Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1921-11-04

To the Voters of the City of Newark
There were two charges filed against
me with Governor Davis by the Law
and Order League. The first was
that | had accepted bribes from GER
tain gamblers with the understanding
that they might operate unmolested.
This charge, the Governor found, was
not proven as the only evidence intro
duced was the affdavits of the self
confessed gablers who admitted that
they had been actuated by revenge
in making the affdavits because they
had been arrested on my orders.
The second charge, which was sus-
tanned in the mind of the Governor,
was "for gross neglect of duty" In
support of this charge the Governor
found that gambling has been going
on in Newark for twenty-five years
and that | "knew or should have
known the existence of that condi-
ton" He further says: "The condi-
ton thus described existed last jan
uary, but the testimony adduced
shows no arrests for gambling in
Newark from April, 1920, to July 18th
Of this year, or about the time of the
filing of the charges against the
Mayor" Whatever the evidence might
have been before the Governor the
facts are that the police records show
that there were sixty-three arrests
made in the city of Newark for
gambling from April, 1920, to July
18th this year.
The Governor did not find that
gambling was any worse in Newark
since April, 1920, than it had been at
any time during the past twenty-five
years; but he did find thta while zone
White" had been running a gambling
Joint in Newark for twenty-five years,
that | was the only mayor who had
ever caused Whites arrest. Causing
Whites arrest was, ! assume, one of
the elements constituting "gross
neglect Of duty"
| have outlined these facts because
they with others have a direct bear
ing upon the municipal campaign this
year.
The officers of the Law and Order
League claim that the charges were
made against me for the purpose of
"cleaning-up Newark" | claim that
the whole affair is a political con-
spiracy entered into by some would
be politicians and the gamblers for
the purpose of electing an Admin
istration favorable and thereby Sc
curing immunity for the gamblers.
Gamblers care nothing for. parties.
They are for the men who will give
them immunity. They have not been
getting it from me and they want to
defeat me. They realize that they
can't beat me in an open fight, so
they, the gamblers and the would-be
politicians, get together. In order to
give their movement the resemblance
of respectability, they get a few
preachers to join, the Law and Order
League mysteriously comes into exist
ence and charges are filed against me
just few days prior to primary cleo
ton day.
If you don't believe that the would
be politicians and gamblers are in
collusion, ask yourself these ques-
tions:
Why are the gamblers opposing me
and supporting the opposing nominee
for mayor?
Why is the Law and Order League
made up of the opposition?
Are there no Democrats in Newark
who favor law and order?
Why were not charges also filed
against the Prosecuting Attorney for
nnp1aot of H1fUp OT
Why has not the Prosecuting At
torney gone after the gamblers, in
stead of giving them immunity? He
has been in office since last January
and has had all the power and re-
sources of the great state of Ohio
behind him.
If Mayor Montgomery was sincere
in his expressed desire to cleanup
Newark, why did he offer to drop the
charges against me if l would ere
sign and get off the ticket ?" Why
didn't he turn the evidence over to
the Prosecuting Attorney and have
me indicted?
Why was the cleanup movement
left until just election TIM?
Why didn't the Law and Order
League make complaint with he or
with the Prosecuting Attorney.
Of course, to have done any of
these things would have hurt the
gamblers and the politicians had 10
have the gamblers support i'll order
to carry the election. The idea was
to make me the goat, elect the op-
posing candidate and get some more
for the gamblers.
Understand, | am not accusing the
ministers of being parties of the con-
spiracy. They are simply being made
tools of by the would-be politicians
who are running the Law and Order
League. Eliminating the ministers,
| feel quite proud of the enemies l
have made.
With this combination against me
| expect to be elected hy the men and
women of Newark who believe in
square dealing and who are not ready
to turn the city over to the gamblers
and those who offer them immunity.
They will get no immunity from me,
either before or after election, and
they know it.
Signed.
H. A. ATHERTON,
Democratic Candidate for Mayor.
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