Indiana State Sentinel, Volume 34, Number 48, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 January 1889 — Page 2

THE INDIANA STATE SENTINEL, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2, 1888.

let txs all read the dear old f EXTO'EL and then we can rejoice for nothing else bat The Sentinel and democratic votes will get ballot-box reform in the United States. Let us join now and push forward to victory in ISCri. 'Urbanize, agitate, educate" is what we must do, and we are goins to do it. C. B. Hexky. Boston, Ind., Dec 23.

T. J. CS" VIEWS. A Shelbyrille Plan For Securing Honest Election in Indiana. To THE Editor Sir: While there are many persons giving their views as to charges in our electoral system, whereby the state of Indiana may redeem herself from the disgrace entailed upon her by such men as Dudley, Quay, Coy, Dernhamer and many others, who dove in the circles of respectability, many of whom fwould designate as hypocrites, I beg to suggest to the legislature: 1. That we hare a registration law requiring twelve months' residence in the state, six months in the county and thirty days in the precinct. Designate at what time registration shall commence and what place or places say forty days before any general election and give ten days to have it completed in, and all persons whose names do not appear on said register shall not be allowed a vote. Make it compulsory on every man whose name is registered to cast his vote under heavy penalty p.aless prevented by sickness or vaiiu excuse one which would be accepted by a court of justice. , , :i. Make itthedatyof county eommissionrs to locate 4he precincts in the several townships as near as possible- to not have more than 300 voters in any one precinct; to see that proper room are provided for election boards, adjacent to which shall be an ante-room, or booth, to which the voter can go to prepare his ticket. 4. At any general election, if two or more parties present candidates to be voted for, make it the duty of each party to authorize a committee to make out a correct list of the names of its candidates to be voted for, and give the same to the township trustee, ten days before the election, whose duty it shall be to see that ad said tickets are printed on exactly the same kind of raper, say plain white paper of uniform sue, at the expense of the county. The number of said tickets at each precinct shall he one-fourth as many more as was cast at the last preceding general election. Let those committees examine the printed tickets when delivered to them by the trustee, and if correct retain the same until the morning of the election, when all tickets shall he put on a table in this ante-room, or booth, and as watchers over said tickets there shall be one man from each party, who shall first take an oath to not divulge how any man voted. The duty of those watchers hall be to see that only one ticket is used by each voter; and in case of blindness, or where a man cannot r-ad. the voter shail call for the kind of ticket he desires to vote, and the representative of that ticket shall fix his ticket according to his suggestions, and show the same to his brother watchers, who can see it is marked or left as suggested. Neither by word nor deed, or any distinguishing marks whatsoever on any ticket, shall they make known for whom any man voted, and any violation of this act shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof the otlender shall be fined not less than ?JUO nor more than $31M. ". If any tickets other than those authorized by the township trustee shDuld be voted they shall not be counted. Ail such tickets shall be void, and the person publishing or printing auch fraudulent tickets shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon eonvictiou thereof shall be fined not less than $"JÜ0 nor more than half of said fine to go to the county treasury and the other half to the prosecuting witness. d. It slnll be the duty of the township trustee to see that in each precinct, from judges winrtow, twenty-five feet each way, at right angles and fifty "feet in front of said window, if no walls of "building or fences to answer for barriers, have rope, wire or railing of some kind shall designate the pace, into which only one man at a time shall be admitted to cast his vote, and it shall be the duty of any peace officer to arrest 2ny man who violates this section or act, if done intentionally, and upou conviction thereof he shall be fined not less than JVi nor more than U, to which may be added imprisonment in the county jail. 7. If any employerotlers an employe money or any other valuable consideration, or threatens him with discharge if he does not vote to suit his employer, or threatens to close up his business if a particular candidate is elected, the person to whom such oilers or threats were made may file complaint, and upon conviction thereof the o.lender shall be fined in any sum not less than f-00 nor more than $.TdO; half of naid line to go into the county treasury and half to the prosecuting witness, and the defendant to be disfranchised for five years. 8. Make it the duty of the sheriff of the county or any constable of the township to arrest all persons congregated at any rendezvous before election and put them on oath to testify as to who were the parties instrumental in collecting them together, which action shall be deemed a felony an i upon conviction thereof ehall be liable to a fine of not less than .."m0 nor more than $1,000 and imprisonment in the state prison not less than two nor more than three years and disfranchised for the same length of tiir.e. T. J. C. Shelby Tille, Ind., Dec. 1?. DUTY OF THE LEGISLATURE. It Should Adopt the Australian System Other w Laws ceded. To THE EDITOr Sir: THE SENTIXELhashad many valuable suggestions and ideas in regard to what kind of an election law the coming legislature should pass. I am glad to see that the great majority of the democratic party of Indiana favor a system like the Australian. The honest voters of both political parties in these parts cf the Wabash valley, and especially in this(Fountain)county, favor theabove sys.m. In fact, it is the duty of the legislature to pass such a law ; a law that would preTent, as much as possible, the crime of buying votes; and if anyone buys or attempts to buy a voter the penalty should not be less than $.300 tine and imprisonment in the state's prison. The narty who furnishes the article to buy with should be declared as guilty as the one who buys, and in order to convict the buyer, or the one who furnished the means to buy with, the informer, should there be any eonvictiou, should receive half the amount of the money fined. The democratic party, which has the majority in both branches of this legislature, can ill afford to let this opportunity pass without giving the people some wholesome legislation, and, above all, an election law that wiil protect the patriotic voter be he republican or democrat from having his honest vote "killed" by a boodle vote. There are other laws that need attention from the present legislature that should have been attended to two years ago; but because the two houses of that assembly were antagonistic in political matters nothing was done to relieve the people of this state from any of the many burdens that rest heavily upon their shoulders. Jt is of too recent occurrence to have forgotten tbc cry for a change in our county and township laws, oh account of the enormous sums the people in some of the counties were swindled out of by "shark," who came a few years ago, under the name of "school-house supply agents." The township trustees in some of these counties, blinded by the promise and receipts of a large share of the profit, bought I irge quantities of these supplies, which they did not need and never received; issued township orders to these men, to be paid in yearly installments, some of which are to this day unpaid, in the hands oi innocent parties. The cry went up from every corner of our state for & change of these laws. The township trustee has too much power. The laws allow him to spend our money to his heart's content. The last legislature i peace to its ashes) had too much to do, finding a lieutenant governor and electing a I. S. senator. There will be none of that this session. The democratic party will be held responsible for the coming legislation, as the majority in both houses is strong enough to resist all tiillihustering that might be attempted by the opposition. Our laws in regard to coanty commissioners need a thorough revision. Would it not be better to adopt a law similar to the Illinois laws in regard to county commissioners? Give each township a representative on the board of commissioners. Let the township trustee be a member of that board. Define their duties clearly and limit their power of appropriations. Let the tax-payere, the ones who pay all expenditures, have something to say at the polls cs to whether certain large expenditures are necessary or benefiHaL Would it not be wise to have a township board created by law, consisting of the township trustee, the assessor and superintendent of highways, who should meet one day in each month as sueh board to consult about township mutters? There should be elected every four years a road superintendent, whose duties should be defined by law in regard to the suervisioa of the highways ia hi township, aad who should be a

member of the township board. The office of township road superintendent ought never to have been abolished. Then comes the laws of taxation. They need overhauling. As the law now stands, the township assessor is compelled to complete the listing of his township in less than sixty days, as there are not sixty working days in the time allotted by law from April to June a better time to begin listing taxable property would be not later than the first day of March. Then the compensation for the work of a township assessor is too small to get a competent man in many townships for that position. The office of township assessor should be filled by a competent man, as it is one of the most important offices in the county. The assessor is the officer who furnishes the basis upon which all taxes are levied. A salary law ought to be enacted also. A fair compensation ought to be paid each officer for his work and his deputy (if he needs any), but not, as it is now, such large compensation for some of the county ofiicers that they can buy the office with the fees that they receive in one year. There are many other laws which the legislature will be asked to consider, but none are so important to the people of our state as a satisfactory election law. If the ruling power in the coming legislature, after giving us a satisfactory eleutiou law, give the people such wholesome laws as are most beneficial to all, laws that will lessen the burden under which they have been groaning for many years, then the defeat of the democratic party at the last election will be turned into an everlasting victory. FOUNTAIN. Covington, Dec. 24. 1ns. GIVE US A PURE BALLOT

And Then if the Democrats are Weatep They TTIU be Content. To the Editor Sir: We, as democrats in this part of the state, feel the stigma and disgrace that have befallen our state, owing to the corrupt use of money at the recent election. This was what we feared before the election took place. This was the only hope of the republican party, for it had no living issues to bring before the laboring masses, and the leaders well knew defeat was sure if money did not win. What boodle did the people well know by this time. We have lost our noble Cleveland, one of the grandest men that ever sat in the presidential chair. He was defeated by the use of money alone. Now in the future we. as democrats, want an honest ballot, and with the issues the democratic party will bring before the people, and with an honest ballot, if we are defeated, we will say "Amen" to it. Now we are waiting for our legislature to pass a law that will secure an honest ballot, or as nearly honest as it can Ie made. This law should punish the votebuyer severely and let the seller go free. The voting-place should be something like this, and it would not cost much to build, its it could be made out of rough or fine material. It would be composed of four rooms and an ante from the street say twenty feet so the outsiders can't get closer to the one that goes in to vote than that. The first room where the voter goes in to vote should be small, with no chairs or stove; the 6econd room large enough to accommodate one nan for each party that has a candidate'in the field, and they to have the tickets to be voted by the people; no peddling of tickets to be done by anybody; the tickets to be printed by the state, and each party to have its presidential aud vice-presidential nominees on its tickets; the wall between the voter and tickets to be solid, and et.ch party that has the tickets to have a small slide in the wall, so when the voter wants one of his kind of tickets, all he has to do is to push on his slide and he can get a ticket without being seen. The ticket to be stamped before it goes to the voter. Life-size photographs of the president and vice-president to be hung on the wall over the ticketslide of each party in the voters' room. If a man can't read he can recognize the candidate he wants to vote for. If a man wants his ticket scratched and can't read, he can have a trusted friend to write ou a slip of paper the names he wants scratched, and when he goes in to vote he can put it in the slide that has the ticket he wants to vote for, and this man can take the slip ami scratch his ticket to correspond, and betöre he slides the ticket to the voter he is to show the slip and ticket to the other parties. Boom three is to be where the voter easts his ballot and can be small. The fourth room the board will occupy. There should be one man from each party at the entrance door, so if there should be any man that would have to swear in his vote two of them could go with the parties before the board and two could remain at the door. All of these parties to be sworn according to law. IL M. Newtown, lad., Dec. L'-'l. LET NO GUILTY MAN ESCAPE. Vote Buying Should He Subjected to Very Severe Penalties.. To THE FlTOR Sir: When we cast our eyes all over this fair land, when we view the present aspect of affairs, we are constrained to say: "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty." Do we, who love our country, who were taught from infancy to love couutry infinitely more than party, realize fully the dangers that threaten our future? To those who really love the land and the institutions under which wc live, I address myself; to those who do not, I have nothing to say. There is an earnest feeling among the masses never before shown. And the feeling is as expressed by Gen. Marion "will it always last?" Already thousands are disgusted with themselves for sclliug .their birthright for a few paltry dollars. The feeling is deep-seated that the corruptions and intimidations of lo must not be repeated. And now, after mature thought, I have arrived at conclusions that may be startling to many, and I ask all true men to ponder them carefully before replying to them, pro or con. I heartily indorse what J. McCabe said in a recent issue of The en'tinei, and will go farther. 1 believe that the penalty for the intimidation of voters, or purchasing or attempting to purchase votes, should be imprisonment for a long series of years, if not for life, and the same penalty for betting on elections. But some one says (who has not thought deeply on the subject), "Are you not going too far?'' Let ns see. If a man is shot down in cold blood, whit is done with his murderer? Hanging or life imprisonment. What is the killing of one man compared to those dangerous practices that will lead to the overthrow of the best government of the most favored land on which the sun ever shone? But I arn told democrats, too, do these things. Then I say, "Let no guilty man escape." Democracy says: "Kqual and exact justice to all men; special privileges to noue." Let our party, if in any degree corrupt, purify itself, and then shall heaven smile on our labors. We must be earnest; we must be faithful to our principles, and then we shall soon realize that the sober second thought of the people is right. And now 1 say let us continue organi.ed action think, read, speak, act as those w ho feel our responsibilities for the perpetuation of those institutions for which our fathers fought, bled and died, and endeavor, with God's help, to transmit them unimpaired to future generations. I do not know but it would be right to deny the voters' right who has not paid his taxes (will not discuss that now), but 1 am positively opposed to receiving a ballot from one who is intoxicated. I do not favor a secret ballot, but a free and open expression of ideas, such as becomes the man w ho is worthy to be styled a Fremtai, An Ameriemi Vitien. And now that our opponents have elected their president, I am glad they have both houses of congress. The eyes of the civilized world is upon them. If they fail, they have no excuse a fact they will realize in less than two years. If they fail, they will see the hand-writing on the wall. If they do right, we shall give them due praise. God-speed The Sentinel in its noble work. Like thousands of others, I am more of a democrat to-day than ever before. Tcrre Haute, Dec. 10. Lyman Tike. How to Insure a Secret Ballot. To the Editor Sir: A few words in regard to a new election law. It is impossible for every voter to vote a secret ballot, from the fact that a good many cannot see, and a good many cannot read; hence a second party will have to select and fix up the tickets for such voters. Now, then let there be a ticket board, sworn to eeci cry, composed of one man from each party, located in au adjoining room, or near the electron board, such ticket board to hold the tickets and distribute the same; but one voter allowed in the ticket office at the same time; the tickets to be furnished by the state and stamped on the back, such stamp to be a matter of secrecy When a voter has obtained his ticket he shall fold the same then and there, the mark or stamp being on the outside: go forthwith and deposit the same in the ballot-box, the election board not to receive any ticket unless it is stamped; no one allowed nearer than fifty feet of either board, except to vote, and then onJy one at a time. Ail voters shall deposit their

own tickets in the ballot-box. There should be a counting board and two ballot boxes, and as soon as twenty-five votes are received let the counting board go to work and by 7 o'clock p. m. the whole work will be done. The buyer and not the seller of a vote should be fined heavily and imprisoned. Better olier the latter a reward of $1Q0 or more to make the same public. There should not be over 200 voters in each precinct. There should be a law to prohibit the hiding and shipping of voters. In this and an adjoining township there were eleven democrats ( ?) that did not vote at the late election. They were shipped in and out went visiting one fellow went rabbit hunting (so his wile stated) and could not be found and another was taking a buggy ride and did not vote. G. S. Bangor P. 0., Huntington County, Dec. 2L

VOICE OF THE PRESS. Some Objections to Registration Suggestion of an Able Journal. The Terre Haute Gazelle, in an article on the subject of election reform, says: The object of registration is to prevent colonization and repeating but it accomplishes these objects very imperfectly if at all, if reports from cities where the law is in force are to be believed. Moreover it does very clearly and plainly circumvent the essential object of the proposed , law, which is, by providing for the absolute secrecy of the ballot, intended to prevent intimidation and bribery. Men could be iutiinidated and bribed into refraining from registering and men who would intimidate and bribe men to vote would be quick to seize upon this weak spot in the law to carry the elections by force and fraud. Of course the man bullied or bribed into not registering would only count half as much as the one bullied or bribed into voting with his bulldozer or seducer, but on the other hand the prevention of registration iu this crimiual way w ould be easier and more certain and cheaper than the actual control of the vote on the day of the election. The Gazette is, therefore, quite of the opinion that registration should not be mixed up with this proposed law, providing as far as may be the absolute secrecy of the ballot. The Umrtte makes the following suggestions for the proposed law: 1. Let the voter prepare his ballot in a closed room. A mere stall or booth, open at oneside, would not secure a sufficient sequestration of the voter during the preparation of his ballot. This could be easily arranged by having a door to the stall. 2. Have the voter place his ballot in an envelope provided by the election ofiicers. Make it mandatory on him to place his ballot in the envelope and seal the envelope while in the room and before he emerges from it to place it in the box. Make it illegal for the inspector to accept a ballot not placed in an envelope and sealed by the voter in a room by himselt. 3. Make it mandatory on the commissioners or trustee or whoever appoints the minority party representation on the election board to appoint qualified persons designated by the recognized party committee of the minority party. By "minority party" is meant the party i.ext in number of votes at the last previous election to the party to which the commissioners or trustees belong. Make it mandatory on the commissioner or trustee or w hoever appoints the officers of the various election boards to give admission to the election board room from the beginning of the voting to the end of the count of one representative of any party whose candidates' names are on the ticket. These unofficial persons are not to be clothed with any authority nor to receive any pay, but to be given facilities for observing if there is a free ballot and a fair count. 4. Make the election precincts small, so as not to contain to exceed 4X) votes. 5. Require election boards to make out as now tally-sheets in duplicate, the inspector to be custodian of one, and the judge of opposite politics of the other. Before adjourning require them to till out smaller blanks with the total vote received by each candidate; require all the members of the board, the inspector, the two judges aud the two clerks to sign them, and give one of these blanks to each "member of the election board and one to each representative of any other parties who may be present in accordance with the method hereinbefore prescribed. When this is complete, destroy the ballots. This is important. If the ballots arc preserved, some prearranged system of private marking, undiscoverable, except to the person looking for it and not sufficient to invalidate the ballot, may give some person examining them afterward an opportunity to discover how a person intimidated or bribed voted. The object of this whole system is to preserve inviolate secrecy of the ballot, and this is important. The Gazette adds: A law on this subject must be devised and passed this winter. It is absurd and outrageous that 5oO,tA) voters in the great state of Indiana, ninety-nine out of every hundred of whom are honest and only want a fair and free and honest ballot, should continue to live under a system which gives the one-hundredth rascal an opportunity to corrupt if not to carry our elections. THE AUSTRALIAN SYSTEM. It is the Uest Finn For Securing Honest Election. To the Editor Sir: I wrote The Sentinel some time ago advocating an entire secret vote. My plan provided for a secret vote, but immediately after that I read of the Australian system in The Sentinel and I think the Australian system beats everything else. If I understand the Australian system, it provides but one ticket for all parties and then the voter is to designate the party or candidate he votes for. And as I underhand it, the voter is to prepare his ticket and vote it eutirely secret Now, I regard this the most convenient secret vote that could possibly be attained. There is only one thing in l he way of making this a utiivtrsal secret vote, and that is in case of those w ho are blind or can't see well enough to prepare their own tickets. Persons who are Permitted to prepare tickets for others should be. put under oath and a heavy fine imposed for divulging how any man votes. So far as tickets and voting is concerned, the Australian system is certainly the grandest ami most convenient plan that could be adopted for a secret vote. And anything short of a secret vote is useless. But a secret vote is not all that is needed. Any tickets having marks other than those provided for designating the vote should be thrown out. And then strike the vote-buyer and strike him hard. And make it of much interest to the vote-seller to squeal on him. k)ne man says it should be unlawful to buy votes, but to tine and disfranchise the seller. Now, this would be useless as the vote-buyer would never squeal on him and no one else would ever know much ubout it. For all parties to have a separate ticket. Some parties will have to give out the tickets or else the voter wiil have to go into a private apartment to get his ticket. In the first cae those parties will all know how every man votes. In the second ease, if the voter gcis his own ticket privately, he can take more than one and he can use tickets in a way that will do harm to other voters. Under the Australian system there is not half so much to contend with in securing a sccre vote. As The Sentinel is the leading organ of democracy in the state, I, like many others, are depending on it to work for a lawtliat will be a success when it is made. There is not.a man in the state any more anxious for a profound secret and stringent election law than I am. Country Jake. Liunsburg, Ind., Dec. 21. HOLD TWO ELECTIONS. Separate Balloting For National and Other Candidates Other Suggestions. To the Editor Sir: Seeing that many suggestions are being made through the columns of your paper as to the reform of the election laws of Indiana, I beg leave to present for the consideration ot the members of the legislature a few matters relating to the pubject. My ideas are embraced iu the following proposed changes: 1. As the constitution of the L'nited Statc3 confers upon each state tbc right to determine how presidential electors shall be chosen, let a separate election be held for the selection of electors and members of congress, and let the voters of each congressional district select one elector, and the voters of the state select two electors. In this manner each party will secure a proper portion of the electoral vote, and one party will not obtain the entire electoral vote of the state when it may have a i small plurality of the votes cast If this plan naa oeen in operation at tne late election in this state, Cleveland would have obtained ten electoral votes and Harrison five. By having the election for electors and congressmen separate from the state election, it will not be necessary to change the time or place of holding state elections. All that is needed is to have two sets of election ofiicers and to provide for them opening tho polls a certain distance apart. Two principal advantages urc thought to be gained by this, First,

officers acting under United States laws cannot then interfere with state elections or the officers holding the same; and second, persons who are charged with violation of the United States laws relating to elections cannot be taken hundreds of miles from tbeir homes for trial when their actions bad nothing at all to do with the eleotion of a federal officer. Under the ruling of the U. S. supreme court in the Coy case, a conspiracy to alfcct the election of a road supervisor will give the United States courts jurisdiction if a congressman is voted for at the same election. This would be prevented under the change suggested. Again when two elections are held it will render the purchase of votes more difficult It will take more money to buy a voter twice, and more vigilance to see that he votes right at two places than at one. 2. Frecincts should be made small, not containing over 250 votes. Kvery person should be kept a certain distance from the polls ofiicers of election excepted while a voter is depositing his ballot, and he should be out of the view of outsiders while he is doing so. 3. Ileavy penalties should be inflicted for buying or selling votes. One portion of the punishment should be the disfranchisement of the buyer and seller, and they should be disqualified from holding any office. The state should be allowed to compel one party to testify aginst the other on condition that the party testifying should be released from liability to puuishment. 4. Employers and their agents should be severely punished for compelling, coercing, or attempting to compel or coerce any employe, by any means other thau legitimate argument or persuasion, to vote in any manner different from what their inclination aud convictions incline them to vote. With these changes it is not believed that unscrupulous Dudleys can debauch the voters of Iudiana, by "blocks of five," and defeat the will of the honest voters of the state. B. Santa Fe, X. M., Dec 18. An Iron Clad Oath. To the Editor Si'v In reading your good paper I see many ideas and suggestions in regard to an act for the better protection of our ballot and to do away with the fraud and corruption that are practiced at every election. I think I have a right to advance my ideas publicly. Give us a registry system with an iron-clad oath.of which I give you a form.or let the oath be taken at the polls. And if we can get the proof that the oath is taken falsely the offender can be prosecuted for perjury, and that means state prison. There will be no need of challengers and it will do away with many brawls that arise from challenging. The oath should be about as "follows: You do swear that vou are a citizen of the United

States; that yon are orer twenty-one years of age to 4 ttieoestot your lntormation aud beliel; that you hare beeu a bona tide resident of this state for six months immediately preceding th.s election ; that you have resided iu the township bixty days and in the precinct thirty days, and are now a bona tide resident of this precinct; that yon are generally known by the name in which vn now desire to vote, and that you have not Toted and that you will not vote at any other precinct at this election; that you have not offered to sell your vote or tried to influence anv elector by onerinj hiiu money or anything of value or promises or favors or made any threats or used any intimid-iting language toward him. Alton, Ind., Dec. 23. A. J. HENDERSON. Punish the ISribers Only. To tue Editor Sir: As an old democrat who lived in Indiana for thirty years, I am much interested in your elections. Punish the bribers w ith fine, the bribed to get a part of what is collected, and you will have but few men on election day wanting to buy votes. Those intimidating factory ow ners should be looked after. E. J. BaN'TZ. Muncie, 111., Dec. 20. LUCY CANNOT TALK. Chicago Folice Forbid Mrs. Parsons Delivering Any Addresses. Chicago, Dec. 2t. Handbills were widely distributed to-dny announcing that Mrs. Lucy Farsoos, wife of the executed anarchist, would lecture iu Waverly hall to-night. Cue of the bills was handed to Chief of Police Hubbard, who sent Lieut. Laughlin to Mr. Laurie, the proprietor of the ball, with instructions to order him not to open the place. Mr. Laurie was not satisfied wiih the message aud called immediately on the chief. "1 shall send an officer to you to-night," said the chief to Mr. Laurie, "who will demand the key of the hall from yon. He will then station a policeman at the door who will forbid admission to the hall. You are perfectly helpless in the matter and any responsibility there is w ill be on the police." The wording ot the subject of the lecture was a trifle ambiguous, in that it might include any or all phases of anarchy of socialism. There was no doubt in the mir.ds oi" the police that Mrs. Tarsofls intended to say something to cause her arrest. Said Chief Hubbard: "Mrs. Parsons can advertise herself all she pleases but we will not help her to do it. We have private information that she intended to make a violent anarchistic harangue. Then we would have been compelled to arrest her, and you can be sure that it would have been magnified in every way by the anarchists in their injunction suit to-morrow. The attempted lecture was simply for effect. It is well known that Mrs. Parsons can not refrain from talking of auarchy if she gets a chance and we will not experiment with her farther. She simply can not speak in Chicago." The police program was carried out precisely and there was no lecture or meeting. For three hours the narrow stairways leading to the hall were crowded with anarchistic sympathizers, who, however, took the situation rather goodnaturedly. Mrs. Parsons was among them. "Is this what you call a free country?" suddenly broke out the anarchist's widow, as she waved aloft a big red handkerchief which she had concealea in her muff. "Why, they would not think of trying to stop such a meeting as this in Loudon or in Scotland. The anarchists march through the streets of London singing the 'Marseillaise,' and arc not interrupted. Yet they call this country free." Anarchist ticorge Schilling then drew the attention of everybody by nnnounciug that the chief ot police had said there was no law to stop the meetings but that he was going to do it, and public sentiment would back him. "After persecution, revolution'" shouted a wild-lookiug youth on an upper step. He quickly subsided at a shrill "sh" from Mrs. Parsons, though the glow on her swarthy face and the Hash in her dark eye certainly did not indicate displeasure. The youth said he meant to say "evolution," and everybody laughed derisively. The police were denounced in strong terms, and several enthusiasts urged Mrs. Parsons to deliver her address, but the cooler heads decided that it would be bad policy, and iu smsll groups the disappointed auarchists gradually left the vicinity. Two arrests were made. A man named Lechner was particularly loud-mouthed in the crowd near the hall, and was takm into custody as disorderly, lie and his captors were followed through the streets by a half a hundred people. One of them, named Kobcrt Burns, imitated Lcchner's conduct, and, like Lcchncr, was promptly placed under arrest. WHITE CAP TRIALS. A Number of Prominent Citizens Arraigned Four Hundred Wltnesaen. Leavenworth, Ind., Dec. 26. Special.! There begins at this place to-day a series of the most notable trials which promise sensational and tragic developments. These are the White Cap trials in, which eleven persons are to answer indictments and iuformantion for assi'.ult with intent to murder, assault and battery and assault and riot. The parties indicted are William L. tiregory, formerly a prosperous merchant and nt present postmaster at Marietta (West Fork postoflice); Ixuis Jobc, who has the contract for carrying the mail between English and West Fork (Marietta); J. It. ltawlings, a justice of the peace at Marietta; James L. Lynch, Samuel Hett, Daniel Vest, Reuben Hobertson. Charles Miller, Floyd Morgan and Charles Morgan, all farmers in prosperous finnncial condition, and all heretofore reputable citizens. The indictments against these men are based upon the barbarous w hipping, on July 17 last, of two women. Over four houndred witnesses have beeu subpenaed, and the trial promises to last for many days. The accused have secured the services of Hon. Charles I Jewett of New Albany, and he will be assisted by several attorneys of Crawford and Perry counties. The circuit prosecutor, Hon. Jerry L. Suddarth, will be assisted by Funk Si Funk of Corydon. Itemarkabie Shooting. ! Minneapolis, Minn., Dec. 24. Dr. Carver, 1 the rifle shot, started in on his attempt to break 00,000 balls in six days, of fourteen hours each, at the Washington rink, this morning. Up to 0:13 o'clock to-night he had broken 8,l'i0 ball and missed about 200, giving him ample opportunity to break the remainder of the day's quota of J0,)0t. From 4 to ü o'clock he made the remarkable record of vhooting ' '2fiJJ bolls, out of which he missed but HJ.

SUNDAY'S IIOPiROR OUTDONE

ANOTHER AWFUL RIVER DISASTER. A Steamer Burned on the Mississippi About Thirty Persons Perished in the flames and Many Jumped Overboard And Were Drowned. New Orleans, Dec. 23. The steamboat John II. Hanna, from Ouachita river, with a large number of passengers and a cargo of 3,300 bales of cotton on board, was burned last night at Plaquemine. It is stated that of the 100 persons on board at the time of the disaster, only fourteen are known to have been saved. The John II. Hanna was built in Madison, Ind., in 1876, and hailed from Louisville, Ky. She was of 377 tonnage and was owned by the Ouachita river consolidated line. She was valued at $18,000 and was insured for $12,000 in local and foreign companies. Capt. J. W. Blanks, president of the company, says that the latest advices he has are to the effect that the steamboat left Monroe, La., on Sunday morning at C o'clock with 1,000 bales of cotton. The captain estimates that additional cotton had been picked up on the way down to make the total number of bales 2300. Upon being questioned as to the number of passengers on the Hanna, Capt. Blanks said he thought it was small, as there was little travel in that section at present, THE DETAILED ACCOUNT. Terrible Sufferings of Those Unable to Escape From the Flames. New Orleans, Dec. 23. A special dispatch from Plaquemine says: "The burning of the steamer John II. Hanna last night near this place was one of the most terrible river disasters that has ever happened in southern waters. The loss of life was very heavy. About thirty persons perished in the flames aud a large number jumped overboard and were drowned. One of the deck hands who escaped pays there were about one hundred persons on board and that only about a dozen can now be found alive. The engineer and pilot were saved. All were burned more or less, some of them severely. "It was just before Christmas day was being ushered in that the fine steamer was coming down the river. Several of the passengers were seated in the cabin having a merry time and with no thought of the impending catastrophe. Many of the crew and passengers were asleep when the fire broke out and spread with indescribable rapidity. The details of the sufferings and death of some of the passengers are harrowing in the extreme. The boat had reached a point which was but a 6hort distance above the town, when a negro roustabout near the boiler-room ran out to the deck and shouted that the boat was on fire. John Cnllen, a stoker, was near the place at the time, and seeing the flames bursting forth from the big tiers of cotton near the boiler ran hastily to the engine-room and gave the alarm. "Engineer Merriman took in the situation at a glaice and at once sounded the alarm by blowing the steam whistle and ringing the bells. In an instant certainly in a much shorter time than it takes to explain it the flames shot through the cabin and over the sides of the cotton, enveloping the entire boat in fire. Clerk Powell was up stairs at the time and when he saw the flames he heroically ran through the smoke, w hich filled the cabin, and tried to arouse the sleeping people. He kicked at the doors and in a short time almost everybody was awake. Then confusion worse confounded appeared and the frantic people on the boat ran to different exits to make their escape, but the boat was piled high with cotton and the passage-ways were filled with smoke. Many dropped before they were able to get to the forward parts of the boat and were dead when the steamer went down. "As soon as the fire was discovered Engineer Merriman set the steam pumps working, and tried to battle with the flames, but the fire swept through the boat like a blaze on a prairie, and the engine-room was soon iu flames. Then to add further to the consternation, a steam pipe burst aud filled the place with scaldiug steam. Engineer Merriman was forced to abandon his post, and he and the stokers and others ran to the sides of the boat and rushed through pell-mell, in order to save their lives. "As soon as the smoke and flames began to shirt up the sides of the boat, Capt. Joltes, the pilot, swung the wheel around and headed the boat for the shore. A full head of steam was on at the time, and the boat was soon run into the bank. lief ore she did so, however, she was doomed. All of her timber was then furiously burning. When the Hauua struck the bank she bounded away again and swung around, drifting down as t-he burned. Then CaptJoltcs jumped out over the cotton bales, aad, springing into the river, swam ashore. "The sight was a wicrd one viewed from the bank, and the town was aroused. Floating cotton, charred timber and other debris filled the river, and many people were struggling desperately iu the water for their lives. Some of them were able to swim ashore, but most of them were so badly burned, or eo thoroughly exhausted, that they struggled but a few moments and sank to rise no more. "As the burning boat struck the bank of the river, the crew aud passengers who had been aide to reach the forward end of the boat sprang ashore, some of them w ith ttcorched faces and bruised limbs and many of them with scarcely any covering. Among those who managed to get off were Capt. Holmes and Bob Smith, the unfortunate pilot of the ill-fated White, w ho was a passenger. Both men were burned nigh unto death, and the story of the manner in which they suffered is most heart-rending. When the captain jumped ashore he was burned horribly, and in his frantic desire to be relieved from the pain he was suffering, he hurried his face and hands in the sofi mud and begged most pitcously for some one to help him. Smith was just behind aud was laid out by the side of the dying captain. Nothing could be done for the suffering men and the two died together on the river biyik. "Plaquemine was not slumbering when the fire broke out. and w hen he discovery was made that the Hanna was burning almost the entire town flocked to the river bank and watched the vessel burn. The struggling unfortunates who reached the shore were taken care of and doctors and others came to their assistance and tried to alleviate their sufferings. The City and Central hotels and private houses threw open their doors to the ill-fated people, and fed and clothed them until this morning. The survivors telegraphed accounts of the disaster to their homes. "No one saw Clerk Towell, who displayed so much heroism in waking up the passengers, after he had rapped at the doors, and it is quite positive t tint he was burned to death and went down with the steamer. "No attempt was made to save any of the steamer's books or papers, and everything together with the clothes of the crew and passengers was lost. The boat burned rapidly after she reached the bank, and in a very 6hort timeaftcr thealarm was given she had burned to the water's edge. The hulls sank and nothing was left of the Hanna but floating timber and burning cotton. "The crew of the boat were: J. S. Holmes, captain; Samuel Powell and James Jordan, clerks; Lew Pawl ins and Henry Jolles, pilots; J. II. llandley and J. C. Merriman. engineers; Dan Carroll, steward; Samuel Bryan, first mate; Mike Cusick, second mate; John Gibbons, sailor; Beu Ducloa and Willie Higgins, bar-keepers; two chambermaids, Mrs. Demery and Mrs. Hunt; Jim llandley and Charley Thompson, firemen; John Hücker and Tom Cullen, stokers. "Among those who were lost are: "Capt. J. S. HOLMES, master of the boat, 'SAMUEL POWKLU chief clerk. "BOH SMITH, a pilot from Smithland, La. "MIKE O'NEIL, night watchman. MOE CRANE, cabin watchman. "MONUOE DECK, first cook. "JACK Dl'FF, second cook. "JOE HARVEY, cabin boy. "JIM WATSON, second baker.

"JOUV CRAFTON, carpenter. "Among those who are badly burned are: "Dan Careoli., steward. "JIM O'NEIL, deckhand. "JOUN Oibuons, sailorman. "Lous Welsh, roustabout. "JOHN BARLOW, rouster. "JIM BLANK (colored), rouster. "DICK BLANK (colored). "Miss , room-tender. "STEPLOE JOHN. cook. "MONROE DIGGS, cook. "Child of Priscilla Wright (colored)." "Coming down on the boat as passengers were a number of the crew of the steamer Josie W., all of whom were saved. "The survivors were all warm in their praise of the humane people of Plaquemine, who spared no pains and money to furnish them with clothes and shelter after their terrible experience. W. L. Brule, nmyor of the city, was especially kind to the survivors. 'None of the men could say w hat was the origin of the fire. The general impression, however, is that some careless smoker threw a cigarette among the cotton bales and thereby caused the disaster. The death of John Crafton, the carpenter, was a sad one. He was iu the upper portion of the boat struggling to get near the front end of the boat. The flames were twisting and sweeping all about him. He tried nobly to reach the bow, but he dropm-d and burned to death before the eyes of the people w ho were not able to render him any help. The second barkeeper of the boat said Mr. Towell was standing near him when they both jumped into the water. Powell, who could not swim, climbed on a floating cotton bale, but the two deckhands also jumped on the bale turning it over and throwing Powell into the water and he disappeared. . "Tne boat was about fifteen yards from the shore when a great many people plunged into the river, and several who reached the bau k iu safety became bogged in the mud, and so intense was the heat of the burning boat that' they were burned to death before they could climb up the steep bank to the levee. The fire was so rapid that before the pilot had finished sounding three alarm w histles the entire boat from stem to stern w as a roaring mass of flames, and the scene that ensued was terrible in the extreme. Men yelled and ran about the decks of the burning steamer like maniacs, and others, screaming at the top of their voices, threw themselves into the dark waters and were lost to sight iu the twinkliug of an eye. "The second bar-keeper said that several persons near him struggled in the water and begged pitifully for help, but he could not render them any assistance because the water chilled him to the marrow and his clothing clogged his every movement. A cabin boy, who was an assistant of the steward, said the crew who were in the texas were aroused from their slumbers by the flames which roared over them, and they were compelled to dive headlong from the roof of the boat iuto the river, and many of them were burned to death while in the water. The impression now is that the number of lives lost w ill not exceed thirty.'. The steamship Josie W. of the same line, was laid up at Monroe and her crew were discharged and sent home on the Hanna. This will explain the reference to persons belonging to the Josie W. At the inqnest held nt Plaquemine on the body 'of Clerk Powell, $l,00j w as found in his pockets. The Tiines-Demoerat's special from Plaquemine gives the following account of the death of Capt. Holmes: "The brave captain, a resident of New Orleans, met with a most awful death. He remained at his post of duty till every chance to save the lives of his passengers was gone. Then he leaped into the water to 6wim for the shore, but it happened to be boggy, and he was seen to make frantic endeavors to extricate himself without avail. The burning boat was last nearing him, and while he was on his kees in the mud he put his hands up to protect his back from the intense heat. It was an awful moment for those on shore who were making endeavor to relieve him with skiff's and with ropes from the bank. One man went out to him and placed a box between him and the flames to protect him from the increasing heat. He said: 'Nevermind me;' I'll be dead in a few minutes anyway, lie was finally freed from his terrible situation by tieiug a rope around his body and dragging him on shore, but, alas, too late. He died in about half an honr after being rescued. "The body of Chief Clerk Powell was in a perfect 6tate of preservation. There were no marks of any kind upon it. He had on a life-preserver which was partly burned. It is supposed he died of suffocation. A short time previous to the alarm of fire Powell was conversing with Willie Higging, bar-keeper, about the burning of the Kate Adams, an account of which Higgins had just finished reading. On being told that fifty lives were lost, Powell said: "I can't understand how so many lives can be lost w hen land is so near." Half an hour later cruel fate made him a corpse floating down the river. THE BOSSES LIED TO THEM.

Clay County Miners Out of Work in Spite of Harrison' Klection. 'This will be the severest winter ever experienced by the coal miners of Clay county, unless there is a general resumption of work in the near future," remarked Ixmis Holtman, of the Brazil Democrat, to a reporter. "I was under the impression that severe w inters made coal miners prosperous," said the reporter. "So they do, but this winter one-third of the men are idle, and the rest work only tw o or three days in the week. There will be more destitution in Ciay county in proportion to population than in the city of Indianapolis, and the worst of it is there seems to be no hope for revival of business. Our business men are despondent, and they justly complain that in the history of Clay county coal mining there never was such a gloomy outlook." "Did not the operators promise to give employment and full day's work to the miners if Gen. Harrison was elected?" "Yes; the miners were given to understand by those in charge of the works that if Harrison were elected they would have steady work, at good pay, but if Cleveland were re-elected the Mills bill would go through and the output of coal curtaUed to meet the restricted market to w hich the shutting down of factories would confine the miners. Otherwise Harrison's election would be the death of the Mills bill and the end of tariff agitation for a quarter of a century, iu which case they would be able to dispose of all the coal that could be mined at good prices, and consequently be iu condition to employ more men and pay a better scale of wages for miniug. To strengthen their position, they got up an excursion of miners to visit Gen. Harrison. The general, in his address to them, said in substance that the miners' prosperity depended absolutely upon aprotective tariff' "Were many miners influenced by these promises?" "If had eilect. I know democrats engaged iu other pursuits who came very near believing that business would be better if the protection party won. "Wheu it was ascertained that Harrison had been eiected. aud both houses of congress haJ gone republican, there was mach rejoicing among these miners, because they had been led to believe that in the overthrow of the democratic party a new era of prosperity would surely dawn uitoit the coal fields ot Clay county. 'Hurrah! the Mills bill is dead,' they shouted, but they soon discovered that it was only the death ot Julius Cesar. When the excitement and rejoicing had subsided, the miners expected to return to work in the mines that had been closed a few weeks before the election on account of the uncertainty of the fate of 'protection.' "Boys, we are sorry we cannot give you work, but on account of new crude oil and natural pas the supply of coal exceeds the demand. There is no use to deceive you about this matter; the outlook is not encouraging,' was the reply they received. "What do they think now of the republican campaign cry of 'Protection to American labor?"' "Well, sir, they feel the base deception so keenly that if they had a chance to reconsider their votes to-day Clay county would give IX) majority for Cleveland. Before the election it was on account of the Mills bill. Now that the election is over and their man is elected, the operators tell them the truth the crude oil and natural gas is the cause of the depression in coal. If Cleveland had been elected, however, they would assign a dhlerent reason it would be the re-election of Cleveland, and 'didn't we tell you so,' etc., would replace the natural pas excuse. Some of the operators are feeling uneasy, too. They fear that the democrats in the next legislature will pass a bill to wipe out the 'pluck nie' stores, and prevent the under-weighing which is practiced upon the miners." "is this false weighing a great abuse?" "This is what the miners complain the most of, next to the 'pliick-uie' stores. "Is there not i law tu prevent operators from

compelling their employes to deal in compacj sto-es?" "There is such a law, but they evade it bj adopting methods that only a practical minei can describe. Most any mi uer can tell you how this is done, and also all about the weighing and many other abuses practiced by the opera tors. Our senator, Mr. Byrd, who is a goo lawyer, has been working on a bill for somt time, which will, it is believed, accomplish wha! the miners desire honest weighing and 'free trade' or, in other words, the right to trad where they please w ithout incurring the risk ol losing their jobs. In drafting this bill, Mr. Byrd has called to his assistance the state mine inspector, Mr. McQnade, and several other old miners. As Mr. Byrd's district comprises the largest coal fields of the 6tate, the miners in his district expect him to be'made chairman oi the 6enate committee on mining." A ROADSIDE SOLILOQUY. Tioie.1

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x:-x i- '; f N Morgaby the Tramp "I ain't envious 'r nothin', but dat feller orter be happy. He don't even have ter watt." SUPREME COURT RELIEF. Increase the Number of Judges and Pivide the Court Into Section. To THE Editok Sir: I see much is beinj said in your columns, editorially and otherwise, iu reference to giving relief to the supreme court of the state. As a member of the last two general assemblies of Indiana I have heard and participated in all the discussions that have been had ia the legislatures for the past four years ou that subject, and have been an earnest advocate of some measure to afford the desired relief. In the session of 1 SS3 the writer introduced a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the constitution of the state providing an increase in the number of supreme court justices from five to nine. It further provided for utilizing the labors of the judges of that court by dividing them into subdivisioc?, or benches, of three judges each, and gave each bench exclusive jurisdiction of a certain clas of business, while cases of extraordinary importance might still be submitted to all the members of the court. This measure passed the house with but little opposition, but reached the benate too late to be regularly considered. A copy of the resolution referred to may be found in house journal of 1Sn, at page 14J7. The constitutional limit might be fixed at fifteen instead of nine, but the general assembly ought to have the power to regulate the number within that limit. WLeu the docket of the court is once up, nine judges could probably do the work. For uniformity, ecouomy and effectiveness in our judicial system l am still ot the opinion that no better plan has beeu proposed then the one provided for by that resolution. Another change in the constitution might stop the publication of decisions of the supreme court, except such leading cases as might be desigr.aiea by the members of the court of hist report. Until these changes can be effected, the commission ought again to be created by law. The need for some such reforms are glaringly apparent, and the coining legislature ought to provide some remedy at once. ClIAKLES KeLLISOX. Plymouth, Ind., Dec. 1. MARBLEHEAD'5 BIG FIRE. The Loss Will Keacli S01,000 and 1,000 Men Are Out of Work. Maecleuead, Mass., De. 20. Reliable estimates of the total losses by last night's firo are s00,000 and 1,000 or more men thrown out of employment and many families rendered temporarily homeless. Thirty-seven structures in all destroyed. Thirteeu of these were dwellings, twelve were shoe factories and twelve miscellaneous. Though the boundaries of the lire were almost identical with those of the big fire of June, J?, the losses on la't night's fire are nearly double those on the former. So quickly did the flames spread that whole blocks were mined in less than fifteen minutes. It is now estimated that between eight and nine acres were burned over. It is strange that no lives were lost and that no more serious accidents happened, as the ttrects ver thronged with people in and around the burned district. Charles Choate, w ho broke a leg by jumping from a t-eeond story windo w, is the only injured person rejorled. The hat on all sides was so intense that the curbstones were cracked and crumbled and car rails were twisted out of chape. The water supply was inadequate. None of the manufacturers think it possible to rebuild this winter and there is a general feeling of depression in the town. The A'ote Uuying Pharisees. Cleveland Plain Dealer. Judge firesham, himself a republican and a prominent candidate for the nomination to the presidency before the last national convention, put his linger on the center of the uWr when he s:id the other day: "It is the Pharisees w L are doing this. It is men of prominence and respectability who niie these large sums of money, knowing the use that they will be put to.; mi n who deal openly in corruption cue day and go to church the next." Judge Gresham was sniakiug of Indiana, but his words apply elsewhere. They have direct pertinence here as well as elscw here. Meu of respectability, men of reputation for honesty, for business honor and morality, men w ho go to church and stand well in the opinion oi tnose who gather in the sanctuary, contribute freely to campaign funds that they" know are to be spent, in p:irt at lenst, in corrupt! influencing votes. Tncy salvo their consciences by saying the money is to be used for ' ueces-Hry expenses," but they know very well that those so called "nece:.ry expenses" include the debauching of the ballot by direct briber" or corrupt treating. They may say such practices are wrong and "deplore the necessity" but they give money to be used ia those practices and rejoice when the vr'to-y is won in this way. His the nil and countenance of these "respectable citizens" that make corruption possible. It is they who arc directly responsible for the degradation ot the ballot and the consequent danger to American infelitutions. Mrs. Chnska a ?lolher. Tt. Bennett, D. T., Dec :';. Mrs. Chaska, nee Cora Belle Fellows, the society belle from Washington who created a sensation by marrying the Indian, Chaska, of the Cheyenne agency, is a mother. On the "ol inst-, at V2 o'clock, noon, a sou was born, aad mother and child are doing well. .Since their return from the Fast the couple have resided at Swift Bird's camp, and came to Ft. Bennett a week ago to obtain the service of a Caucasian accoucheur. Chaska aud his wife have lived beytMid their means the past year, spending hundreds of dollars in traveling, purchasing the finest clothing, and squandering thousands in farming implements and horses and carriages. The farming implements are useless, as Chaska has no talent for farming and prefers to take it easy as long as he possibly can. The Cry of th People. BlutTton Banner. The Indianapolis Sentinel is manfully pushing the cry of the people for ballot reform. Two pages of its edition ot Nov. 21 were full of letters from various parts of our great stale with varies suggestions of how to cure the evil of vot-1 buying aud vote veiling. We see that the Banner' suggestion i.f disfranchising toth buyer and seller meet. w ith general favor. We believe the coming democralie legislature will prove themselves equal to the emergency and w ill pass a law thüt w ill do very much toward curing the. evil.

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