The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-12-28
A FLASH IN THE PAN.

The ring is still busy in its efforts to
produce scandals. During the campaign
they have resorted to many inscriptions
practices to weaken the support and retard
the growing popularity of Judge Hall.
Recently in New Orleans they made an
effort to 'sshow'' the strength of Mr..
Michel in that city by offering to bet $1,000
that he would poll in the first primary two
votes to Judge Halls one. The bet was
taken, and then another-and they quit.
The leaguers came back at them offering
to stake $4,000. 1t was not taken. The
ring was merely bluffing. They wanted to
'show" the country vote, but they failed.
In their desperation the ringsters have
again resorted to their former practice of
making attacks upon Judge Halls charac-
ter. 1t has developed that they have for
ined they could work up to appear as a
convincing story, detrimental to Judge
Halls character and standing, and then
throw in little color by way of making
the story Every bad.''
One Isodore Moritz formerly operated a
bucket shop in Monroe. He claimed that
Judge Hall, while judge on the bench,
entered into gambling deals with him, and
that they jointly realized several hundred
dollars out of the investments. Later, as
Moritz represents, they went into deal in
Amalgamated copper, which resulted in a
loss of $500, and the Judge refused to
stand for his share of the loss.
This is the story Mr.. Moritz presents.
However, Mr.. L. L. Smith, who was his
bookkeeper gives information on the sub
ject that shows beyond doubt that Judge
Hall does not owe anything on account of
a deal in stocks, into which he entered at
Moritz's solicitation. In a letter to Mon
roe citizen Mr.. Smith says in part:
Il desire to say, however, that at one
time Mr.. Moritz dealt in some stocks, on
small scale, stating that the deals were for
account OF Judge Hall. l am in position
to know, and do know, and therefore state,
that Judge Hall was not, and is not,
indebted to Mr.. Moritz on account of these
transactions. If you desire more full
and complete history of the matter will
be glad to furnish it to you according to
my recollection
The Michel campaign managers and
hackers got hold of the story and tried, as
stated, for several months to make big
thing out of it and one that would lastingly
damage Judge Halls standing and his
candidacy. Many letters were exchanged,
and then kilograms. "Wire me at length,
sparring no expense" said one telegram.
Their sleuths were put to work on the
''story" and their best talent was sent to
Monroe to help work it up. An offer of
$500 was made Moritz to furnish an affida-
Wit certifying to the truth of his statements.
This the foxy Mr.. Moritz couldn't do.
And here ends the story. 1t appears, in
fact, to be nothing short of scheme at
blackmail on the one side and is the most
damnable and dirty effort yet resorted to
by the hirelings of the city ring to destroy
the good name of Judge Hall.
On the morning that the charges first
appeared in print, in the columns of the
New Orleans Picayune, Judge Hall gave
out the following statement:
'sThe statement of the Michel Campaign
Committee, as published in the edition oil
the Picayune of December 18th, is false
and infamous. 1t is the boldest and mos,
outrageous effort at character assassination
ever attempted to bolster up a cause
already lost before the people. It car
serve only to arouse the disgust, indigna-
ton, and even horror, of every honorable
and decent man in Louisiana, and empha.
sizes the imperative necessity of over
throwing a political system that harbors
such assassins of private character