The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-10
MAYOR TAGGART's REPLY.


18th Civil-service League. composed prin-
cipally of Lucius Il. Swift. assuming at all
times a guardianship over the morals and
general business of the community, and in
dulging usually in reckless Islander of
Democratic officials, has, IL seems. induced
a gentleman OF the nam Of Milligan TO
string together a lot OF falsehoods. too
transparent and himsy for repetition by the
average Republican boodler ana ward
heller.
.Mr. Milligan has claim to distinction in
two particulars: First, he is the son-in-law
of the amiable PM Fishback. while. sec
ond. he became rich by reason OF being the
assignee of one of the partners of a defunct
bank. his receivership not having been en-
numbered by any civil-service rules.
His report alleges that the best and
most efficient men on the police and IRE
forces were first dismissed arbitrarily by
the Board of Public Safety. and that the
evidence against these men at their suose-
quent trials was flimsy and unreliable. be-
ing that of harlots and the criminal
classes. Mr.. Milligan never read the evil
dence adduced at these trials. He heard
none of it. He simply sits down in a back
room, and without attempting TO OBTAIN
knowledge upon the subject. deliberately
proceeds TO SANDER the city administration
for purely partisan reasons.
The fact that the evidence against the
accused men was almost entirely given by
reputable citizens-no criminal being called
as a witness-emphasizes the malice of the
falsehoods with which Mr.. F~ishbacks SON
in-law's report is honeycomoed. I've
women of the town were called as wit
nesses and testified to facts which were
not disputed, and this is the entire founda-
ton to the scandalous partisan charges
made In this report.
THE DENNY ADMINISTRATION.
This nonpartisan committee has the au-
dacity to refer to the civil-service rules
adopted by the Denny administration.
When Mr.. Denny was elected TO the office
of mayor he proceeded to dismiss Demo-
Gratis at wholesale. With two or three ex-
ceptions the head of every Democratic
subordinate officer was chopped of without
notice or hearing. Policemen and firemen
by the score were dismissed without
charges or trial-the orders of the Board OF
Safety being i'm the identical anguage used
in the order of the present board. On
March Is, 1894, the Board OF Public Safety,
according 10 its record. took the following
action: The board having examined into
the standing of the following members OF
the police force find them to be inefficient
officers and hereby order their discharge
from the service of the city. the same to
take effect at once:
"rDemocrats-Frank Giblin, James ker-
ins, John Arnold, Harry Deshong, Patrick
Griffin, Theodore Grothaus, c. M Nichol-
son, Preston Pierson.
"'Republicans-George Corhan, Joseph
w. winn, Henry Pope. ]. w. Wurtz, Elmer
Clingler, Vernon Albert
ION July 3, 1894, the record shows that
the board took the following action: The
board, after investigation through the cnief
of the fire force and the captains OF the
various companies, orders the remova or
the following members of the fire force by
reason of unftness TO perform the duties OF
a fireman, said removals to take effect at
Z a. m. Aug. i, 1894:
"sDemocrats-John Goodknecht. Martin
~ DarrArt EN1Oana EoI 4 a ~
Elisha Keepers, Jerry Shea, j. A. Perkins.
James Frazier, John Crabb.
"'Republicans-Henry Sulgrove, john
Golfer. John Dunn. Michael Mountain,
.On March IS. 1895, the record shows that
the board took the following action: The
board, having amir into the standlng
of the following members of the police and
detective forces, finds them to be inefficient
officers and hereby orders their discharge
from the service of the city. the same to
take effect at once:
"'Democrats-Patrick Doherty, William
H. Thomas, Andrew Sowres, William III.
Hoefgen.
neutrality-suspicious. W.. o. Fergu-
son.
A CALL FOR MIR. SWIFT.
Where was Lucius b. Swift then? What
protest was made by the v~irtuous Milligan
and the Civil-service League? They were
all given tacit Endorsement to the action,
for the reason that Democrats were the
sufferers. The Endorsement of the Denny
board in this action discharging thirty-fve
men makes the present attack absolutely
ridiculous and contemplate.
"Mr. Denny's civil-service rules for the
appointment of other city employees were
adopted Feb. Is, 1894, after the Democrats
had all been fired from these positions and
when there was nothing for them to operate
upon. They were a great joke. Everybody
understood that Democrats had no show Tor
office under those rules, and none applied.
This impartial and 'nonpart1San commit
tee lays great stress upon the fact that
policemen and firemen were assessed for
campaign purposes by Democrats. 1t Is true
that Democrats on these forces MADE Vol,
untary contributions to their party, and
that the Republican members likewise con-
tributed to the Republican party. No word
of censure IL uttered against Republican
terly assailed. Every man in indianapolis
knows that these contributions have al
ways been made, under all administrations,
and always will be. That there was ever
a threat, express or implied, on the part
of the present administration TO coerce a
single payment, is a falsehood, pure and
simple.
ut is difficult to understand why this
committee, with such lofty ideals. should
stand silent while every Republican sub
ordinate, federal, State, county, city and
township, is contributing to Republican
campaign funds, while they raise the most
lugubriouS walls about Democratic contri-
buttons. This disgraceful hypocrisy will
discredit their whole disgraceful perform
ance.
THE utter ignorance of Mr.. Milligan as
TO the subject about which he is making
a report is illustrated in his statement con-
corning the 'kissel case which, he says,
was tried at Lebanon, and at which police
men are said to have testified. The Kissel
case was heard at Noblesville and no
policeman testified in that case at all.
This accurate and truthful gentleman
evidently refers TO the Iron case, which
was tried at Lebanon, at which some
policemen were witnesses. But he did not
care to mention the Iron case as the cor
rect one, for that would not consist with
another part of his story that Iron opposed
Taggart S reelection, and that in return
Taggart closed Irons poolroom. In order
to make a show of consistency he deliber-
ately placed the Kissel case at Lebanon,
at all.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Mr.. Milligan's structures on the per-
present constituted will fall fat In this
community, for all know that no city in
the country has better or more efficient
forces than the city OF Indianapolis. 1t is
poor encouragement TO the brave men who
risk their lives in fighting fires, and who
nave won the warmest praise from all, to
have these ~scandalous campaign lies scat
tered broadcast by men who assume to be
better than their fellows.
The criticism OF the order OF the Board
of Public Safety forbidding policemen 10
enter saloons is of the same cloth as the
-. - NJ