The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1909-10-02
| WILL Do
As | DID
BEFORE"
Such Is the Startling State
ment Made by Thomas E.
Knots in Plea to Be Re
turned to Office So Gross
" Administered.

IF you will return me TO the office
which l now hold for four years more,
1 pledge you I will do exactly as /
have done before"
Such was the startling statement
made last night by Thomas Knots as
the closing argument of his speech,
made at the meeting Of the independ-
ent democrats in Binzenhof hall.
With his arms outstretched and an
apostolic look upon his face, Knots
made no promise to the people Of Gary
who had gathered to listen to him that
he wuId make any effort to better the
conditions OF the vice-ridden city. no
promise that he would stop the opera
ton of score or more OF blind pigs
that are now 1agrantly violating the
law, no promise that he would not per-
nit gambling and slot machines-but
instead openly declared that If he was
elected as mayor OF Gary he would
conduct the affairs OF the city as he
heretofore had done.
And with the story of a disgraceful
negro riot, which occurred in the no.
torious Jackson negro dive early In
the afternoon fresh in his mind, Thorn
as Knots had the brazen- faced nerve
and audacity to ask those present to
again place him in office. The riot,
which occurred early yesterday after
noon. took place in the negro dive of
Charles Jackson, one of the most vi
cious law breakers of the city. whom
Knots is permitting to sell beer and
whisky in open violation of the law
which he is supposed to enforce.
Did Not Ring True.
And with these things in view. busi-
ness ana professional men like II. A.
Paine. Attorney Ora L Wildermuth
and DR.. Popovich got up and in a
speech declared that Tom Knots was
an honest man and that he had been
conducting the affairs of the city adj
ministration in a proper manner.
with all due credit to the Knots
party, a large crowd gathered at the
Binzenhof hall. but the majority of
| them were republicans and Crolius
democrats, who had gone down ex.
pecting to hear Knots explain some
of the charges that have been put to
him, he having advertised that such
| explanations would be offered. But
not in a single instance did Knots an
swer any OF the questions that have
been put to him at various times He
said that there had been no graft. and
| QeHeQ any one 10 prove IL NOIHlI&
was said In extenuation of the high as
| sessments along certain streets; about
the whip which he holds over the local
police force. why gambling had been
permitted, and why blind pigs were
now operating But he evaded all these
| questions and all he could say was
| there has been no graft
Knots observer Reelection.
Attorney Harvey ]. Curtis presided
at the meeting and the first speaker
he introduced was Ora l. Wildermuth
He said that the chief reason that Mr.
Knots should be elected again was
that he deserved 1t. He eulogizeC
Knots and gave him credit for build
Ing the town Of Gary from a few
shacks on a sandhill to a magnificent
city He also said that the republi
cans controlled every court in LAX,
county. and if there had been AM
grating 1t would be an easy mattel
to convict the town officials through
| them.
H. A. Paine was the next speake
and said If there were any grafterl
among the town officials they should b
cleaned out. He told Mr.. Knots tt
take OF his coat and get extremel!
busy or one OF the republican candi
dates for mayor would defeat him. Mr.