JERK UP POLITICAL
GANGMEN; CHARGE
WITNESS TAMPERINGINDIANAPOLIS, March 24. -- Three public officials of Terre Haute, who are among the 28 defendants in the election fraud case on trial in the U. S. court here, are in the custody of the marshal today. Judge Anderson late yesterday handed them over because of alleged tampering with government witnesses.If he hears of any more attempts to reach witnesses, he will jug the other 25, the Judge declared."There is some law in this country; I want to teach you gentlemen that fact," he told them.During the afternoon several witnesses, six of whom have pleaded guilty in the election fraud case, let it be known that they had been arrested on various minor charges in Vigo county, where Terre Haute is situated. Some of the prisoners had been in solitary confinement and a small-pox quarantine had been placed on the Jail. The U.S. attorney said he did not know "if the health office was mixed up in this dirty mess."BY J.B. SMOLLEN.Uncle Sam is conducting the obsequies over the earthly remains of our disreputable fellow countryman, Gang Elections, last of the strong-arm clan.The members of a U.S. grand jury will act as pall bearers. The chief mourners will be Mayor Donn M. Roberts, Judge Eli Redman, Sheriff Dennis Shea, former Chief of Police Edward Holler and 112 other prominent and near prominent citizens of Terre Haute, Ind.The time and place of burial will be announced later by Judge A.B. Anderson, but it is believed that interment will be in the famous federal mausoleum at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Please omit flowers.
Some things never change, eh?In Terre Haute the word politics suggests polecats. There they played the game in the good old-fashioned way, cracked skulls, illegal registration — vacant lots, monuments and chicken coops had their votes—and Czar Roberts ruled with an iron hand.But now its a tamed crew of municipal monarchists who are facing Judge Anderson. The 88 who have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States government in the election of a senator and congressmen are thoroughly frightened and gladly testify against the 26 who, led by Mayor Roberts, have pleaded not guilty, and are being defended by Congressman A. O. Stanley of Kentucky.They Tell the Truth.These hard-looking rivermen from the famous banks of the Wabash who did the dirty work, attired In flannel shirts and corduroy trousers, climb into the witness chair and tell the TRUTH! Telling anything else under the cool, stern gaze of Judge Anderson is unimaginable.Voters were kidnaped in the police patrol and literally clubbed to the polls, cheap prize fighters were imported from Indianapolis to "get" the recalcitrants. One unnaturalized Canadian, a resident of this country one month, voted 8 or 10 times for the straight democratic ticket!"I am confident that conviction will be obtained in every instance," declares District Attorney Daley."You must be saving the crowd for a special train to Fort Leavenworth," it was suggested.
"Two special trains," Dalley corrected, laughingly.A policeman testified that Hilton Redman, son of Ell Redman, the circuit Judge who was elected by ten votes, and chief field marshal for Roberts, came into the police station to sleep, turning over for safe keeping $500 in small bills and two revolvers! Further testimony indicates that all gangsters carried firearms on election day.Congressman Stanley, on cross examination, questioned the policeman concerning the fact that Judges and clerks of election carried pistols, with the idea, apparently, of throwing the blame on the officials."I will hold that the men watching the machines had a right to have arms," interposed [United States District Court] Judge Anderson. "They should have curried more arms than they had." ....[The Tacoma Times, Tacoma, Wash., Wednesday, March 24, 1915. Vol. XII. No. 81. Pg. 8]
No comments:
Post a Comment