The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-05-01
BILLY BL0OGETT
A GORDON PRESS
AGENT ARRIVES
Indianapolis News Political
Dopester, Holds Confab
With Gordon and Spekenhier
At the Postoffice.
A NEW LIGHT THROWN
ON GORDON CAMPAIGN
Last Attempt of Gordon Is
Made to Circulate Cam
paign Lies-BIodgett's Rec
ord Is Well Known. Ia.

Billy BlOdgett. DOllt1cal writer OF the
Indianapolis News, came to Richmond
yesterday, evidently at the invitation
of J. Bennett Gordon. Billy and Ben
nett held conference with AL Spoken
hier, postmaster. in Spekenhier.s pri-
vate office yesterday afternoon. Blod-
gett is noted throughout the state for
the manner in which he misrepresents
facts. when there is purpose to be
gained. Blodgett was here to get 'in.
formation" about the local mayoralty
race, and he could not have picked
more likely men than these two t.
give him information" regarding the
true situation What kind of ''in-
formation will Billy have in the News
tonight? It will be the same sort as
that put forth several weeks ago. His
story then showed coloring favorable
to Gordon. And it set forth cam
paign lies which Gordon wished to
have put out in Richmond thinking
they would hurt the other candidates.
His News Source.
When Blodgett came to Richmond a
few years ago to get political "informa-
tion," he always visited certain men.
At that time Gordon claimed they were
machine men. He said that it was
Harry Starr's machine" Al Spe-
kenhier was said by Gordon to be one
Of the cogs in that machine. Is Cor
don now trying to line up men he for
merly opposed as belonging to the
Starr machine? Is he trying to effect
a Starr" machine of his own? II so,
for what purpose?
Gordon used to say "the machine
was not in politics for nothing. Elec-
trio light franchises, waterworks fran
chises and naturN gas franchises will
be required in fhe next four years.
Does this same group of men now take
up Gordon IN order to again get con.
troll? Edf Gates is buying@~up the
waterwofks stock. Ed Gates is for
Gordon. And he~is said to be furnish
ing money for Gordon's campaign. Ed
Gates is a heavy stockholder in the
Minck Brewing Co. Ed Gates is Har-
ry Starr's man, Friday"
Harry Starr is heavy stockholder
in the Minck Brewing company. Lew
Iliff, manager of the Minck Brewing
Co.. Is doing all he can for Gordon.
Is it possible. after the way Bennett
Gordon has fought these men and their
tactics that he has performed another
flip-flop and gone over to their camp?
Corporation Backing.
Several of the other largest stock.
holders in the waterworks company
are doing all they can for Gordon. Cor
don has boasted of the power he would
have in influencing the pubhc mind
through his newspaper in case he was
made mayor. For this reason alone he
would be dangerous. The Palladium
has quoted portions from editorials
showing Gordon has always fought the
Municipal Light Plant and it is said he
has done this on account of being fav-
orable to the Light, Heat & Power Co,
corporation.
Coming back to Billy Blodgett, his
veracity Tor lack of it, is well known.
It was at the Shelbyville republican
convention that the chairman was pc
titioned by certain men to refuse
Blodgett the privileges Of the conven-
tion. They said he would not treat
them fair. as he had been misrepre-
senung them IN his writings.
And this is the type of q man
brought into the local campaign in an
attempt to boom Gordon. Verify, ths
denizens of the tower Of Babel must
have been politicians. such strange
bedmates politics makes.
It looks> as II Gordon, through the
medium of Billy Blodgett. was going
to try to make one last stab to gain
strength in this race. But the people
know Billy well enough so considering
that he got his information" from
Bennett, the story will not be taken Sc
riously.