Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-06-30
'TAGGART IS INDICTED
INDIANAPOLIS MAYOR AND 1926
OTHERS ALSO CHARGED
WITH POLL FRAUDS.
ACTION IS SURPRISE TO ALL
Men Prominent In City and Political
Affairs included In Charges Of Cor
ruptIon at EIection-Tagsart and
Bell Give Bond.

Indianapolis, June 24.-Thomas Tag
CART, Democratic national committee
man for Indiana; Mayor Joseph F.
Bell, Samuel v. Perrott, chief of po
lice, and 1875 Others were indicted by
the Marion county grand jury here on
Tuesday, charged with conspiracy to
commit felony through violation Of
election laws, bribery and blackmail
Taggart and Bell were the first to &C
knowledge service, in the case and
were released on $4,000 bond each
Several other men appeared and were
released on bond. IA !. z 5$..
The Indictment caused q sensation.
While 1t has been rumored on the
streets for some time that several
men were to be indicted as a result OF
an investigation of the last election, II
was not thought men SO high in po-
litfcal councils would be included. Not
more than a dozen spectators were in
court when the grand jurors, accom-.
panied by Alvah ]. Rucker, prosecutor,
submitted the report to Judge James
A. Collins of the criminal court.
More than q dozen members of
Mayor Bells official family were In.
dicted and as many more members of
the police force were; named. The 9th
ers indicted included election OH cials,
ward and precinct leaders, workers at
the polls and voters. E. @s : y.9sss.aE8.
+ Mr.. Taggart arrived IN Indianapolis
from French Lick about the time the
indictment against him was being re-
turned. III Z t,.g !s#!ggs < 4Si5 i.
NO, I don't know anything about
Il" said Mr.. Taggart when asked II he
had any statement to make al i.
Many. members OF Mayor Bells offi-
cial family, former city officials. po-
41cemen, ward leaders and primary
and election officials are among those
indicted. The more prominent are the
following: i.; "a slss ii. Il s3 y :
Fred Barrett, city attorney. in ~
! Robert Metzger. former chief of po-
lice. %I ...f ::ss p .,... b :. @
\ Frank P. Baker, former county
Herman Adam, city sealer Of weights
and measures. =: 81 IL ~
NJ Dennis Bush, street commissioner.
( Edward I Lyons, Democratic candi-
date for county treasurer.
Oh. John w. Sluss, Republican, and
former superintendent OF the city hos.
pital. III, s.5.s q is,& .sl} ~.
Dom M. Roberts, former mayor Of
Terre Haute, who was, convicted in the
election fraud trial in the federal court
here recently. Isl ss i y ~
Charles Coval, formerly Mayor Bells
secretary. 8, '5.r ="
Jacob n. Hilkene, city building in
spector. Il ss5y FL ,g5i., X %ss
Oscar Merrill, police lieutenant. II.
Patrick J.. Roche, city detective.
b. Michael Glenn, city detective .. +
y Roberts connection with Indianap-
oils politics was touched upon at the
trial In the federal court when he was
convicted and sentenced to six years
in the federal prison. Several wit
nesses mentioned the alleged fact that
Roberts had sent repeaters to Indian
,apolis from Terre Haute to work dur
ing the election and two Indianapolis
men testified to going from this city
to Terre Haute to work in the cleo
ton there. 5;s5 f'
All the men-Democrats, Republic
ans and Progressives-are named In
single indictment, which contains 4S
counts and covers Its typewriter pa
pers. The main charge is conspiracy
to commit felonies by corrupting the
election, by. violation OF the primary
law, the registration laws, by bribery
and blackmail. IT. ~ ts.s$.S