Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 1 October 1925 — Page 1

THE POST - DEMOCRAT

Volume 5—No. 35.

MUNCIE, INDIANA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1,1925.

Price 5 Cents a Copy—$2.00 a Year

Gamblers and Bootleggers Combine to Elect Hampton Mayor of Muncie

•• *• - j| •’ Republican Nominee Thoroly Committed to Wide Open Policy Demanded by Law Breakers—The People of Muncie Sick and Tired of Lawlessness Will Upset the Dope Bucket.

The Muncie gamblers and bootleggers who have thrown in with John Hampton, have made a bad guess. These gentry are noted for their conspicuous absence of ordinary horse sense. Their memory is short, four years ago they played Roll Bunch’s candidacy “both ways from the Jack” and Roll fell short two thousand votes of reaching the goal. Then, as now, “Brownie’s place, on Adams street, was the headquarters of the gamblers syndicate which sought to name the mayor of Muncie. Four years ago the gamblers and liquor peddlers attempted to elect a democrat mayor. This year the republican candidate for mayor is a man after their own heart and the are not only for him; they are “fer” him. Four years ago a big Chicago gambler was the heavy sugar baby of the Bunch fiasco. He contributed heavily to the campaign, came down and kept his eye on things until election day, bet five thousand dollars on the result and went back to Chicago election night, trimmed to his undershirt. The general run of people here seriously object to the election of a candidate for mayor who has the undivided support of lawbreakers. John Hampton, republican, is the choice of the underworld, but happily the law breakers are sadly in the minority here. “Red” Hawkins, a Fort Wayne gambler, who formerly headed the short card fraternity in Muncie, is said to be the angel of the Hampton raid. It is declared that he contributed heavily to the Hampton primary campaign fund and that he is putting up for the final test in November. The Honorable Peanut Templin, who followed Hawkins to Fort Wayne and who has been engaged in assuaging the thirst of Fort Wayne citizens, and the Honorable Bly Marks, who has been employed for some time in Hawkins’ Fort Wayne gambling shop, have both descended upon Muncie and are whooping things up for their friend John. Bly says he is for Hampton. Bly is a pretty good sort of a scout and is right out in the open with his preference for the candidate backed by Judge Dearth, Mrs. Gill and Parson Sayers. Bly has one game leg, but he says he hopes the Lord will make him a total cripple and then strike him plumb dead if he doesn’t vote for Hampton. He makes it very plain though, that his continued residence in Muncie will depend altogether upon the result of the election; not that he has any doubt whatever of the result, but nevertheless, you know, you never can tell exactly, so Bly says he expects to roost somewhere around the city limits on election night waiting for returns. If the glad news reaches him that Hampton hit the bullseye, he will hustle back and lead a parade down Walnut street. But is, through some queer dispensation of providence, John should happen to go to the dis-

card, Bly says he will not stand upon the order of his going, but will depart while the departing is good. It’s really a shame that the Chicago “thin skin” does not radio a note or warning to the flock of gamblers and hootch peddlers who have placed all their eggs in the Hampton basket. Possibly he is keeping still so he can have the laugh on somebody else. The boys had it on him four years ago. What a blessing it would be to Ambrose Golliver and Ray Clouse if somebody with an ounce of sense would only tell them, before they invest too heavily in their proposed new Walnut street joint, just exactly how far they are going to be permitted to carry out the program they have outlined. Ambrose and Ray are proposing to open up a cigar store, with the usual trimmings, in the room formerly occupied by the Linn Shoe Market. Both are strong for Hampton. Golliver some time ago unloaded the Banner cigar store on a fellow named Ralph Lyons, another Hampton booster, who is violating the law not less than seven thousand times a day and expects to go it in earnest if John is elected. Golliver, Clouse and Lyons are fairly typical of the crowd that hopes to put Hampton across. Clouse was the keeper of the poker game and slot machine in the Moose club until the ’npmbership of the order concluded to dispense with his services. He is a close friend of Judge Dearth and Prosecutor Ogle, both of whom are members of the Moose lodge and were aware of the constant gambling in operation there with Clouse in charge. 1 ' , , , The editor of the Post-Democrat has interviewed a number of Muncie gamblers and bootleggers and a few of them have been honest enough to tell the truth and declare that they are for Hampton and tell the reason why—that they have been promised protection if their favorite is elected. The majority of them, however, knowing that the Post-Democrat is opposed to Hampton and will not stand for the open gambling and liquor selling in the highly improbable event of his election, attempt in many queer ways to hide their real sentiments, but for the benefit of these men who think they have fooled somebody, we want them to thoroughly understand that the Post-Democrat has “got their number.” Of course, these gamblers and bootleggers are a wise tribe, and are slow to take advice. Meeting each other daily and discussing the situation, they simply can’t see how John can lose. They tell it to each other • so often that they have a rather confused idea that the whole world is for Hampton. They would no doubt be astonished to learn that there are many people in Muncie whom they have never talked to. Only a small percentage of the voting population of Muncie gamble or patronize bootleggers. On election day these law breakers are going to get the surprise of their life. We hope that Bly Marks will change his mind about leaving town, even if Hampton is defeated. Bly isn’t a liar, at least. We’d bet out last dime that Bly would tell the world why he is for Hampton and why he expects to leave town if Hampton is defeated. We believe if all the gamblers and bootlggers in Muncie who expect to vote for Hampton, and that means ninety-nine and nine-tenths of them, will promise, as Bly does, to leave Muncie the day after the election if he is defeated, that Hampton will be defeated by seven thousand votes. How many women in Muncie can be expected to vote for a candidate who is pledged to a program that will saturate Muncie with poison booze and fill the city # with gambling dens that will take bread out of the mouths of their children.

THE HUB CASE. Wertheimer and Goldberg, proprietors of the Hub department store, were found guilty Thursday in the circuit court on charges of receiving stolen goods and conspiring to commit a felony. There is much unwritten history connected with this case. If the defendants so choose they could tell a story which would probably astonish the natives. If reports are true an organized band of thieves with headquarters in Muncie and at the Hance farm, burglarized stores all over this part of Indiana and a part of the merchandise, at least, found its way on the shelves of the Hub store. The trial and conviction of Wertheimer and Goldberg should not close the case. There are others concerned in the conspiracy and all the facts should be brought out. The case should have been tried months ago, while the tracks of the criminals concerned in the thefts were “hot.” The most astonishing circumstance in connection with the case was the appointment of Prosecutor Ogle as receiver of the store, a very profitable' transaction for the prosecutor. It was not until the very last dollar had been extracted from the defendants, and the concern they represented, that it was deemed necessary by the prosecutor to try the case. Seated on the jury which heard the case and re- i turned the verdict were a number of the “stand bys” of the Billy Williams political machine. Oscar Reed, occasionally employed as appraiser, assessor and other petty political appointments, sat on the jury next to Oren Broyles, assistant road superintendent and brother-in-law of Sheriff Harry Hoffman. Mrs. Ira Dearth, a sister-in-law of Judge Dearth, was on the jury. Her husband is employed in the postoffice under Postmaster Billy Williams. It is declared that the prosecution was very loosely conducted and the defense will appeal on the ground of reversible errors which might v not have been if the prosecution had exercised due diligence.

GETTING THE MONEY Postmaster Billy Williams seems to be overlooking but few bets in his mad scramble for political and financial power. Billy is postmaster of the city of Muncie, but he is not averse to apportunities for advancement in his native village of Selma. Billy has a son, Henry, who has been promoted from his job as janitor of the Selma school building to the more important and lucrative avocation of contractor of public work. The young man is now designated by the Selma village authorities to build sidewalks, curb and gutters. He is practicing up for the big show, it is declared, and expects to hold down the job as pet contractor in Muncie after John Hampton gets to be mayor and appoints a board of works selected by the postmaster. If, by some freak of imagination on the part of the voters, Hampton should become the mayor of Muncie, the Christmas tree will be shaken until the bark comes loose. Sheriff Harry Hoffman, who has grown rich through illegal county contracts, will be in clover. Harry says he has no aspirations to be chief of police, nor does he aspire to be a member of the board of works. Quite likely he is telling the truth. It is much more likely that the republican machine has in mind for the various department appointments, men who will take orders from them. They may allow the appointees to draw their salaries, but that is about as far as they will be permitted to go. It is highly important that a board of works will be chosen that will hand out public contracts on a silver platter to Harry Hoffman and Billy Williams’s son, and it is vital that the board of safety will consist of three jumping jacks who will wiggle their foolish legs and flop their silly arms when Billy pulls the string. Muncie is threatened by an invasion from an army of self seekers. This invasion should be repelled. After witnessing the things Billy and his crowd have done to Delaware county, the people should hesitate before aUowing them to turn their greed minions loose on Muncie.