Volume 17 , Issue 11

100 Years Ago, Tuesday, 6 April 1915

One hundred years ago today we discover that The Tacoma Times, dated Tuesday, 6 April 1915, with the following headlines: "WM. II's Latest - Kaiser At Polis Battle Front." But the big headlines spread across the front page was about "Convict 27 Men of Election Frauds." Wondering what that was all about, huh?

Indianapolis, 6 April 1915 -- If you scroll to the right where the headlines reads: "'Twas Some Gang" you might read about Mayor Don Roberts of Terre Haute and 26 other defendants who were tried on charges of perpetrating gross election frauds in Vigo county. They were found guilty 6 April 1915, Tuesday, by a jury.

Federal Judge Anderson would sentence the 27 convicted and 89 others who pleaded guilty April 12, 1915.

The testimony in the case ran the entire gamut of crooked, dirty politics.

Election officials were openly bribed. Plug-uglies were imported to browbeat honest voters. The count was juggled. The books were forged and falsified, and all manner of other graft and corruption ran rampant.

The conviction of Roberts and his associates culminated a long fight against gang politics in Terre Haute, Indiana. The men were charged with conspiracy to corrupt the election November 1914, and the fact candidates for senator and congress were voted for made possible the return of federal indictments.
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