The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-11-06
DEMOCRATIC FRAUD
JOHN BANKS. A NOTORIOUS coIoRED
DEMOCRAT, ARRESTED.
Working Under Orders, He Attempt
ed to Bribe Republican,
Election Omcer.
THE ENDLESS CHAIN" SCHEME
BANKS ATTEMPTED TO GET HOLD
OF A SIGNED BALLOT.
Conversation Between Banks and J
Wesley Bridges Taken Down by
Expert Shorthand Man.

John Banks. a colored Democrat was
arrested, late yesterday afternoon, by Con-
stables Hildebrand and Anderson, Of JUS
tice Nickerson's court, on n charge of at
tempting to bride ]. Wesley Bridges. Re-
publican election judge of the sixteenth
precinct of the First ward. Banks was
held for trial. and his bond fixed at $1,000.
which was furnished by William Flynn.
The affidavit charges that Banks offered
and promised to pay Bridges $50 for an
original ballot to be taken from the rooms
where the election in that precinct is to
be held.
Sunday afternoon Banks visited Bridges
and brought up the matter of securing
the ballot, and an appointment was made
for yesterday morning. The Republican
county committee was advised, and Bridges
was instructed to proceed with the nego-
tiations. Charles NJ. Glover. OF the Indian
apolis Gas Company. and Waiter n. Car
penter. a court stenographer. went to
Bridges's place of business and concealed
themselves where the conversation with
Banks might be heard.
A VERBATIM REPORT.
Mr.. Carpenter secured verbatim report
of the conversation, which was transcribed
and is here given:
The following conversation between
Banks and Bridges was taken down IN
shorthand by Mr.. Carpenter, an expert:
Banks-well, come up prepared to do
business, Yves.
Bridges-Well, all right. You see have
to keep shut up here to keep customers
out.
Banks-well. amt been to bed yet:
went down to draw my salary.
ipk II nv hIlaineCS2
Merrett and Charley Hubbard and whole
lot of them five and ten-dollar gamblers
are trying TO do business. L never
in my life seen people that has had
as much experience as Hubbard and Mer-
rett and them PEOPLE has, and Claims TO De
so smart-they run down there TO see Tag
CART. 1 never go to them fellows; they al
Blidges-Well, they realize that you are
valuable man to them, and they call
Banks-WeII. they realize this, they
would not send for me IL / wasn't valu-
able man to them. and they know that
am of some little service to them. Well,
seen this morning. Charley Hubbard-he
goes down there and he says to Tom: ITO
morrow is election day." Yes, how are you
Charley?" Charley says: II would like to
him out ten dollars, and Bill Merrett. he
says: II would like to have ten" and he
hands him out the money Well, L don
take nothing; If they offer me nifty dom
III. Il
chance to do business; just let them give
me a chance to make my own money
that Is all / want.
Bridges-Yes, that is right. Now, what
scheme have you on foot to get this ballot
that you are talking about?
Banks-Here is all 1t is: 1 feel, and al
be defeated; / feel positive of it. Now, here
is all they are TO do and that is to
go to work and get ballot and let me have
it to work with will have to handle that
hxs x-ar1
are by me; you protect me and l protect
you. I says. "All 1 want is fifty dol
Bridges-I guess you realize how serious
this thing is, do you?
Banks-Why, don't / realize that 1t is
| Just awful?
Bridges-That ballot will have to be
| stolen, and If / do thing like that for
you, il will be the first time in my life
I have done anything dishonest. and
suppose those people Will want some kind
OF evidence from you that have got the
money-a receipt, or something?
Banks-I won't force you to sign re-
| ceipt: / won't force you TO DO that.
Bridges-well, what is your plan now?
WOULD GIVE MONEY.
Banks-It is like this: When you get
a ballot and deliver it to me l will give
you the money. You see. 1 brought fifty
with me-fve, ten, twenty. twenty-five,
thirty-fve. forty, fifty. You see, got the
| money
Bridges-That is the stuff Now, that
plan isl suppose
Banks-Now the scheme Is . .
Bridges-Has Kramer got anything
Banks-Kramer had money last year, but
he hasn't got anything this year. .
and 1 was working right there myself.
n Il
| to you and asked you. through the tele-
| phone this morning, were you prepared to
| do business.
Bridges-Yes; am prepared to do bust
ness, but it don't hurt to discuss affairs
Banks-Here is one thing-I want to be
| fair with you and 1 want 10 thoroughly
understand you.
Bridges-Yes. that is what 1 want.
Banks-I go to work and say like this:
Now. What l want to say is that
these people are all out for the money
| Now, the thing is
Bridges-I never got political dollar in
Banks-Is that so? Is your horse and
| buggy out there?
| Bridges-No.
| to have you go over and see ballot that
has got your signature on IL.
Bridges-Is ii forgery. or is 1t my gen.
1 uine signature?
wrote it yourself. / wanted you to see IL so
bad last night that i couldn't hardly
Yes. it is the real thing. right on
the outside.
Bridges-They told me to write a plain
1 initial, or a comparatively plain initial.
/ and Now, you tell me exactly how
/ the delivery of this money and the delivery
/ of this ballot is TO be arranged. Am / to
/ give 1t to you directly. when l am i'm the
/ election room. Or will you get chance 70
take this ballot from me directly? Possibly
YOU will have some agent; that is, IL the
/ ballot Is gotten, 1t will have to be gotten 10
you by some means or other, l suppose.
Banks-I will tell you how we arrange
/ that Now. 1t is natural and OF
course I will say good morning To
YOU, and when / say good morning IL won't
the water closet. and you can go TO the
water closet and shake hands with me, and
| l will take the ballot from you and put
| the money into ycur hands. / think that Is
! the best way TO do that. III you have any
/ further scheme to suggest. why, just let me
| know.
COULDN'T BE BEATEN.
Bridges-That scheme could not be beat.
en-, as far as I know. OF course, a man
is bound to go 10 the water closet during
the day some tine. How will you arrange
for the delivery of the balance OF the
money?
Banks-well. this is the way I want "a
arrange that: Wien you give me the bal.
| lot I will hand you $50 . Now, tc
show them that am in good faith
you know Polster is a dirty nigre,
hater--what I call a rebel. He viii want