The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-06-23
MANY OFFICIALS
WERE INDICTED
ELECTION FRAUD
Among Number Was Tom
Taggart and Others of
Lesser Importance
~ AsssocIATED -.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Indianapolis, June 22.--One hun
dred and twenty-eight men were In
dicted here today BY the county
grand jury, ali charged with con
spiracy to commit felonies a. de-
fined By election laws Of Indiana and
the laws against bribery and black
mail Less than half the number
had surrendered 10 Sheriff Cofin to-
night and had given bond.
/ Thomas TagRart, democratic ma
tional committeeman, Indiana; Jo-
seph E. Bell, mayor Of indianapolis;
Samuel v. Perrott, chief police; Rob
ort W Metzger, republican member
board public safety, however, were
among first acknowledge service II
case and give security.
/ Bonds Of men, who surrendered to-
day, ranged from two thousand. five
hundred 20 ten thousand dollars. IL
was estimated that II an the hun-
dred and twenty-eiRht men had give
bond the total would reach more than
three hundred thauak..d dollars.
The Indictment charges that the
conspiracy begal with primary Of
May 5, 1914. an extendea through
the eiectiun Of November q, ,1sf4 II
alleges illegal voting, intimidation
and false registration among other
i illegal actions. No date for the ar
raignment has been set.
| Both Taggart and Bell today said
they were innocent charges.
The action created a sensation.
While II had been rumored a number
Of indictments would result from the
investigation Of the last election. Il
was not thought men 50 high IN politi-
cal councils would be named.
More than a dozen members Of
Mayor Bells official family and as
many more members Of the police
force were indicted. The others in
cluded election officials, ward and pre-
cinct leaders, workers az the polls
and voters.
In all i2s were indicted. Among
them were many members Of Mayor
Bells official family; former city Of
ficials; policemen, ward leaders and
primary and election officials. The
list includes Herman Adams. city
sealer Of weights and measures; Denis
Bush, street commissioner; Edward
Lyons, Democratic candidate for
county treasurer; DIR. John ". sluss
Republican and former superinten-
dent Of the city hospital; Dom M
Roberts, former mayor of Terrs
Haute, convicted in the Terre Hauts
election frauds trial In federal eour,
recently Charles Coval, formerly
! Mayor Bells secretary; Jacob n
, Hilkene. city building Inspector; Os
! car Merrill. police lieutenant; Patriel
/. ID. Roche and Michael Glenn, city de.
tectives.
Roberts connection with Indian.
, apolis politics was touched on durinr
, the trial in the federal court. Sew
! eral witnesses testified that he har
, sent repeaters to Indianapolis from
Terre Haute.
! Al the defendants, Republicans
democrats and Progressives are nam
p ed in a single indictment Of fort,
!, counts. The main charge Of con
4 spiracy % commit felonies By cor
{ rupting the election, BY violation O.
8 the primary law and the registration
2 laws and the bribery and blackmail
!. alBe registration and illegal victims
e is charged. Other counts alleaa tina
d primary and elections boards Der
mitted destruction of ballots FOR III
!. ! purpose Of substituting other ballots
= that primary poll clerks marked bal
Z lots in a manner differently from
= that required BY the voter; tina
b money was used IN influencing elec
!, tors; that policemen were permits
j. 10 stand within ffty feet Of the polls
3 "for improper purposes that repeat
- ers were imported from outside o
the county; that election officials fall
p ed Ia their duty Of having votinl
{ machines in proper order; and ira
= voting machines were tempered WITT
81 Thomas Taggart was the FIRST a
y the indicted men to appear az tn
= sheriE'E ofiee % acknowledge aervfe
s Is the case. He was closely follou
i "a BY Mayor Bell Both were r.
v leased on personal bonds Of $1,000
each.