Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-31

times happens that tho victims are per-
tinaclous and the evidence irrefutable.
and then the jury refuses 20 convict"
The prosecution was handled by the
Committee Of Seventy.
Another method used under former ad-
ministrations TO throttle Independent po-
/ nttcal movements was the kidnapping OF
watchers and sending them 20 siberia"
to some unknown and Inaccessible place
where they could not be found BY their
/ friends TO be released In time for work
~ the polls IN preventing fraud, The
Lynch case, arising IN the ID division
OF the 7th Ward will serve as an illus
tration.
John p. Lynch lieutenant Of police;
John y. Sweeney. sergeant OF police;
Charles Chobert sergeant Of police
Frank Shields. patroiman; Richard De-
bussey, colored division leader, and
Thomas j. Duffey. messenger Select
Council and Republican division leader.
were arrested and charged by the Com
mittee OF Seventy with conspiracy TO
make false arrests Of certain coiored
men who we're Independent party work.
ors IN the "a division Of the 7th Ward.
TO keep them from polling places dur
ing the time OF election, and to pre-
vent a free election by causing the ar
rests OF legally qualified voters and
watchers and intimidating voters and
watchers
This was n typical case OF intimidation
and uncalled-for abuse OF police power
In the interest OF corrupt political or
ganization. The evidence shows that
three colored men. who had been active
and independent party workers were ar l
rested without cause or need before cleo I
tion; that they we're taken TO station 1
house far from the section Of the city I'm
which they lived, that their presence In /
this house was concealed from all in /
quirers, and that II was not known by !
their friends where they were until so |
late on election day that II was Impossible |
for them to perform any work at the !
polls.
After considerable delay, the case was
brought TO trial on December s. 1910 in |
Courtroom No 65S, before Judge Wilson.
Lieutenant Lynch. Sergeant Chobert Ser
Reant Sweeney, Thomas J. Duffey ahd /
Richard Debussey were convicted. Patrol
man Shields was found not guilty.
DUFFEY KEEPS JOB.
An appeal was taken for new trial,
and on June 2. 1911 the appeal for a new
trial was refused and the FIVE defendants
were sentenced. by JuCRe Wilson. TO
servo one yenr in the County Prison. An
appeal was then taken TO Superior Court
where new trial was granted On May !
26, 1918, the case was called I'm room No.
Lynch. Sergeant Chobert and Thomas j.
Duffey pleaded "nolle contendere" and
were fined $500 each and costs
IL was understood that Duffey was to |
resign his position as messenger In Select
Council and remove from the I'd Division
of the 7th Ward. Duffey still holds his
position as messenger and Is at this time
he Republican division leader OF the 7th
ward, I'd Division. The bills against
sweeney and Debussey were submitted.
The prosecution was handled by the
committee of Seventy.
During the pendency of the foregoing
case or Lieutenant Lynch, efforts were
made by one David r. Truitt to bribe
me prosecuting witness to leave the iuris-
iicuon. Truitt was convicted of at
tempted bribery on January 2S, 1911, be-
.ore Judge Staples, IN Room SIS, City
Hali' ana on March s, 1911, was sentenced
70 six months in the County Prison.
Instead Of using violent methods, or
arresting and sending independent watch
ers TO Siberia" the same general re-
suits may be attained by permitting the
fasting OF Illegal votes. Prior to the cleo
ion OF 1910 the name of Spencer Hogan
vas stricken from the registration list
n the fd Division OF the 18th Ward on
election day Hogan, nevertheless, was
permitted to vote by the election officers.
On June 3. 1911, Hogan pleaded guilty and |
sentence was suspended by Judge Wilt
bank. In November, 1911, Edward Green
laigh, then Deputy Sheriff and RepubIi-
AN division leader, and Thomas Connors.
Republican election Judge, were con- ,
yicted before Judge Audenried of abettInp
he casting of an Illegal vote.
On November q. 1911, a motion for n !
rev trial was refused by Judge Auden-
led, in Room No. 576, and Greenhaigh and
connor We're sentenced to three months
n the county prison, For this offense .
.raan baf fUb MAJ ]
ion as Deputy Sheriff by Sheriff GIL
lillian. After serving two months i'm
Prison Grenehaigh was pardoned by Gov
,rnor Tener and was made Deputy Cor !
'ner by Coroner Knight which position
he still holds
LIQUOR CUT OFF.
In the old days when Il was CUSTOMARY
or election day to be a day of disorder
md violence. one big factor used TO
lring about this condition was the free
distribution OF liquor In and about polling
places One method of paying for votes
vas to furnish drink TO the voter. An
'ther effect OF the liquor was to encour
ge disorder and violence l
The workers of the Organization nv
lquor were made moreswilling to perform :
cts OF lawlessness. By furnishing LIQUOR
the opponents Of the Organization the
atter were sometimes encouraged 10
rink to excess so that they could no
onser effectively protest against a dis
egard of the election laws.
In the special report OF Director Morris
:. Cooke. published in 1915, in a pamphlet d
ntited Business Methods In MunIeipsi
Works typical case is mentioned.
lhere "ono holding a high position in
he Waser Bureau was discharged" by
ne present Administration because he
ould not see the improperly OF housing
Ger and whisky In his sitting room on
lection day for the use OF political or
anzations"
The present Administration has nut a
omplete end to this long-continued prac-
ice of mixing liquors and elections. The
peakeasies within and In the neighbor-
ood of polling places have been abso-
ltely suppressed by rigid enforcement
lhe law by the Department OF Public
afety