The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-19
THE rAGeARr-BaSks CASE.

THE TAGGART-BASkS CASE.
The conviction of John Banks a colored
Democratic local politician. for attempting
to bride an election officer in the last cleo
ton has elected the usual protest in DEM
ocratic circles. Such convictions always
do. The Sentinel calls it "a perversion of
Justice and virtually denounces the court
and jury by saying that we have reached
the point of convicting innocent man
because he is Democrat" The Criminal
Court is charged with being ''prostituted to
political ends" This is the same spirit
that led the same paper years ago to say
of the Supreme Court Damn their cow
ardly souls" because it decided contrary
to a Democratic contention.
The Banks case presents some peculiar
aspects. not the least peculiar of which
is Mayor Taggart's connection with it. The
Indiana law against attempting to bribe
an election officer is very plain and the
penalty Is severe. Banks is colored DEM
ocratic politician of the disreputable SORT
with an unsavory police record. The Ell
enough. first. to secure his indictment by
the grand jury, which indictment was
quashed for informality; second, to Justify
his arrest on an affidavit of inform a ton
by the person whom he attempted To bride,
and third, to secure his conviction by a
jury. AS the evidence was too clear to be
denied or disputed an effort was made to
explain it away. When Banks was first
arrested Mayor Taggart went on his bond.
The mayor was also one of the witnesses
for the defense, conferred with the Judge
during the trial and sent his private sec.
rotary to visit the defendant after his con-
viction, thus showing remarkable personal
interest in the case. The defendant had
stated that "the old man." meaning the
mayor. ought to help him out. The defense
did not attempt to deny that Banks had
made direct offer of money $500 to The.
election officer to do a certain illegal act,
but 1t was claimed that he was simply
setting a trap for the officer and trying to
make a case for the Democratic commit
tee, which at that time was making a
great cutlery about alleged Republican
public morals enlisted the aid OF one
Charles Polster. another Democratic poll
tician who is tolerably well knows in the
community. MIR. Taggart publishes a
statement in which he says:
During the closing days of tic campaign
Democratic fF1@n nf
the existence of genuine ballois in the
hands of Republicans. This report was re-
peated several times, and receives It's most
tangible confirmation on Oct. ~, when
Charles Polster told me that John SanL S
said he knew of a man who could furnish
one of these ballots for consideration :
told Polster to send Banks to roe.
Banks came to me and told lne that ne
knew of man who had offered TO furnish
ballot for $50. Il told him would give SEQ
for the ballot and the man, bu- tina.
wanted them both. / asked him if he had
seen Chairman Sullivan. of the county COM
mittee. He said he had not, but that Mr..
Polster had seen Mr. Tanning, who was
assisting Mr.. Sullivan. ] do not recollect
that Banks told me who the man was who
had the ballot, although he may have at
this time, or that he even knew at any
time the man was election officer.
Mayor Taggart seems to have had suffi-
cient confidence in Polster and Banks as
promoters of honest elections to put up
the necessary funds and direct them TO
go ahead. You see, it was trap-not an
attempt to work a corrupt scheme in the
interest of the Democratic ring, but an
attempt to catch a Republican election off,
Ger. But, unfortunately for this theory, the
law does not recognize that kind of trap
ping as legitimate. A man may not make
and pass counterfeit money In order 10
test the honesty or credulity of his neigh
bors. So, when the trappers were ready
to go ahead the mayor says. Horace
Cramer came to me and l gave him $50 =
This to bait the trap with-accordlng
to the theory of the defense. The evidence
showed that it was offered to the election
officer provided he would do a certain
prohibited act. with an assurance that
there was more where that came from
Mayor Taggart says. There was nc
secrecy among the leaders of the party or
ganization about this transaction" So II
seems. He and those other recognized
party leaders-John Banks, Charley
Polster and Messrs. Cramer and Tanning
knew al about 1t, but they did not say
| anything about it until after the spring
ing of the trap, which, to their consterna
ton. caught their colleague. Then they re-
membered that instead of an attempt to
bride an election officer it was an attempt
to entrap a Republican. THE whole pur-
pose," says Mayor Taggart, twas to dem
| cnstrate that the Democratic organiza-
| ton was alert and vigilant and determined
| to protect an honest ballot" 1t is a pity
that judges and juries will Insist on con.
demning honest schemes like that for the
| promotion of the public welfare.
STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES.