Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-20

story 10 tell about Tom Taggart since
his elevation to the Democratic ma
tional committee craftsmanship, says
the New York Tribune.
When TagGart was in st. Louis at
tending the national convention he
made his headquarters at the Jefferson
hotel. The passenger elevators were
jammed at almost all hours of the day
and night. On one occasion it was
necessary that he should 90 some work
at once in his room on the sixth floor,
and with the scores of persons fighting
to get into the elevators the prospect
OF getting upstairs without walking
was not good. Taggart soon solved the
puzzle.
"COme on with me. to the freight ele-
vator," he said to Albert +. Gearing,
his secretary.
Cant let you in here" said the
freight elevator conductor. You must
go to the passenger elevator"
but the hotel help rides on this
elevator" protested Taggart, Il look
OF sweet innocence mantling his face. .
Yes. but broke in the conductor
w eli, Stllu 1hSSuIl, eAALA bAiO III"
steward, and disappointing to Gearing
lis the butcher. Now move up"
The conductor moved"
Taggart is an adept at sleight Of
hand and might have made great
prestidigitator if he had turned his
attention in that direction. But he
devotes his talents as a "con artist
in depriving his friends of their tie
pins, watches and the like and return
ing the articles after the victims have
been kept in hot water long enough to
satisfy his sense of the humorous.
One day Andrew NJ. Sweeney, presi-
dent of the indianapolis school board,
and a close friend of Taggart, was
idling away a few hours with Taggart
and several other acquaintances ut the
Grand hotel While they were talking
Taggart made a move as If to brush
Sweeney's coat, and in the operation
extracted his diamond pin. 1t was
Il dull afternoon, and after awhile
Taggart suggested to half n dozen Of
his friends, including Sweeney, that
they take trip out to Fairview park,
a summer resort on an electric line
about four miles out of the city. They
boarded trolley car and IN due time
reached the park. Taggart then sug-
gested that they walk over to a leafy
nook on the further side of the
grounds.
Arriving there, Taggart assembled
the crowd close around him, and in a
grave manner began to address the
astonished Mr.. Sweeney.
Mr.. Sweeney" lie said, I'VE have
long been your friends. and you have
been so kind to us and have assisted
each and all of us in so many ways
that we feel under deep obligations
to you. We have therefore chosen this
occasion and adopted this method of
testifying our deep gratitude toward
you. l am commissioned, Mr.. Sween-
ey, by these gentlemen whom you see
about you to make you Il slight pres
ent as Il testimonial of our regard.
What L am about to present to you
is not worth much in dollars and cents,
but we desire that you shall value it
by the spirit in which it is offered.
rather than by the value of the gift"
BY this time there was moisture in
the eyes of Mr.. Sweeney.
Il now present to YOU our gift" said
TaCgart, bowling and handing to him
his own tie pin, which he had never
missed.
During TagGart's second campaign
for mayoralty of indianapolis he prom
iSed the homcOpaths Il place on the
city board of health in the event of
his election. He received their sup
port, but when the appointments We're
announced it was discovered that there
was no hOmeopath on the board
y committee waited on him in a re-
bellious mood to demand an explana-
ton.
Did l promise the homeopaths a
place on the board of health?" asked
Mr.. Taggart.
You certainly did" retorted the
spokesman.
Then you go back and tell them
that Tom Taggart is a liar" answered
the mayor. and the committee went
away laughing.
Taggart was always successful in
arranging novelties in the way Of pO-
litical demonstrations and parades. On
one such occasion there was q float
bearing a big hollow sycamore log.
with knot holes in it and Democrats
sticking their heads out OF every knot
hole There was q sign on the log
which read. The Woods Are Full OF
Democrats
Joe Reilly, secretary of the Demo
cratic state committee. said the other
day:
Way back in 1877, when Taggart
was working for a railroad restaurant
in Garrett, Ind. he received orders to
come TO indianapolis and work in
restaurant then located at the Union
station. An old IrishwOman, a cook
IN the Garrett establishment. was TO
come on 10 indianapolis also.
1t was in the fall of the year when
TaCgart and the old Irishwomau start
ed for indianapolis. They took a night
train. II was cold. and the car was