The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-09
TAGGART DICTATED 1T.

that the mayor was present and knew what
was going on.
TAGGART DICTATED 1T.
Had Mr.. Deyvar Write the Bog Land
Proposition Feb. 20.
AT a Republican meeting held at Foun-
tain square last night, c. A Bookwalter
was one of the speakers. He devoted the
time to the park scandal, making an ex-
haustive exposition of the deal by which
Mayor Taggart's land was to be included
IN the park system. In the course of his
remarks he said:
'On or about the 18th of February, seven
days after Mayor Taggart says that they
ceased to consider his park land-On or
about the 18th day of February Duncan De-
war, Democratic councilman from the
Eight ward, asked of Mr. Taggart and the
Park Board that they give to the Council
some guarantee that the money to be APP
proprlated would be used to purchase GER
tain lands Upon that Mr.. Taggart and Mr..
Holt and Mr.. Lieber told Mr.. Dewar to pre-
pare his agreement, and he did so, and on
the 18th day of February, eighteen days
after Mr.. Taggarts public record ceases
on the 26th day of February they came to
the Grand Hotel for a meeting of the finance
cimmittee of the Council held in a little
room east of the barroom. While the finance
committee of the Council were there Mr..
Taggart Mr.. Holt and Mr.. Iieber were up
stairs in the office l know they were there.
Mr.. Taggart says he was not, but Colonel
Perry, of the Park Board, tells me that he
saw him there Mr.. Dewar says he was
there. And Mr.. DeWar produced an agree
ment. When l made this charge first Mr..
Taggart said that / couldn't produce that
agreement He did not deny, it-he said |
can produce it. There it is. (Applause.)
This agreement was prepared by Mr. Dewar,
Indianapolis, Ind, Feb. 26, 1887
TO the Members of the Finance Com
cittee of the. Council-As members of the
Board Of Park Commissioners, we agree, on
condition that appropriation ordinance No.
2, 1897, for the sum of $3.50, 600, be passed by
the Common Council. that the same shall be
used for park purposes and applied as fol-
lows:
Fall creek system above Indiana
avenue $l93, OO0
Davidson property ...,................... 1000
c cSad RrGpe and Ray streets...... 800
BobbS property OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1b,l5O
Corner Sanders and McKernan
Kirkland property, West Washington
and Miley avenue OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. S,OOO
The foregoing are approximate prices
and the purchase of the last item optional
possible, be devoted to labor in improving
the five six smaller tracts If found con-
sistent with such plans as we have, or may
adopt, but in any case we agree to carry
out our promise to employ as many men as
possible at the earliest possible day.
TAGGARTS AGREEMENT PRODUCED
There, there is where Mr. Dewar stopped
his agreement. He did not write any more
He submitted it to Mr.. Taggart, Mr.. Leber
and Mr.. Holt, and what did they say? They
said it was all right, with one exception. He
said, What is that? Mr.. Taggart said,
Take up your pen,' and he did, and he
told him to write, and he did-and what
did he write? Eighteen days after Mr.. Tag
CART and the Indianapolis News says that
this land was no longer considered, what
did he write? He wrote this. and the mayor
dictated it, and Albert Leber looked over
his shoulder, and so did Holt. Here is what
/ In addition to the above named and de-
scribed we reserve the privilege of pur-
chasing for $1,000 land at the Belt road and
White river
THAT was Taggart's land. He dictated
that He says he did not, but Dewar told
me that if he sued me for libel, he would
come in the courthouse and he would swear
that he did. (Applause.)
This agreement, when it was finished,
had five blank lines at the bottom of it.
Mr.. Taggart turned to Mr.. Holt, and he
said: 'Sterling'-that is the way he talks
line and he did; and he said: Albert, you
sign on the next line and he did; and he
said they would leave three blank lines at
the bottom, between the contract and the
other signatures, and they would get Mr..
English to sign it, and then they would
have it sure. But they reckoned without
to Mr. English. Mr.. English says that they
never dared show it to him, although Ster
ling Holt went back to the Council, on
Monday. the 1st of March. and told Mr..
Dewar his fellow Democrat, that he had
gone to see Mr.. English, but he was too
sick and could not pay any attention to
:'This agreement, mind you. binds Thorn
as Taggart to that purchase. He cannot
proof. / have seen the original l know
the signature of Sterling Holt; l know
the signature of Albert Lieber, and they
are both nqn also and 6 6er had good others
will say when the time comes. If called
upon, on their oaths. as honest men, that
this agreement was made there, because /
will subpoena members OF the finance COM
mittee and make them testify to it, be-
cause they read it. at the time. {Applause)
THE NEWS FIGURES IN IT
1.-The Indianapolis News has seen fit to
take jocular view of this story of the at
tempt to fitch money from your pockets.
But what did it say about 1t before it had
been converted to Taggartism? l will read
to you what 1t said. On the 18th day of
April, long before ii had been committed
as a Taggart organ. when it was willing
to represent things as they were; when IT
was willing to give every citizen an oppor-
tunity to be heard through it's columns
what did it say then? On the 18th day of
April. sixty-seven days after 1t now says
that Thomas's land disappeared, it had this
editorial:
9 we trust that further consideration of
the subject will convince the board that the
important thing now is not to fritter away
money on many of the smaller tracts, and
out-of-the-Way tracts. like the Taggart
farm away down in the southwest part OF
the city by the river, but TO get the Fall
creek system under way at once.
THAT Is what the Indianapolis News
thought about il on the 18th day of April
l know why that appeared. but 1 don't
know why it don't take any stock in it
now daughter and applause.)
But let us so TO other authority; let us
go to Democratic authority. / have In my
possession a copy of a communication sent
to the Indianapolis Sentinel, and printed in
that paper on the morning of March g. 1t
was written by Democrat. / know Ii was
written by a Democrat. and a mem
her of the Council, because he was so
proud of his literary ability that he showed
the article in manuscript to two men who