Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1905-03-03


provisions showed that 1t was blan-
ket ordinance of the most pronounced
type. 1t was clearly dangerous and
vicious, for while 1t purported to grant
TO a corporation franchise for the
public service of the kind demanded
by the petitions and mass meetings, 1t
really gave this corporation rights and
privileges covering the entire city. Its
provisions were so cleverly drawn that
the corporation seeking the franchise
would be able to use the streets and
alleys for almost any kind of service.
The lawyer who drew the ordinance
was a master of his art and past
master OF craft.
| called in the introducer of the
measure and asked him who was back
of it. He refused to give me any
names, but said the hackers were "re-
sponsible men," The committee to
which the ordinance was referred met
and promptly voted to report back to
the board of aldermen with favorable
recommendation; the members who
had been elected through the reform
campaign voting in the affirmative.
When it was called up for passage it
went through with flying colors, and
again the reform" aldermen voted for
it, Many speeches were made and ev-
cry member who voted aye declared
he did so because of the overwhelming
weight of public opinion as evidenced
by the many meetings and petitions in
favor of the measure And in the light
of what had happened no one could
successfully argue that they were not
right in taking the position they did.
Under the law was given certain
number of days to sign or veto the
ordinance. The large majority by
which the measure was put through
plainly indicated that the aldermen
could pass the ordinance over my veto,
for the gangsters, reform" members
and weak sisters" were numerically
sctrong enough to guarantee the
requisite number of affirmative votes.
One of the boldest members of the
clique of gangsters called on me, and
with delicious candor told me they
were willing to let me down easy and
laid before me the draft of several
amendments which the majority would
accept. | read the proffered amend
ments with some amusement, for all
of them together made not the slightest
material change in the ordinance.
My caller watched me with a merry
twinkle in his eye. had some respect
for him. as l knew he was one of the
gang who stayed bought" or, as he
expressed it on one occasion, he could
stand without hitching"
"You are going to put it through,
then" l remarked.
yes" he replied, eve have the votes
and the people want the ordinance. 1t
gives them what they have been de-
handing, and. while | think the COM
pany is getting pretty good thing out
of it, am not going to go against the
people"
| Giving him fresh cigar and calling
him by his first name, l said:
81 guess you're right Just leave
those amendments with me. But tell
me, who drew W that ordnance"
He gave me the name of the profess
sional man who had been one of the
four leaders of the reform campaign.
The afternoon papers contained the
news that would sign the ordinance,
and l did not deny the report My
aldermanic caller had told his friends
that | would be right"
Now, for some time had been in
possession of information touching
most of the gang" aldermen sufi-
GENTLY explicit to procure their indict-
ment by the grand jury.
had this evidence-most of it in the
shape of neutrality-suspicious. in the
form commonly used by prosecuting
attorneys who go before grand juries
Then | called in the gangsters one by
one and laid before them the damaging
testimony given by the typewriter
pages. l told each of them that if HI
attended the next meeting of the alder
men | would 60 before the grand jur!
the next day and have him indicted
and press the prosecution until | sen
him to the penitentiary.
A treacherous attempt by one of thu
boodlers to get away with considera
BILE sum of money which was to be dis
tributed pro rata among them aided M
materially in my efforts to defeat tn
: ordinance. With the price of the meas
ure in a gripsack, he slipped off to
distant city. The next train carrie
another gangster, who took with him
good-sized ready-to-use revolver, an
this five-shotted argument was so con
S vincing that the absconding treasure
2 returned to his home. the other alder
] man carrying the money, The hacker
of the ordinance. learning of the at
tempt by their paymaster to divert tn
e trust to his own use, secured possessio
o of the money and laid down the propc
d sition that no cash would be passed ur
til the goods were delivered"
| talked plainly to the gangsters
a called in. told them their ordinanC
q was zoo vicious to become law an
e that while | regretted the necessity fc
t using extreme measures, the emergenc
0 left no other course open to me.