Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-06
QUESTIONS TAGGART
ATTORNEY oEHzRAx MILLER
TAXES ExcxPTIoH 10 RnMARx.


TAXES ExcKPTIon TO REMARK.
| PAoII. Ind. July dt-charies Miller. at
tofnev general Of Indiana. who il here per-
scnally conducting the litigation on behalf
ef the state AGAINST the French Lick Springs
Company and the West Baden Hotel Conn
pany. took exception today 20 something m
the statement made yesterday by Thomas
TexuArt OF tho French Lack Springs Hotea
Company. Mr.. TaxBzrt said yesterday that
! tho casinos were not q part OF the hotel
properties but were under leAss to Third
parties and that suits were pend4n9 70 cam
eel these leases because the hotel connpa-
MES had learned that gambling was being
conducted at the casinos.
Attorney General Miller said: There are
some peculiar features about these two
pending suits to cancel the leases. why
were they brought In a Justice OF the peace
| great secrecy. and then as quietly appealed
| to the circuit court. where they have re-
manned covered up and unknown? az
Action to Meet Contingency.
sAThey were brought to meet exactly such
q contingency as this. and to be dragged
out and used as defense when needed.
The leases were made March LID. the suits
were brought April II. the hearing was at
night-a most unusual procedure-the APP
| peal from the finding OF the local justice to
| the circuit court was made June To- and all
was SO quietly done that few seemed to
know that any such action had been inSti-
! tuted.
But the state Is under obligation to the
| hotel COMPANIES for those official records.
| because in their complaint the hotel COM
panies set up ownership to the property,
and base their petition on the ground that
! the people operating the casinos have been
| using them for gambling purposes. Here
| we have the admission Of gambling. In all
other respects the suits for possession are
| jokes-as I characterized them In court
yesterday"
Gov. Hanly's Statement.
WINONA LAKE, Ind. July e.--Iov. ].
Frank Hanly. at whose command the
raids on the casinos at French Lick and
West Baden were made, today made the
following statement:
Il promised the people Of Indiana last
September In q public address that the
Monte Carlos at French Lick and West
Baden should be closed IL it could be law
fully done. gathered information
through special representatives upon
which to base an action similar to that
| filed this week, and would have instituted
proceedings then. but was assured that
gambling should cease and that the law
would not be further violated. was in
formed through what I believed reliable
sources that gambling did cease In De-
cember. that the casinos were dismantled
and the unlawful paraphernalia removed.
This condition, as I WAS advised. con-
tinued until March or April this year, when
both casinos were opened and gambling
first under restrictions but growing finally
into open, fragrant and shameful disregard
OF the law. The evidence gathered last
year. of itself though valuable, was not sur
fcent upon which to predicate an action
in the courts I then proceeded again to
collect through representatives sent to both
casinos the necessary evidence upon which
to found the present proceedings This
work was completed only last week and
laid before Attorney General Miller. I had
been in consultation with him from the be-
ginning and had been advised by him con-
corning the states legal rights and the
authority Of the executive in the premises.
I'VE shall now learn whether the manage
men Of the French Lick Springs Hotel Com
pany and the West Baden Hotel Company
is above the law"
'"The issue is not between the managers
OF these companies and me; 1t Is between
them and far greater and more enduring
power-between them and the law. I may
soon cease to be a factor in the case at all,
may cease to have to do with public at
fairs. But the issue raised between these
| men and the law will remain until the law
| is vtndcated and the authority of the state
| Is established and respected. The state
| ment of Mr.. Taggart that the French Lick
| Springs Hotel Company has not and Will
not tolerate gambling on its premises In
the Hght-of recent developments and evil
dence in the possession Of the state scarce
ly rises to the force and dignity OF jest.
II his statement Is true, what Is the mean
ing of the carload OF costly paraphernalia
taken from the premises of the hotel COM
pany? He admits himself that gambling
has existed. His counsel yesterday, In open
court agreed that 1t should not be per-
| mitted between yesterday and the 18th In
slant. when the cases are to be heard.
where did he find this new power to
stop itY The hotel safe itself has been
used for weeks nightly as a place Of safe
keeping for the money earned by the ca
sine. The casino building Itself did not
purpose or use could justify the payment
Of the great sum, said to be $4,000 an
nualy, by the operator of the casino for
his concession? The truth is that Mr.. Tag
CART, as manager OF the hotel company.
| has at no time desired anything in connec-
| ton with the casino that has not been
granted by It's operator. On special days,
| like that when the members of the Ma
%fonal Editorial Association visited French
Lick he had the power to cause the sus-
pension Of gambling in the casino during
| the whole time of their visit, and 1t was Rc-
tuaIly closed except as to the lower floor.
where the slot machines were allowed to
run
"Mr Taggart will not be able to fool
either the people Of Indiana or deceive the
people Of this country in this manner.
believe that the suits filed by Attorney
General Miller are well founded. If for
any reason the law Is inadequate as now
written I shall appeal to the people OF the
| state without regard to their party affilia-
| tons. to elect a general assembly in No
executive with such authority as will en-
| able me to reach such conditions"
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