Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 264, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1918 — BAB HAS A RELAPSE [ARTICLE]

BAB HAS A RELAPSE

DEMOCRAT EDITOR FINDS THAT ( ' POLITICAL DUTIES IMPEL ACTION.'

Bab seems to have again entered one ofl those periods of his which come every so often. Time and again he has gone before the bar of justice charged with libelous attacks upon the reputation of some citizen of this community, and each time his humiliation 'has been very pronounced. He has been “good” for sometime and except for the use of the term “Looie” he seemed to have passed that state of hate and 'had become almost loveable. So great was the change that by many it was thought that he had been thoroughly regenerated. But disappointment has come to the community and Bab has' again gone on the war path and seems to have developed a desire to have his neighbor, Harry Watson, sent to the penitentiary. Previous to the hearing of the case he publishes a long brief setting forth the evidence and the law and explains that his sacred duty as a high official in the marvelous organization of the Democratic party impels him to bring this action against .Watson, whose only offense seems to have been the erection of a residence on Park avenue and the making of this residence, the abode of himself and wife. The facts in the case seem to be as follows! Mr. Watson had had his office next door to Bab on Washington street for a long time. They had been on the most friendly terms. "Watson had given Bab most of his work and the relations between them had been v6ry friendly and intimate. Watson purchased a lot on the same avenue on'which Bab lives. He erected a fine residence on this lot. He had furnished a part of it and he and' his wife had moved into the same". They did not.spend all of their time in this new home on account of the helplessness of -Mire. Watson’s, grandmother, Mrs. Henry Randle, who was invalided by a fall a few years ago and is unable to care for herself and her home. But Mr. Watson considered the Park avenue residence his home and registered in that precinct and voted there also. He would have voted for the identical candidates -had he voted in the precinct in which Mrs. Randle resides. Ha»had no thought of any violation ofthe law and the greater crinft of offending the high dignity of his double neighbor, Bab. Keen to his duties as chairman of his precinct and as fellow laborer of County Democratic -Chairman Frank Welsh, Bab smothered his rapture until it was too late for Watson to change has registration and a day before the election he informed Watson that he, Watsdn, was an alien enemy, and that he had lost his vote. Watson, knowing that he .had acquired his residence in Bab’s precinct, on the morning of election went to the voting place and offered to exercise his right of franchise. Bab was there and challenged his vote, and Watson then made path as to his residence and was allowed to vote. Mayor Charles G. Spitler was the inspector and with -his usual disposition to be fair and square, he permitted the vote to be counted. This was more than Bab could stand and he at once swore out a strong affidavit against his former good friend and double neighbor and had Watson arrested. More than that he secured the services of Rensselaer’s most prominent Democratic lawyer, E. P. Honan, to assist in the prosecution. So wrathy has Bab become that he publishes a statement about the illegal voting by Republicans in this county that may result m his being called to account and given an opportunity to prove the same before the bar of justice. Watson has employed Attorney Abe Halleck to defend him, and Bab’s previous experiences with this lawyer may bp repeated. Goldsmith says of his father, who was a preacher, that “many who came to scoff remained to pray.” So Bab, who attempts to persecute, may have to remain to defend himself against the charge of libel. The action, brought, by Bab seems to be without foundation of fact and without cause except a desire to punish a Republican. . . __ His seeming attempt to injure Mr. Watson with the public and prejudice his case before the court by a long ar,-, tide setting forth the unsubstantiated facts and his wise(?) interpretation of the law before the hearing based on the merit of the case is eonelusive evidence of unfairness ana 36 Thehearing of this case, which was set for Friday evening, was again postponed until Monday at 9 a. m.

Mrs. Charles Hannon and her friend, Mrs. Thomas O’Roake, of Evansville, came today for a visit with the former's parents, Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Brown. Boyd Porter was up town this forenoon for the first time since he was taken sick with the influenza. His wife, who was also a victim of this epidemic, has about recovered. Mrs. Bert Brenner, who had been with them for a few days, has returned to her home in Valparaiso.