Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 October 1905 — MRS. TAGGART SEES PREJUDICE [ARTICLE]

MRS. TAGGART SEES PREJUDICE

The Democrat has always fought football, as a dangerous game to life and limb of our youths, and because of the spirit the game engenders. It is glad to note that public sentiment is growing against this brutal sport, and welcomes such distinguished gentlemen as President Rooseto its way of thinking.

The democrats of Indiana have lost two of their most prominent members during the past two weeks. William H. Hawkins, of Indianapolis, former U. 8. Marshal under the Cleveland administration and former secretary of the democratic state committee, died suddenly at Anderson one day last week in a traction car while there on business. The direct result of his death is said to haye been from headache powders which he had taken; to relieve a severe headache. Hawkins was a radical Bryan man in 1896 and 1900, but in 1904 yielded to the Taggarts and SimsJlbut at the close of the campaign he was one of the first to advocate a return to the principles of Bryan. Albert Gall, another prominent democratic business man of Indianapolis and twice treasurer of state, fell dead last Saturday from heart disease.

Is it not time to call a halt on football in the public schools of Rensselaer? With the record of accidents here and another about to die as a result of games played, it would seem that a sentiment would be aroused that ought to put a stop to this dangerous game, at least in our high school. Another thing against the game is the spirit that might make right that it engenders, and the diverting of pupils’ minds from their proper studies. Also, The Democrat personally knows of at least one instance wherein the high school faculty— or the manager of the football tesm, at least—has connived with one of the players whose parents did not wish him to play, and encouraged the boy in disobeying and deceiving bis parents in this matter. It was known that the latter had told the boy when sending him here to school that he must not play football, and if he did play he would be taken out of school and brought back home. Yet he was encouraged to play and the high school faculty assisted him in deceiving his parents. If your boy—whom you h ave clothed and fed for years, and who in numerous instances parents are denying themselves that he may have an education and the advantages denied them —gets seriously injured or crippled for 1 ife in football, who is it that'pays the doctor bill and perhaps in after years takes care of him and keeps him from being a public beggar or an inmate of some charitable institution? Is it the high school or college to which you are sending him? If their brutal football cripples him so that he is made an invalid for life, or is unable to make his living, does the college dr high school faculty who permit and encourage this deadly game oome forward and take care of the promising young body they have crippled? Well, hardly. That is left for poor old dad, who, fortunately, when he went to school a quarter or a half century ago, did not know what this deadly game was, and whose frame though bent per-

haps with life’s burdens, must take np this additional one and carry it as long as he io able. The parents wishes in this dangerous game should be respected, and The Democrat is old-fashioned enough to believe that it io wrong for the faculty of any school or college to aid, abet and encourage any boy to disobey and deceive his parents in thia or any other matter, notwithstanding the "team” may need the boy to win games from their opponents.

Divorced Woman Says Money Was Used to Hurt Her Cause—He- .:. ceives Friends. Wooster, 0., Oct. 19.—Attorneys sot Mrs. Grace Taggart filed the following amendment to the motion for a new trial of the famous divorce case: That money was ured to mold public opinion against defendant; that evidence was submitted to the court and accepted which was not given tn open court at the trial; that the court was prejudiced against defendant and wholly disregarded evidence offered by her. A gathering out of the ordinary assembled at night at the house of Mrs. Taggart. Tne assemblage, which was informal, numbered more than a hundred of the leading residents of the city, with their wives. Resolutions expressive of sympathy were adopted and regretting the finding and decree which robbed her of her boys. Those present pledged united effort in helping her in every way to secure complete control of the children.

Wooster, 0., Oct. 19.—That Mrs. Grace Taggart will make a long fight for the custody of her sons, Culver and “Tiddies,” is apparent Captain Taggart, who was awarded control of the boys, “Tiddies" to remain as a visitor wlht the mother indefinitely, sent word that he wanted Culver to be ready to leave by night. Captain Taylor, attorney for Mrs. Taggart, gave notice of an appeal from Judge Eason’s finding as to the boys, and citizens furnished the $4,000 required to take the matter up.