armed with spade marched up to
his saloon, beat in all the window glass in
the front of his place, deliberately opened a
side gate, staggered into the yard and as
saulted the remaining windows. The man
was fighting drunk and nothing was ever
done with him. From that day on, it is said,
things have grown steadily worse. There
are a multitude Of saloons on South West
street-it is on the car line and is much
travelled by people going to and from West
Indianapolis.
Men who claim that they are liberal-that
they want it, say they do not want a
tight town; but, they say, lberalty has
grown into unbridled license and there are
demands that the saloons be somewhat re-
stricted Things have been almost unbear-
able during the last two or three weeks.
Last week the Democrats rad a meeting
in this neighborhood. -Four bicycle couriers
were sen- out all over the southwest Sec
ton to orun up men to drink free beer.
1t was tap at every saloon but one on
South West street. The riotous revelry con-
tinued until clock in the morning. Boys
fifteen or sixteen years came home stagger-
ing, and, with blinking eyes ana thick
tongues, told how they had been havin
some Tag'rt beer. Rah FIR Tag! Tag is
the very digniiied name applied to the
mayor. Righteous Indignation was expressed
the next day by many parents, and 1t is
probable that that meeting Will cost the
mayor a good many votes instead Of MAX
ing them for him.
Beer is sold to boys and girls by the
saloons. Yesterday a journal reporter porter, saw saw
of foaming beer without any pretense OF
secrecy. The usual bluff Of closing the front
part of the saloons prevailed, but Wlde-open
back gates leading to wide-open back doors
that exposed men standing at the Side-dooI
bars indicated to men who were strange to
the neighborhood where to look for the IA
vorite syndicate beverage. Distress signs
secret passwords, peculiar knocks at con-
cealed doors, grips and signals OF all Kinds
have been done away with. They are UNI
"
TO stand guard in front of saloons TO give
warning to the violators when officers ap-
peared The greatest cutlery is against the
sale of liquor to minors. man SAID yes
terday that the saloon men were perhaps
not to be blamed if they did not observe the
law. 49,. -.
cate" said he, land the men are selling on
commissions. The more they sell the more
solid they are with the syndicate. we know
that the Board of Safety is derehct IN It's
DUTY in tolerating such condition OF
affairs but we also know tnat-t the BOARD Is
simply carrying out Taggart's policy. We
understand full we'll that Taggart Is con-
trolled by Lieber What he says goes.
When he don't know how 10 inquire OUT
things he writes to his father in Germany
for instructions. Between them they hgure
out how to run the town.
One day not long ago tatner VINO no
ticed that his fourteen-year-old ooy was
falling into bad ways began quiet lnvestl-
cation West of West street there is a mar
row alley Running west from this alley
between Ray and Grant streets is another
the father found his son with twenty-seVen
cher hovs from twelve to sixteen years of
age smoking cigarettes, chewing toDacco'
telling stories of a vile nature amld pro-
family and coarse songs. The boys mad a
..eroyler0 Two or three contributed a
nickel each and one of the OLDEST ladS Ment
TO a nearby saloon where the GROWER ,
was filled with beer Inere WAS d t ngh9
1hiti' the can first. In little While the
nail was empty and other nickels We're dug
IN from pockets and the GROWER sent
back TO the saloon 1estSroay, ~, alle eS d
renorter passed through the alley and saw
mart of this juvenile boo gang stretched
in the sun waiting for a young pal VINO had
walked to saloon in plain sight or q score
Of people for "a, srG his side as unconcerned
as if he had been carrying uiilher 10 MS
Woodworking father.