Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1906 — TRUTH ABOUT FRENCH LICK. [ARTICLE]

TRUTH ABOUT FRENCH LICK.

Hr. Taggart JShows That His Company is Opposed to Gambling. Because Hon. Thomas Taggart is chairman of the Democratic National Committee, an attempt has been made by a partisan and unfriendly press to hold him both personally and politically responsible for certain alleged gambling practices in the vicinity of the French Lick Springs. It is true that Mr. Taggart is president of the French Lick Springs Hotel company, a corporation which owns the ground on which the most famous natural medicinal waters in America are to be found. It is also true that the corporation maintains at the springs an immense hotel, surrounded by a magnificent park, patronized annually by thousands of the best people in the United States. But it is also true that there are other hotels, under other ownerships in the neighborhood, including the great West Baden hotel, and it is true, too, that Indiana has been justly proud of the fame of its curative waters. No denial is made that at times there has been gambling in different forms in the locality, but it is strenuously denied by Mr. Taggart that gambling has been carried on with the consent of the company of which he is president. On the contrary, he shows that his company is opposed to gambling, and has made strong efforts to suppress the evil. The singling out of Mr. Taggart as an individual in connection with the recent activity of the State authorities because of his prominence as a democrat, is ■the work of petty politicians and unfriendly persons. It was'done to deceive and mislead those not informed as to the facts and is wholly unworthy. The New York World was misled, and an editorial utterance in that paper brought forth the following reply from Mr. Taggart: “The New York World has allowed itself to be imposed upon by the false and scandalous publications of a rival newspaper whose editor is my personal enemy for reasons best known to himself. There has been no raid nor attempted raid upon the French Lick Springs hotel, nor has such a thing been thought of, save by Mr. Hearst and his correspondents.

A building owned by the French Lick Springs company, wholly disconnected from the hotel property, was leased to a party to be used for billiards and bowling alley. with a strong clause against gambling in the lease. After a time this tenant permitted gambling. We brought suit for possession on the ground of the breach of that provision in the lease and reooverd judgment. He appealed the case, and it is pending for trial in the present term of court.

The state authorities have supplemented our efforts to recover possession by raiding that building, and that is ail there is to the grossly sensational publications in which the World has placed credence. "The French Lick Springs hotel has not and will not tolerate gambling in any form on its premises. This is attested by the court records, which show our efforts to suppress it." In spite of the big sale of suits we had, we still have the choicest and newest styles left. The Ideal. Two good second-hand binders for sals cheap. Gall on L. 8. Renicker.