The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-06
TAGGART'S LAST STAND
A DESPERATE EFFORT TO RALLY IN
DEMOCRATIC STRONGHOLD.
Seventeen SCUM shoe" Meetings i'm
the Fifteenth Ward-Mr. Bookwal-
ter TIC Colored Voters.

The Taggart forces made a desperate
stand to rally its stampeding- forces in the
Fifteenth ward last night. where seventeen
gum shoe meetings were held. Taggart
visited them all. going from one to the
other in hack with John Hoffman.
The locations of the different meetings
were kept a secret up to the last minute.
they being designed for the benefit of the
Dmocratic stronghold.
A preliminary meeting Of the leaders was
held In the Grand Hotel, where arrange
ments were made for the precinct workers
to get things in running order for the visit
of Taggart and Hoffman. Kegs of beer
had previously been sent around to the diff
ferent places or to adjacent saloons and at
o'clock the different leaders filed out, each
man going to his appointed place in the
ward. Taggart and Hoffman climbed into
their carriage and whirled away to fill the
first appointment at an open air meeting in
front yard of residence on South Mis-
souri, street few doors south Of McCauley
street. Here stage was erected and strings
of Chinese lanterns were extended from the
curbing to the stage. on which were seated
several local workers.
Mr.. Holtzman's speech was dreary. He
spoke but a few minutes and gave way to
Mayor Taggart, who. realizing that he had
sixteen more meetings ahead of him, did
not exert himself. He took off his hat, in
spite of the raw night air, and faced the
audience. which was composed OF about two
thirds women and children, and began to
talk on the street-railway question He said
that. In response to the charge Of Mr.. Book
walter that he had betrayed the city in
granting the new franchise, that future de-
velopments would prove that his course was
the wisest one, inasmuch as, in his opinion.
the street-car situation was complicated and
the respective rights of the city and the
street-railway companies were not in fair
way OF settlement. He said he thought IL
better to secure substantial concessions for
the people at once, even though they fell
short of what was really required, than to
wait for possibly twenty years for more ad-
yantageous terms and continue to submit
10 abuses. He then reiterated his former
statements about being unalterably opposed
TO gas meters, which, he limited, would fol-
low In the wake of a Republican victory.
One noticeable feature of his talk was the
entire absence Of any reference to track
elevation. and, while the people were looking
Tor more talk, he entered his carriage and
departed by rear exit
Following Mayor Taggart, while the iron
was not, came David Erdman. a local
worker, who devoted most Of his time to
appealing TO workingmen to support Tag
CART, because Of his great charity One
remark he made. which was intended to be
convincing, was, did you ever know any
poor Iellow to apply to Tom Taggart for
reief and not find it? He is the most OPEN
hearted man In this city. and II is your duty
TO vote for him next Tuesday," Follow
ing Erdman came Oscar Pfum one OF the
Park Boards draughtsmen, who attended
20 the Germans in speech in their native
Another similar meeting was held on
MOTIFS street, where the speeches were of
the same order, except that Commodore
higgins, the councilman from that ward,
ADDED his eloquence TO the occasion with
iorce Ii not with effect. The near prox-
Unity Of "BilP' Flynns saloon made the
meeting more enthusiastic than many of
the others, and the more so because most
OF the others were held in private homes
which would accommodate but few visitors
another meeting was held on Ray street
where twenty-five people, mostly children
hstened TO ten-minute talk by Taggart
and Hoffman. The yard was we'll lighted
and three kegs OF beer were ready TO hold
attention In spite of the beer, however
the Republicans held a meeting next door,
an audience of thirty-nine people, and tina I
IN the lace OF the fact that there was no
attraction other than local speakers.
lnasmuch as the precinct meetings were
each of whom was ignorant of where the
other meetings were to be held, Ii was a
difficult task 10 trace the different gather
ings, two-thirds of which were mere or less
busy all night and the driver evidently
knew where TO so without any directions