Richmond Palladium (Daily), Volume 39, Number 304, 2 November 1914 — Page 1
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t: RICHMOND PAULAB i1 VOL. XXXIX. NO 304Palladium and Sun-Telegram 'Consolidated. 1907 RICHMOND, IND., MONDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 2, 1914. SINGLE COPY. 2 CENTS
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BERTSOH BACKS EARL CRAWFORD AGAINST BOSSES Prominent Democrat Leader Endorses Attack on Tagmart's Machine at Close of Public Meeting. CROWD GOES WILD
Hearers Give Ovation to Speakers When Both Repudiate Method of Party in Legislature. The political campaign in Western Wayne county came to a most sensational and unexpected close Saturday night, when, following an address by Earl Crawford, former Democratic representative in the legislature, advocating the defeat of the Taggart Democratic machine and the support of the Progressive ticket, Lawrence Bertsch of Cambridge City, a prominent Democratic leader and chairman of the recent Gray meetings in this county, arose from his seat in the hall and publicly indorsed the assertions made by Crawford. This action on the part of Mr. Bertsch was wholly unexpected and for a time, after he had concluded his remarks, the crowd maintained an astonished silence. When the significance of Bertsch's statements finally dawned upon them he was given an enthusiastic ovation. Crawford Raps Machine. Mr. Crawford in his address had referred to his experiences as a legislator, lie told of the misconduct of public affairs by the gang controlled Democratic majority and in conclusion he said that while he was still a "Wilson and Bryan" Democrat he could not support the Democratic state ticket because it had been dictated by the corrupt Democratic machine. As the crowd, which filled the hall, started to leave, following a splendid tribute to Mr. Crawford, who lives near Milton, Lawrence Bertsch arose and asked the audience to give him a hearing for a few minutes. When he obtained silence, Mr. Bertsch said that in his opinion Mr. Crawford's remarks were incomplete and he had a sequel to them. He then said Mr. Crawford had remarked after having related Mb experiences with the Democratic machine that the crowd must determine for itself whether he had spoken the truth. "I want to say that inasmuch as Mr. Crawford has made these assertions they must be the truth ' concluded Mr. Bertsch and the hall then rang with cheers. Agree with Speakers. There were a number of Democrats in Mr. Crawford's audience and he made a most visible impression upon them. After the meeting many of them frankly stated that they agreed with Bertsch that Crawford had "spoken the truth." Bertsch is one of the best known residents of Western Wayne county and has always been an ardent Democrat. When Rep. Gray toured the county recently, Mr. Bertsch was selected by the Democratic committee to introduce him to every meeting Mr. Gray addressed. His frank assertion that he believed the story of Democratic misrule in the last legislature caused consternation when it was reported to Democratic headquarters in this city. STARVING BELGIUM GETS FOODSTUFFS First Relief Comes to Hundreds Begging for Relief From Hunger. BY LEASED WIRE. Rotterdam, No. 2. - The first outside relief for the starving, people of Helfdurn arrived in that stricken country today. Foodstuffs from the steamer CohK'ntz, which arrived from England Sunday rcacliwl Belgium today. The work of unloading the one thousand tons of foodstuffs, which had been sent by thf American commission, went on till Saturday night, Sunday and Sunday ninht. The rargo was promptly transferred to canal barges. The Times Correspondent says: "Lines of people stand before bakerpliops before daybreak. Flour is very scarce, and it is being hoarded so that 1he supply will last until the supplies from the Coblentz are distributed. DISTRIBOTEJALLOTS Election Officials Take Supplies to Polls. More than 100,000 ballots were distributed Saturday to election inspectors for the state, county, township, centennial celebration, constitutional convention and railroad subsidy elections tomorrow. One and one-half tons of supplies were carried away by sixtyfour men who will act as the officials lit the polls tomorrow. About SO, 000 of the ballots will be marked if there is a representative vote. The distribution of ballots in numbers follows: State, 1 5,009; county, 16,3f.0; townFhip, 16,350; centennial celebration, 1C.350; constitutional convention, 16,50; traction subsidy, 9.950. WITHDRAWS SUIT. The divorce suit of Edith F. Smith against her husband, George Smith, of llagerstown, was disraised in circuit court Saturday when the plaintiff failf d to produce evidence of cruel and inhuman treatment against him. Mrs. Bmlth's divorce complaint was withdrawn with the understanding that ould file a more specific paper.
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(EDITORIAL.) Mr. F. S. Dodd, as publisher of the Item, was responsible for the publication of the infamous charge that I had knowledge of or directed the attack contained in an anonymous pamphlet which was circulated in Richmond and Wayne county the latter part of last week against the Roman Catholic church and certain of the candidates on both the Democratic and Republican tickets on account of their belonging to that faith. Mr. Dodd informed my attorneys, Messrs. Henry U. Johnson and Byram Robbins, Sunday evening that as a result of further investigation on his part he was convinced of the untruthfulness of the accusation against me
and that in the Monday issue of
unequivocable and manly retraction. The accusation to which I refer was in an editorial article headed "Vicious Politics" and was as follows: "From what source emanates this mysterious "A Call to Action?" Let us analyze it for a moment. The letter attacks both the Republican and the Democrat tickets, and at the same time proclaims that the Progressive ticket in "county, state and township is clean from the Pope's Dupes." As many as ten days ago one of the leaders of the Progressive party locally, if not THE leader one Rudolph G. Leeds, openly declared that Mr. Lynch would be attacked in this campaign because of his religious belief. Furthermore, Mr. Leeds declared that the attack would prove effective here just as a similar attack had been effective in Marion county. At that time he referred to the fact that a similar letter had been circulated in Marion county. "This reprehensible attack, therefore, undoubtedly was made with the knowledge, if not at the direction of this local Bull Moose leader." Mr. Dodd's assurance that he will publicly attempt to right this false accusation, relieves me of the necessity of asking him to produce his proof in court under the laws against libel. Had not Mr. Dodd, by his promised action, relieved me of the necessity of denying this charge and had I been forced to do so, I know the people of this city and county, who have had nine years in which to size me up as a newspaper editor, as a man and as a citizen interested in political issues, would not have entertained any doubts as to the sincerity of my statements, because from experience they know I always hit above the belt and never resort to the low expedient of anonymous articles in fighting political or other battles. Personally, I regard the man who will stoop to the use of anonymity as a coward, one afraid to stand responsible for his own charges. Mr. Dodd's promised action, however, does not temper the just resentment I feel for what is undoubtedly an indirect attack on the Progressive party through me. After tabling me "THE Progressive leader" and then libeling me by charging me with seeking to obtain advantage for the Pro-
; gressive party by the use of low and dispictable tactics, I can readj ily see where great damage might have been done the cause I have i been actively connected with since its inception. The singling out of the Progressive party as the only one favorably mentioned j by that anonymous pamphlet, when as a matter of fact, it also i favorably mentioned another political party, was at the best a ' dangerous oversight. Investigations made so far prove that i neither of these political parties had anything to do with the ! printing or circulating of this pamphlet. The man who was re- ! sponsible for circulating it is known and further investigation, I
believe, will disclose the identity of its author. I hope Mr. Dodd's promised retraction of this accusation which came at the eleventh hour as an indirect attack on the Progressive party and cause, will insure the deserved election of the entire Progressive ticket just as the unjust and malicious eleventh hour attack on the integrity of Prosecutor Reller has insured his re-election. RUDOLPH G. LEEDS.
PROGRESSIVE LEADERS SURE OF ELECTING WHOLE TICKET Chairman Clifford Price Predicts Victory for Party After a Clean Campaign Harper for Democrats and White for Republicans Claim Large Majorities.
Chairmen of the three principal political parties in the county today claimed victory for their parties to morrow, in eacn instance asserting that their complete tickets will be elected. Progressive. Clifford J. Price, Progressive county chairman "The Progressives in Wayne county will win at the election tomorrow by as substantial a margin as they did two years ago, and their vote will probably be even larger than j it was in 1912. The state ticket head-j fd bv A. J. Beveridge for United ! States senator, will receive an immense vote, Elbert Russell, candidate for congress, will carry the county by a handsome plurality and every Progressive candidate for county and township office will be easy victors. Without any exaggeration I feel safe in saying that we will make a clean sweep, from 'justice of peace, constables to United States senator. I want to call attention to the clean cut campaign the Progressive organization and every Progressive candidate has conducted. We have discussed issues merely ignoring personalities and abuse entirely. Tomorrow will be a big day for the Progressives." Democratic. John Harper, Democratic county chairman "The entire Democratic county and state tickets will be victorious in Wayne county tomorrow. The excellent administrations given the state and nation by the Democrats have won the confidence of the Wayne county voters and they will give us their support at the polls. The Democratic county organization has conducted a clean campaign from start to finish and If there has really been
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the Item he would so state in an j any 'dirty' politics played it has been without the approval or knowledge of the central committee. You can say that the various Democratic candidates for county offices will be elected by pluralities ranging from 200 to 500." Republican. F. G. White, acting Republican county chairman "The Republicans will carry Wayne county by a majority of 500 for the ticket from Hugh Miller down. The drift to the Republican party is every bit as strong in this county as it is elsewhere. There is no question about the result in Richmond as well as outside of Richmond. Our poll shows tremendous and unexpected gains. So much is this true that the Republican organization is confident that the result will be in our favor. Hundreds of Democrats who are dissatisfied with conditions in state and nation will vote the Republican ticket and hundreds of Progressives who have come to realize that protectionists must not longer be divided and appreciate that because of the reorganization of the Republican party in this state there is no further need for the Progressive party, will likewise be found in the Republican ranks. "Labor has indorsed the Republican ticket from top to bottom and there is no question as to the attitude of the wage earner. "The colored voters who were duped by the Progressives two years ago are with the Republican party solidly this year. "The business men of the county, Democrats as well as Progressives, who have sustained losses by reason (Continued on Pag Three.)
HUCKERY SENDS ATTACKS MADE ON CATHOLICS Admits Distributing Circulars Assailing: Church and Candidates Running For Office.
EXONERATES LEEDS Willard Jessup, Item Reporter, Told Saturday by Albert Morel of Huckery's Activities. Following the charge made in the Evening Item Saturday night that R. G. Leeds, editor of The Palladium, was implicated in the preperation and distribution of circulars, scattered about the county last week in which a vicious attack was made on the Catholic church and political candidates affiliated with that church, including P. J. Lynch, Republican congressional candidate, a rigid investigation as to the source of these anonymous circulars was started. As a result of this investigation Mr. Leeds was competely exonerated of the slanderous attack made upon him, and it was established beyond a shadow of a doubt that anti-Catholic literature was sent to Richmond by express from Terre Haute. The author of the anti-Catholic literature distributed in this community has undoubtedly been guilty of a violation of the corrupt practices act, so the effort to establish his identity has been particularly vigorous. Admits Distributing. In a signed statement today Fred Huckery, 711 North Tenth street, a railroad brakeman, admitted that he had assisted in the distribution of the offensive literature. Records at the office of a local express company also show that a package was received here from Terre Haute over a week ago, and a telegram from Terre Haute received this afternoon states that the consigner of the package was a man who gave his name as T. Brown, that the package was secured by express employes from one of the city offices but that an effort, to locate Brown today was unavailing. Albert Morel, a Republican candidate for a county office, it was learned today, informed Willard Jessup, an Item reporter, that he had seen Huckery distributing the circulars attacking the Catholic church and Mr. Lynch while in Greensfork last Thursday night. Huckery's Explanation. Huckery in his statement says he distributed these circulars in Greensfork that night. Asked where he received the circulars, Huckery says in his statement, which was made in the presence of a notary public: "There was a stranger came to my front door and asked me if I read 'The Menace.' I told him I did, and the "Yellow Jacket," too, and he had these letters and he wanted me to distribute them in Richmond, and I wouldn't do it. And then he wanted me to take a bunch to Greensfork to the doings of the K. of P. and the Odd Fellows' dedicating their hall. So I took the bunch and went over." "How many of the letters (meaning circulars) did he give you? "He gave me a pretty good bunch, more than I took to Greensfork." "What did you do with the others you didn't circulate in Greensfork?" Describes Method. Huckery then said he took them to a certain up town hall. He said he took .them there so any one could distribute them if they wanted to. Huckery described the man who brought the circulars to his home as of average heighth, about thirty years old and weighing about 150 pounds. Huckery said he had never seen the man before. Huckery said he had been working here for "The Menace" and the "Yellow Jacket," both anti-Catholic publications, that he had probably secured one thousand subscriptions for the former publication and thirty, or forty subscriptions for the other paper. Kighty per cent of these subscriptions were obtained here, he said. Huckery said that to the best of his knowledge neither the Progressive p.irty nor Mr. Leeds were responsible for the circulation of these circulars. He said he had never heard Mr. Leeds' name mentioned in this connection and that he had seen Mr. Leeds for the first time to know who he was today. E DISABLED BY NET U-9 Caught in Trawler's Net, Off Holland Coast, Crawling Home. BY LEASED WIRE. LONDON, Nov. 2. The German submarine U-9, which sank the British cruisers Aboukir, Hogue, Cressy and Tawke, is in a disabled condition fifteen miles off the north coast of Holland, according to a dispatch from Rotterdam. The famous submarine was disabled by her crew getting caught in a trawler net. A Dutch trawler reports that while fishing in the North Sea, she was dragged along by an unsee force and nearly capsized. A submarne appeared on the surface caught in the trawler's net. The submarine cut the net and the little fighting vessel disappeared. The submarine thus disabled was the most destructive instrument the Germans have used against the Eritish navy. Single hand 6he torpedoed and sank the four British cruisers, causing a loss of 2,400 British officers and men.
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WIFE ASKS $25,000 FROM DOLLY SCOTT FOR STEALING LOVE Mrs. Caroline Muhl, 116 South Fifth Street, Sues Couple Living as Man and Wife in West. LOS ANGELES, Cal., Nov. 2. Accusing Mrs. Dolly Scott of waging a ten-year campaign to steal the affections of her husband, Mrs Caroline Muhl has filed suit in the superior court for damages of $25,000. The campaign had its beginning, according to the complaint, ten years ago in Richmond, Ind. Edward Muhl, the husband, left Richmond in April, 1904, and Mrs. Scott followed in April, it is charged. That Mrs. Scott kissed and hugged Muhl is another allegation. MUHL REFUSED DIVORCE. Formerly Served In City Council From Seventh Ward. Mrs. Caroline Muhl makes her home with her son, Charles Muhl, 116 South Fifth street, and has been living as the widow of Edward Muhl since his disappearance ten years ago. The $25,000 alienation of affection suit filed in the Los Angeles superior court was brought through attorneys and Mrs. Muhl's son, Harry. Harry Muhl has been living with his father and Mrs. Scott for several years in their Los Angeles home. Mr. Muhl has filed suit for divorce against his wife, but the divorce was refused because of lack of evidence to prove his charges. Mr. Muhl represented the Seventh ward in the city council, and two years previous to his disappearance ran for county clerk on the Democratic ticket. He worked as a clerk for Jacob Lichtenfels, who is Mrs. Muhl's brother. When Mr. Muhl left. Mrs. Scott was living with her husband on Fort Wayne avenue. She left her husband to follow Muhl. Mr. Scott left the city shortly afterward and secured a divorce from his wife. It is said Muhl and" Mrs: Scott have been living together since the time they left Richmond. JOY RIDERS SPEED TO SUNDAY DEATHS Four Killed and Eight Injured in Accidents on Sabbath. LAFAYETTE, Ind., Nov. 2. Clifford Clark, piloting a joy-riding auto is uead and Miss Genevieve Graham, Miss Leonora Rickard and Frank Graham are in a serious condition in a local hospital here as the result of their car going over a curb. ADDS ONE MORE. SAGINAW, Mich., Nov. 2. Mr. John Schuler of Saginaw was killed, her daughter, Mrs. Tracy Hubbard, seriously hurt and four other persons injured in an auto accident last night near Millington, Michigan. TWO ARE KILLED. WARSAW, Ind., Nov. 2. Roy Hill, South Rend motorcyclist, and Mrs. Olda Jackson, aged 17, were instantly killed last night when an auto in which they were riding upset four miles north of here. KICK ONJPEEOERS Residents Protest Fast Driving on North Tenth. Members of the board of works declared today that North Tenth street from the railroad to the end of the paving beyond the hospital has become a speedway for automobiles until it is almost unsafe for pedestrians and horse drawn vehicles to venture on the street. The matter came up after the board members had viewed the site of the Tenth street bridge on a complaint that the lack of light where the street narrows to the width of the bridge will be responsible for an accident. The board probably will order a new light placed at each end of the bridge. A protecting fence which was asked will not be built. BACK IS BROKEN. Layfield, the Johns Hopkins quarterback, suffered a broken back in the game with Lehigh Saturday. The Weather FOR INDIANA Fair tonight and Tuesday. Warmer Tuesday. Noon 62 Maximum 69 Minimum 37 W. E. MOORE'S FORECAST. LOCAL Fair tonight. Tuesday fair and warmer. Local west wind shifting to south tonight or Tuesday. GENERAL CONDITIONS Fair weathe rcontinues east of the Rocky mountains. A storm along the Pacific coast is causing: light to haavy rains In Washington, Oregon ud CuUftrnU.
TOUUDT
Evening Newspaper to Retract Bitter Attack on New Party Leaders and Candidates EDITORIAL FATAL TO G. 0. P. PARTY
Republican Workers Condemn Eleventh Hour Jab Acting As Political Boomerang
The most bitterly contested political campaign held in Wayne county in a quarter of a century came to a close today, a close'as spirited as it was dramatic, featuring the collapse of a final desperate and vicious effort to defeat the Progressive ticket by an attack on R. G. Leeds of this city, editor of The Palladium, and one of the founders of the Progressive party in Indiana. The Evening Item in its issue tonight is to unqualifiedly retract a first page editorial which appeared in its issue of last Saturday in which it was asserted that an effort to discredit P. J. Lynch, Republican candidate for representative in congress, by the circulating of a pamphlet in this county attacking him because of his affiliation with the Catholic church, had been done "with the knowledge if not at the direction of the local Bull Moose chief," (meaning Mr. Leeds.) The Item's editorial was inspired through information received by F. S. Dodd, editor of the Item, from two Republican organization workers, Frederick G. White, of this city, and a Mr. Lee, a salaried employe of the Republican state committee, detailed to act as a publicity man in Richmond the latter part of the campaign. When Mr. Dodd learned that the charge he had made against Mr. Leeds was wholly false and uncalled for he informed Mr. Leeds' attorneys yesterday, that he would in tonight's Item make a complete retraction.
The attack on Mr. Leeds was the second effort of the closing days of the campaign to discredit the Progressive party in Wayne county and to accomplish its defeat at the polls tomorrow. It followed in the wake of an unsuccessful effort to turn Progressive voters from the support of their ticket by attacking the character of one of the candidates. Will W. Reller, who aspires to re-election as prosecuting attorney. This attack was inspired by a bi-partisan combination, Gath Freeman, a prominent Republican leader, and Joshua Allen, Democratic candidate for prosecutor. It was also made through the columns of the Item. The charges preferred were easily and promptly explained by Mr. Reller and the attack on Mr. Leeds was then launched. Leaders Fear Effect. In justice to many Republican and Democratic leaders it must be said that the questionable methods employed in an effort to weaken the Progressive party and accomplish its defeat has met with their strong disapproval and It is known that they greatly fear these two attacks will be boomerangs which will cripple their own tickets. Not longer than a week ago Progressive leaders feared that a few of the Progressive candidates for county offices would be defeated either by their Republican or Democratic opponents, but these fears have now been dispelled and J. C. Price, Progressive county chairman, today confidently predicted the election not only of the entire Progressive county ticket but of nearly all the township tickets. "The Progressive state ticket will also receive a handsome plurality," Mr. Price added. ! Mr. White and Mr. Lee of the Rei publican organization were today mak- ! ing the explanation that they were not responsible for the attack made on j Mr. Leeds by the Item. They admit ' having discussed the affair with Item j representatives but assert that whatever they might have said was distortI ed by the Item in its editorial of Satur- ! day night. It is understood that they were the targets for much criticism ! from Republican leaders. It is also : known that the remarks addressed to j Mr. Allen by Democratic leaders since his attack on Mr. Reller have been far from complimentary. Progressives See Victory. Summing up the situation briefly the gloom which today beclouds both Republican and Democratic headquarters is in sharp contract to the optomistic atmosphere in which the Progressive committeemen are working at their headquarters, winding up the final details of the campaign. Up until the laat week of the campaign it was conducted cleanly by the candidates and workers of all three parties, but failing to break down the strong Progressive defenses, circulation of false reports and unfounded charges were resorted to, followed by newspaper attacks on Mr. Reller and Mr. Leeds; so the campaign which began with the promise of being a particularly clean and fairly fought one ended as one which will be long remembered by the dirty tactics resorted to by some Republican and Democratic politicians In a fruitless effort to defeat the dominating party, the Progressives. In 1912 there were 11,210 votes cast for the state tickets of six parties in Wayne county, over one-third of this number. 4.B64. bain a: cast for the fro-
JgrMslv candidates. ThU year jtta
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registration in "Wayne county shows over 12.000 voters. Polls taken by the Progressive workers show that the Progressive party has not only held Its strength of two years ago but has increased it. It is al&j a fact that over 95 per cent of the Progressive Tote Is registered. At least 90 per cent of the Democratic vote is registered, that party being second in strength in the county, while the Republican party suffered the bnlk of the total five per cent loss in registration. Two years ago the Progressives, electing all their candidates had a plurality of 767 over the Democrats and majority of 2,948 over the Republicans. Mistake of Republicans. "With strong state and county tickets to support this year and the strength of the party unimpaired both Democratic and Republican leaders realize that there is not one chance in a thousand to accomplish a Waterloo for the Progressives. The Republicans realise that what chances they had to increase their strength by drafts from the ranks of the Progressives have failed signally, first by the selection of a Waston-controlled congressional candidate to head their county ticket. P. J. Lynch: lastly by the blunder of White and Lee in inspiring an uncalled for and wholly false attack on Mr. Leeds. Anxious as they are to render assistance to their party in its "come back" effort there are many Wayne Republicans who cannot swallow the Lynch candidacy because of Lynch's relations with James E. Watson, at whose door they place the blame for the disruption of their party two years ago. The Democratic party in Wayne county, like the Republican party, is also suffering from disaffection among its members and there is every reason to believe that there will be a considerable slump in the Democratic vote tomorrow. The Progressives will be almost the only party to benefit from this, for those Democrats who bolt their party tickets have announced I almost in chorus their intention to go over to the Progressives. Crawford Leads. The revolt in the Democratic party was led by Earl B. Crawford of Milton, former member of the legislature, who went off the reservation as a protest against the Taggert machine rule of his party. Crawford has a large Democratic following and to mention his name in the presence of one of the Democratic leaders is the same as waving a red flag in front of a bull. Crawford and his followers will support the Progressives and in doing so they assert they are better Democrats than those who stand for the continuation of the Taggert machine rult. The Crawford following has also been recruited by quite a few anti-Gray Demo crats, who emphatically declare they have cast their last ballots for the Connersville politician. In the sixth district Wayne county has been the only one of the eight strongly Progressive but reports received the last few days from the various counties Indicate that there will be a remarkable increase in the Progressive vote tomorrow. There appears to be no doubt that Gray is doomed for a crushing defeat from RussH. the Progressive candidate, and Lynch, the Republican nominee, and Gray fighting it out for second place. The selection of Russell as the (Continued on Page Vive)
