Evening star., 1915-06-22
Thomas Taggart One Of More
Than 100 Indicted on Charge
of Election Conspiracy.
MAYOR AND POLICE CHIEF
OF INDIANAPOLIS NAMED
Violation of Primary and Registra-
ton Laws. Bribery and Blackmail
Among Allegations Made.

INDIANAPOLIS. June 22.--An indict
ment charging election conspiracy was
returned against more than 100 per-
sons. including several high in party
councils. by the Marion county grand
jury, here today. The charges are based
on the election of November 3, 1914
the registration of last September and
October and the primary of May 8, 1914.
Thomas Taggart, democratic national
Committeeman for Indiana; Mayor
Joseph E. Bell, Samuel Perrott, chief of
police; Fred Barrett, city attorney and
democratic county. chairman: Robert
Metzger, former chief of police and re-
publican member of the board of safety.
and Frank p. Baker, former county
prosecutor. are among the more prom
inent of the men indicted.
Forty Counts in Indictment.
All the men-democrats. republicans
and progressives-are named in a sin
gle indictment. which contains forty
counts and covers 175 typewritten
pages 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.
Included among those indicted are
said to be number of primary, regis
tration and election off1cials The in
dictment charges certain of these on
cials with conspiring to permit persons
to register falsely and to vote falsely
in the primaries and in the cleo
ton. Other counts allege that certain
the destruction of ballots for the pur-
pose of substituting other ballots
therefor
TWO counts set up, a conspiracy to
aid and abet primary poll clerks in
marking ballots in a manner differently
from that requested by the voter, while
other counts alleged the use of money
in influencing the electors, both at the
primary and in the general election. In
this connection another count charges
Information to outsiders as to how
some of the electors voted.
Padding of Tally Sheets Alleged.
Padding the tally sheets for certain
candidates is alleged in another sec
tion. while another count charges po-
licemen were permitted to stand within
fifty feet of the polls for improper
purposes" in violation of the state
law
Repeaters were imported from out
side of the county for use in cleo
tion. it is asserted in the Indictment
several counts charge election officials
with having the voting machines in
proper order, with failing to have keys
to unlock the machines on the morning
of the election. with failing to examine
the machines and with tampering with
the machines during the day.
Many members of Mayor Bells official
family. former city officials. policemen,
ward leaders and primary and election
ohicials are among those indicted. The
more prominent are:
Herman Adam, city sealer of weiphts
and measures: Dennis Bush, street
commissioner: Edward Lyons. demo-
cratic candidate for county treasurer;
DR.. John ". Sluss, republican, and for
mer superintendent Of the city hos
pital: Dom NJ. Roberts. former mayor
of Terre Haute. who was convicted in
the ELECTION frauds trial in federal
court here recently; Charles Covel. for
H. Hilkene. city building inspector.
Oscar Merrill. police lieutenant; Pat
rick ]. Roche. city detective; Michael
Glenn, city detective.
Roberts connection with Indiana polls
politics was touched upon during the
trial in the federal court. when he was
convicted and sentenced to six years in
the federal prison. Several witnesses
mentioned the alleged fact that Rob-
erts had sent repeaters to Indianapolis
from Terre Haute to work during the
election and two Indianapolis men tes-
titled to going from this city to Terre
Haute to work in the election there.
Thomas Taggart was the first of the
indicted men to appear at the sherifrs 8
ONCE to acknowledge service in the
case He was closely. followed by May
or Bell. Both were released on per
sonal bonds of $1,000 each.
Taggart Meets His Bondsman.
Mr.. Taggart arrived in Indianapolis.
from French Lick this morning about
the time the Indictment against him
was being returned.
No. / don't know anything about it.
except what I have seen in the news
papers said Mr.. Taggart. when asked
II he had any statement to make. Il
came up this morning to respond to
whatever it is. I do not know what I
have been indicted for. In fact, I have
been a regular angel The first thing
! shall do now is to call the sheriffs
Office and tell them I will be over to
acknowledge service. Have you heard
what the bond will be-"
Mr. TaeRart declined to discuss the
ease further and entered telephone
uoolh wnen he came out he went
directly to the sheriff's Office. where he
was met by his bondsmen.
In all 12S men were named in the
Indictment. which is said to be pos
sihly the largest number of men ever
Indicted in a single bill 1t is two
RI