Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 17 June 1926 — Page 1

POST-DEMOCRAT

VOLUME 6—NUMBER 22. MUNCIE, INDIANA, THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 1926 Price 5 Cents a Copy—$2.00 a Year

JUDGE DEARTH CONVENED A SPECIAL GRAND JURY

CONTESTANTS IN THE POST-DEMOCRAT’S SUBSCRIPTION CONTEST ENTER HOME STRETCH - - - COMING WEEK MAY INDICATE WINNERS IN THIS CONTEST.

Democrats for the Primary!

Race Grows Interesting As Finish Approaches —“Second Period” Vote Schedule Now In Effect—Big Vote Schedule Closed Saturday, June 12—Extensions On Subscriptions Now Big Factor.

$50.00—in Gold—$50.00 Fifty dollars in gold will be given to the contestant who obtains the highest number of new subscriptions between June 15 and July 3rd. Developments during the past few days in the Post-Democrats big prize campaign have been the most sensational and spectacular yet recorded. Thousands of votes were cast; first one candidate would hold sway for supremacy, then another. Battles are being fought, won and lost and the race wages fast ahd furious. Yet so closely arrayed and with honors so eually divided up to the present time that it seems that it depends entirely upon the individual efforts of each candidate between ’xow and the close of the second period—one week from Saturday night as who the ultimate winners will

be. V

No one has a walk-away for the big prizes, neither is anyone hopelessly beaten. Just a good bunch of subscriptions turned in to the account of anyone of the various contenders would change the entire complexion of affairs and furnish a new leader in the race. In fact, a few long term subscriptions now from unexpected sources might be the very ones needed to stem the tide of defeat and turn it to a sweeping

victory.

Race Reaches Acute Stage With but eight more days after today in which to turn in subscriptions and secure the greatest number of vdtes,' and but three weeks to go before the race finally comes to its close, interest and competition and enthusiasm in the progress of the candidates is growing by leaps and bounds. Each candidate realizes that the grand prize, which means about $1249.00 in cold cash—is practically

claimed for their own or forfeited to more aggressive opponents during the next few weeks, depending to a very great extent upon their final supreme efforts put forth now while the second period of big votes are al-

lowed,

If a candidate halts now for a day off, if they overlook one opportunity to better their chances to win they are taking the desperate chance of losing the big prize, already partially won, and which really belongs to them. A candidate who fails to do their very utmost during the eight days that remain is almost certain to bring dismal disappointment upon their friends, who are naturally as much interested as the candidates themselves. Candidates should not forget that this is a battle hereafter. Hard work is what counts—speed at this particular time, too. But the rugged strength and lasting qualities that win any single victory are persistence, a never-say-die spirit and an absolute determination to win. Every single day this coming week should be made to add to your standing, if you win, and you can if you but make the proper effort, over $400.00 a week for the next three weeks for your efforts. Do all within your power these eight days while subscriptions count for so many votes. These are the days in which you can make a winning a certainty. Eight thousand votes are allowed on yearly subscriptions during the rest of this period only, while the last week only 3,000 are allowed. Ninety-five thousand votes allowed this coming week on three year subscriptions, and this number too, is greatly reduced. Work now if you wish to win.

Sharp’s First Offense

Durward Sharp, the state policeman who got drunk and was caught at Alexandria with a gallon of whiskey in his car and fined for intoxication and a violation of the liquor law, purified by a thirty-day layoff is again strutting his stuff in the uniform of the Schortemeier Hussars. Sharp was caught vomiting on the sidewalk and on himself at Alexandria and Cheerman Hoffman went to his rescue and Sharp was given a suspended sentence by Mayor Brattain of Alexandria, who intended to crock him right. Purified, and with the vomit cleaned from the uniform he disgraced, Sharp is now on the job to follow out the latest edict of Secretary of State Schortemeier who sternly declares war on drunken drivers and orders his Mulligan Guards to arrest all such persons and send them to the limit of imprisonment. Inquiry develops that state policemen are not discharged for the commission of a “first offense.” Being the first time Durward Sharp ever puked on himself and on the sidewalk in Indiana, he merely received a thirty-day layoff. The first time he robs a bank he will probably be suspended for sixty days and the first time he gets drunk and kills somebody he may be punished quite severely, event to the extent of a suspension of as many as ninety days. Schortemeier’s tin soldier “state police” force is filled with drunken bums like Sharp. One of them, Howard Bennett, the D. C. Stephenson aid known as “The Skipper,” so named because of the fact that he piloted the “Old Man’s” car, is now on the penal farm for taking graft money. As mentioned before, Sharp was the foreman of the grand jury that indicted the editor of the Post-Democrat on a fake liquor charge. D. C. Stephenson, Schortemeier’s boss, got Sharp a job as state policeman as a reward for his grand jury performance.

The Post-Democrat is profoundly disappointed that the democratic resolutions committee o*f the democratic state convention struck a blow at the primary law in ti e platform of the party. Platforms, however, are made by the candidates themselves and while we have not discussed the matter with Albert Stump, democratic candidate for senator, we feel safe in assuring the people that a young man of his known progressive tendencies will refuse to be bound by the plank condemning the primary system. The argument now being used to discredit the primary is that huge sums were spent in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Indiana and other states to attempt to renominate stand pat, administration republican senatorial candidates’. It is just as reasonable to assume that if a law were passed legalizing murder that a killing squad should be sent out in every community to exterminate their fellow citizens in order to prove that the law should be repealed. The theory that less money is expended when senators are nominated in conventions or elected by state legislatures dissipates into thin air when one thinks of the wholesale debauchery of the state legislature of Oregon which seated Clark, in the senate, and of similar scandals in other states. From the mere standpoint of the relative overhead expense as between the direct primary system and the “representative” system of nomination or election, the primary wins hands down. Since the pecuniary rewards are divided up among so many more people, when the financial sharks of America consolidate to buy up seats in the senate for their proxies, to put over Teapot Dome deals and high tariff larcenies. In Pennsylvania one hundred thousand unterrified republican voters were paid all the way from five to ten dollars a head to vote for Pepper and Vare. The primary system therefore benefitted the masses, from the standpoint of profit, even if it did operate to lower their morale as free and independent voters. If left to a convention to nominate in Pennsylvania, the Peppers and the Mellons and the Manufacturers’ Association could have easily outbid their competitors nkd- it is probable even more money would have been spent in buying up delegates to the state convention. Instead of purchasing the votes of the proletariat at ten dollars a vote, the price per head of delegates would have run into the thousands, or tens of thousands, had it been necessary, and the immaculate Peter Pepper, half brother of Old Oscar Pepper, would have been the republican nominee. The especial pet and protege of Old Overholt Andy Mellon, the whiskey multi-billion-aire, who presides over the prohibition enforcement department. Does any one think for a moment that Brookhart could have defeated Cummins in Iowa in a State Convention, with a Keerful Kal republican state central committee on the job to name the delegates* to the state convention ? Or would the administration wheel-hoss McKinley have gone down to defeat in Illinois if the people had been prevented from getting a direct whack at him in the primaries? Nixy. And coming right down home, here in Delaware county, what would have happened if the recent republican nominations had been made in a county convention? The question is absolutely silly. Any school boy could answer it truthfully. With the Cromer-Williams-Hoffman crowd in control of the machinery of the party the entire machine slate would have gone through with flying colors and the great and good Ogle would again been the party’s standard bearer next fall for prosecutor. Thank God for the primary. Let’s keep it, strengthen instead of weaken it, send men to the penitentiary who debauch it, as Andy Mellon and Peter Pepper did in Pennsylvania, and ultimately weld it into a weapon which will purify politics and fill our public offices with men and women who have not been bought and paid for like cattle in the public market.

Court Upholds Publication of Crime Criticism

Austin, Tex., June 17.—One of the most helpful means of aiding in law enforcement is “the recognized right of the press to publish a reasonable and fair criticism of crime,” the Texas Supreme court held yesterday. “It is a public service and makes for order.” The court reversed judgement of a District Court and Court of Civil Appeals and decided in favor of the Express Publishing company and the Light Publishing company, both of San Antonio, in libel suits brought by Claude A. Keeran, prominent Victoria cattle man and banker. By the lower courts Keeran was awarded $15,000 from each publishing company, because each published a story indicating Keeran was involved in a widespread liquor law violation conspiracy.

HOW TO JUMP TO FIRST PLACE.

On each three-year subscription to The Post-Democrat 95,000 votes are allowed—providing same is received at Tile Post-Demo-crat office before June 26. Then, in addition to that, 100,000 extra votes are allowed on every Club of $12.00 turned in. Therefore, just two three year subscriptions means altogether 290,000 votes. 9 It can readily be seen by a glance at the totals that just a few such subscriptions for any candidate would furnish a new leader in the race; in fact, entirely new candidates who at this time have no votes at all could, by a little enthusiastic action, climb to the top of the list and thereby acquffie leadership for this big Hudson Coach. When one takes into consideration the value of the awards, all of which are to be distributed in a few short weeks, it appears that they are certainly well worth the effort that it may take to secure them. EARN THAT EXTRA MONEY FOR YOURSELF EVEN IF IT IS ONLY THE 20 PER CENT. COMMISSION.

Action of Court Follows Sensational and Scathing Denouncement of Judge in Which He Exposed Lawless Conditions in Muncie and Delaware County—Belief That Responsibility for Laxity Will Be Definitely Fixed.

Following his dramatic and scathing denouncement of lawless conditions in Muncie and Delaware county, when he called Sheriff McAuley and Chief of Police Jones before him in open court two w T eeks ago and demanded that they “clean up,” the grand jury went into special session Thursday morning and startling developments are expected. Just what the final outcome will be is hard to predict, but if an honest and impartial investigation is made, and there is no reason to believe that this will not be done, a scandal may be divulged which will not only involve numerous law breakers, but will also drag into the net a number of public officials who are generally believed to be directly responsible for the horrible condition divulged by Judge Dearth. o

The Post-Democrat Alone. The peculiar part of the situation is that every newspaper in Delaware county, with the exception of the Post Democrat either directly, or by innuendo, sought to discredit the action of the court and became immediate apologists and proxies for the law violators and the officials who have openly and flagrantly given them protection. . Even the miserable little so called democratic sheet published by the Eaton nondescript Parrot under the direction of John Hampton and Harry Hoffman, chimed in and agreed with the Star and the Press that “Muncie is not so bad,” and that there is nothing to get excited over here. That everybody likes to have a little fun and that while # the law should be observed, nobody should take exceptions to innocent diversions of sportily inclined citizens of Delaware county. 'Since the fake democratic sheet takes all its orders from the city hall, its - utterances iua> be taken as official city hall proclamations. Graspng At Straws As a matter of fact the city hall gang, gasping for breath since Judge Dearth is using the rawhide on them, are grasping at straws. They know that if the responsibility for the system organized gambling, prostitution and bootlegging, which the judge discovered to be in operation here on a wholesale scale, is thoroughly established by the grand jury, that saltpeter will not save them. They are putting out the story that Judge Dearth is ‘‘grandstanding” and that the gang will have him calmed down in a few weeks and that the painted ladies will again beckon from upstair flats, that bootleg booze will again flow and that the funny shaped dice which were recently used to knock a local merchant for $2,800, will again bounce merrily on the green cloth behind the multiple doors that open by magic at the touch of a concealed button. These merry little jokers have unanimously agreed that the judge must be in a serious mental state and their only solution is that an insanity commission should be called in. The main evidence of his insanity seems to be that he has publicly declared to be true the things the PostDemocrat has been publishing regularly each week. A Hundred Times Worse. And in this connection it might be stated that the Judge not only de-

clares them to be true, but says conditions are a hundred times worse than the Post-Democrat says they are. Those who have read the PostDemocrat know that we have made some rather ugly charges concerning protection of law breakers here. Imagine a condition one hundred times worse than that frequently published by the Post-Democrat! And then imagine the gall of local newspapers declaring that “Muncie is Not So Bad!” Think about the things we have said concerning the doings of. organized gamblers and the didoes of Reba Fenwick and Lottie Spiker, and then wonder in your heart of hearts what is in the minds of those who defend the city administration in the light of the,fact that Judge Dearth, after employing secret service men to investigate and report, finds that the Post-Democrat has understated conditions ninety-nine per cent! The Whispering Campaign. The whispering campaign which seeks to ruin Judge Dearth and cast a reflection not only upon his sanity, but upon his private life and his personal honesty, is also being waged upon the publisher 9! the Post-Demo-crat. Last Saturday the story was circulated that this newspaper stood byJudge Dearth in the present crisis because the supreme court had denied us a rehearing and that we were seeking to curry favor with the judge. This requires no answer except that last week’s edition of the Post-Democrat was printed and being sold on the streets of Muncie, Friday afternoon, before the news of the action of the supreme court had arrived in Muncie. j And those Who khow the editor of the Post-Democrat knows that he is not a lickspittle and a craven coward who would stoop to disguise his real feelings, regardless of the consequences which might ensue. The report was also whispered about that the gamblers had subsidized the Post-Democrat and were paying the editor fifty dollars a week for its “silence.” Those who know how “still” we have been concerning organized .protected gambling and prostitution, are prone to wonder what the gamblers got for their money, if they really paid it. The Post-Democrat has no personal reason for being friendly to Judge Dearth, the man, but it warm(Continued to Page Four)

LIST OF CONTESTANTS - CIRCULATION CAMPAIGN.

Mrs. Fred Burns 735,900 Mrs. J. C. Walling: 731,200 C. H. Hughes 365,000 Mrs. Grace Garrett 5,600 Miss Mary Chaney 256,000 Mrs. Pauline Hollowell 163,800 Mrs. Effie Dowling 223,600 W. Y. McCarty 5,000 Mrs. Daisy E. Miller 728,300 Mrs. Gladys Diefenbaugh 734,800 Mrs. Gladys Sullivan 609,700 Mrs. Peter Van Camp 281,600 Mrs. Helen Nordhoff 200,700 District No. 2 Carl Hedgeland, Gaston 451,600 Miss Claire Vance, Yorktown .601,300 Miss Ida Connell, R. R. No. 1 261,900 Heber Lineback, Albany 5,000 Mrs. Olive Harrold, Cowan 35,000 Paul Kirklin, Selma 150,200 Jacob Frey 296,100 Miss Ida Connell, R. R. No. 1 526,600 Jacob Frey 720,200 Mrs. Byron Wingate, Selma, R. R. 2__732,500 Miss Carrie Jordan, R. 6 726,800