The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-22
NOW DENIES 1T
Ex-MAYOR DENNIS CAUsTIC LETTER
DRAWS 4 REPLY FROM HIM.
He Says He Did Not Say d Two
Newspapers Said He Did Say
Mr.. Dcnny's Remarks.

CARTS arraignment he says: Il nave no
objection whatever to make TO anything
you may have said, in so far as your state
ments may have been made simply In COM
parison of the strict enforcement of the
laws, which l attempted to carry out. and
your policy Of reinforcement" The let
ter denies the accusation that a spy system
was enforced In apprehending offenders
against the laws. declaring that instead the
police were instructed to exercise great
vigilance TO detect violations of the law
by gamblers and saloon keepers who per-
sisted in defying the ordinances. In refer
ring 10 the city improvements made under
his administration. Mr.. Denny states that
more streets were improved and sewers con-
structed than under either of the two adj
ministrations of Mayor Taggart, that the
improvements were pushed as rapidly as
hard Democratic times, which existed dur
ing his term of office, permitted and that
the citizens at that time were objecting.
owing to these conditions, to the work that
was even then being done. 1t is not fair.
the ex-mayor insists, to make comparisons
between the two administrations on the
matter of park improvements. The law
would not allow Mr.. Denny to take the
steps 1t has been possible for Mayor Tag
CART to accomplish. 1t was impossible. also.
owing TO the constitutional. debt limit hav-
ing been reached prior to his taking office.
The present administration was lifted from
this difficulty by the payment of the Belt
Railroad bonds. which enabled a bond issue
to be made; by the increased tax values,
which gave the present administration the
power to borrow large sums OF money. A
permanent debt against the city has been
made for every dollar put in the recent i'm
p~rovements. While Mr.. Denny's hands were
tied by the already existing indebtedness he
was able, nevertheless, TO refund at 4 per
cent. and with a considerable cash premium,
more than twelve hundred thousand dollars
Of Indebtedness Outstanding against the
city. which was created by a former Demo-
cratic administration This payment. ma
terially aided the present administration in
the improvements since completed.
In conclusion the letter calls attention to
the fact that when Mayor Taggart first ac-
cepted the Office he insisted that the laws
should be strictly enforced and that in
structions TO that effect were issued to his
chief of police. 81 am anxious to know"
Mr.. Denny says, how 1t happens that you
have found it to be in the line Of your duty
to change front completely on this ques-
ton. If 1t Is an honest change Of view on
the question referred to 1t will be sufficient
for you. IN answer, to simply say so, but If
your mind has not undergone a change in
this matter then I think that you owe me
an apology"
THE MAYORS REPLY.
Replying to this. Mayor Taggart sent a
letter to Mr.. Denny. in which he explained
his position as follows:
Your letter of the 10Th Is received, and If
/ were not sick and confined at home L
would see you In person. i have never, In
any speech. in former campaigns or in this
one, mentioned your name. i did say at
Haughville that II / was elected mayor l
did not intend that policemen and detectives
should be put In citizens clothing watching
to see what people should eat and drink.
/ did not attack your administration because
you did not rebuild the. City Hospital or
police station. but ! did claim credit for
building those Institutions
In the matter of public improvements, /
have never made any attack on your ad-
ministration. either as to work done or left
undone. What / have said Is that the
guarantee period had been increased from
five TO nine years and at a reduced cost. /
believe that IL you will take the statement
Of any unbiased listener at Haughville or
any other meeting addressed by me that he
viii. say to you frankly. IL the truth Is told,
personally. or about your administration ex-
cept as above mentioned. which must have
been taken. by inference. by the Journal
reporter that i alluded to you personally.
In conclusion, / wish to assure you that /
entertain for you the very kindest and best
feeling. and l believe, as I have said before.
IL you will take the pains TO find out my
utterances. you will have no just cause for
complaint"
THE REPORT OF THE SPEECH.
In handling Mayor Taggart's speech the
Journal said:
II began to pay his respects TO the
Denny faction by saying that he felt sure
forced in such a way as to make 1t a perse-
cution to saloon keepers and workingmen
alik He said that. during his administra-
ton, he had never found II necessary TO
make spies and sneaks out Of the police
force of the city. and he believed no one
had seen policemen climbing waterspouts
and fire escapes in an effort TO ferret out
those who kept open after IL O'Clock or who
accommodated a thirsty man on Sunday He
said he didn't tnlnk self-respecting cidzens
wanted to be made parties to such methods,
nor to bring the town back to the point IL
was during the Denny administration, when
visitors passed through the town by way OF
the city had in the way of Improvement
and beauty ii owed to the Democratic adj
ministration. and with regard to the eccusa-
ton that he had smiled away thousands
or dollars he said he had never seen, dur
ing his four years Of office, a dollar spent
that he regretted or would not have spent
AAt1d lAC N1CoCllN plCSCALCu ILt
said the Denny administration had left
the city prison in a filthy condition, 30 that
no unfortunate man who happened 10 be
out after IL o'clock and had to be picked up
By the sleuthS, could stay there over night
and come out without being covered With
vermin.' All this, he said. had been changed,
but he neglected to say that at the present
day the turnkeys at the police station are
compelled 10 keep vermin out of the Office
adjoining the lookup by daily doses OF dis
infectant. According TO the mayor, the
present fine police station Is a place any
citizen might really wish TO be incarcerated
n"
One OF Mayor Taggart's constituents re-
Gently made the remark that he was
smooth and Hey" AS even none of the
reporters had an opportunity TO take stem
ographic reports OF his speech. and the
room was filled with his supporters. 1t
would be interesting to know to whom the
question OF what he really did say could be
referred To with satisfaction.
ANOTHER PAPERS REPORT.
The reporter of another paper was pres
ent. and In speaking of the meeting. said
in briefer terms. substantially what was
reported in the Journal. The Sun. In re-
porting the meeting. said:
He fell on the Denny administration
with both feet, and stamped IL good and
hard. He said he did not think ~self-re-
eminent where detectives were climbing
water spouts TO look into windows to dis
cover whether the saloons were
dating thirsty men on Sunday"
The Journal did not say that Taggart
mentioned the name of Mr.. Denny. but lhat