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French Lick Springs Hotel

1905

8670 West Indiana Ave.,  Route 56

  

French Lick, IN 47432

  
 
 
Thomas Taggart was one of Indiana's legendary political figures and most successful early entrepreneurs.  Taggart came from a humble
Irish immigrant background to become one of the state's wealthiest men.  Taggart, a former mayor of Indianapolis, was Chairman
of the Democratic National Committee from 1904 to 1908 (the time of the chips).  The Republicans used Taggart's "Satan" poker
chips to discredit him as a person that had made French Lick Springs a notorious place.
 
Taggart was well loved in Indianapolis as demonstrated by this tribute bronze medal (3" across by .25" thick)
 
Of interest is the fact that the gaming room inside the French Lick was run by Albert Brown, who in 1906 opened the Brown Hotel 
which had a picture of one of Palmer Cox's "Brownies" on its poker chips
 
The following several articles show the relationship between chips and politics in 1906.  Also see NY Times article further down the
page.  At the bottom of the page is a neat ad for the French Lick Springs Hotel showing Thomas Taggart as president.
 
Logansport Journal, 29 July 1906 Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug 1906 Logansport Pharos, 4 Oct 1906

Chicago Daily Tribune, 13 Sept 1906
 
The chips were taken in a July 3, 1906 raid. Following is from the New York Times, 4 July 1906.
Aside from chips, note that a NYC policeman used his nightstick "freely" on the acting mayor's son.
 
Advertisement below is from 1905.  Note the president, Thomas Taggart.  
Taggart convinced the Monon Railroad to build a spur directly to the hotel   An old matchbook.  Screw on bottle indicates
grounds with daily passenger service to Chicago("On the Monon Route"). matchbook dated much later than years of the chip.