Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-21

Rosie Morani, Bessie Tessase. Esther Miller.
| Ida Russell, Catherine webber, Lillian
| White Helene Burns, Mary Smith, Helen
| o'Connor.
The aforesaid accepted bad and insult
| ncient security, unlawfully and corruptly
with the intent TO obstruet and impede the
execution and administration Of Justice"
The indictment against Judge" Call is
/ the first Of the kind to be presented against
| a Magistrate in this city for many years.
| The last Indictment Of this kind was drawn
about 10 years ago against Magistrate
| Harry Fletcher, now deceased. Fletcher
was accused Of malfeasance in office.
SLUMP IN CALL STOCK.
The indictment Of Call caused something
akin to panic among political corruptionists
who in the past have been given reason
to feel that the Judge" was immune from
warrants, indictments. police interference
and other uncomfortable legal processes.
Judge Calls stock fell rapidly when the
news of the Indictment spread among ward
heelers, pckpockets, cadets and disorderly
women, who have learned to look upon the
Judge" as the best man before whom to
be arraiened.
II became known today that Joseph
Perrotti who furnished the straw bail ac-
cepted by Call, was at the Hotel Mascagni
in Atlantic City.
He called Zip from Atlantic city this
morning and asked If the Grand Jury dew
lis were still working. He became excited
and hurredly hung up the receiver when
told that Call had been indicted The Au-
gust Grand Jury has wanted to hear Per-
rottis story concerning the straw bail, but
Perrotti has kept out Of sight
MAYOR ASKS TESTIMONY
About the time the Indictment was pre-
sented to Judge McMichael Mayor Smith
went to the office of Judge Rogers The
Mayor asked the Judge for copy of the
testimony given before the July Grand
Jury. on saturday District Attorney Sam |
uel p Rotan notified the Mayor that he
did not have the power to give him this |
testimony. He suggested that the Mayor |
seek permission from Quarter Sessions |
Court.
In speaking of his interview with Judge |
Rogers. the Mayor said Judge Rogers |
told me that it was against the law to give
out testimony before a Grand Jury
am satisfied with his decision and will make |
no further effort to obtain this testimony"
The Grand Jury would have indicted
Call last week. politicians say had II not
been for a police blunder which forced
from town Perrott the principal witness
That blunder. which had the form Of
raid. looked so much more like coluson
than stupidity to critics OF the police that
the orders went out to show Call he was
not a favored one. The quarantine on his
club followed and no small part of the
significance in that quarantine is the fact
that the club is in the 2Oth Dave Lanes
ward. and Joe Call is one Of Lanes most
faithful followers.
CLUB GAMBLING.
When Magistrate Joe Call couldn't get in
his own club yesterday he clustered this
way and that. threatened to get the police
men who kept him out. threatened also to
get" the lieutenant, who. in this case, hap
pens to be Chick" Haines
But with all the threats he didn't get in
the clubhouse, and that was his only reason
for coming up from Atlantic City He
wanted to show his followers that nobody
could keep him out. He wanted to see
the Mayor about II, but hasn't been able to
get to him yet.
The club was quarantined instead of
being raided. because Police Lieutenant
Iiaines felt that they could not get the
evidence in a raid. He is satisfied the club
IS hardly more than a gambling Joint prin-
,ipally draw and stud poker
Men say that anybody can sit in the
game simply by joining the club. which
meant the payment of a 81 initiation fee
There were supposed to be monthly dues
II a half dollar but these were not often |
collected from the card players. Their game
was support enough. for the house used to |
draw down 10 per cent commission.
HOW THE GAME RUNS.
Joe Segal is said to have run the game
for the club. Magistrate Calls son.in.law.
Bill Dawson sold the chips, and that kept
Professional dealers were obtained at 75
cents and 81 fee for an hour and thew
headed the table in the big eight-handed
games.
They say that many of the stud games
lad no pots worth less than several hun /
lred dollars. They weren't pikers Drinks
we're free out of the 10 per cent rake-off
;egal drew down for the house 7
Business was good at this time. too, be. :
ause gamblers in other parts of town had
n M Fol tFTor fI,a
uly IS, even Moe Weinbecks place at Cir. ;
rd avenue and Twelfth street He is an \
ther follower of David Lane.
So they are saying now Joe Call has {
un down on his luck. He had 1t easy
here. too The house would furnish him I
'ith chips and he stood only to gain, never {
0 lose. They would even send him home I
n taxicab when he left; and the house :
aid.
Ward heelers in the Twentieth Ward were
nnerved by the blows at the Call dynasty
hey term the actions against Call political
ttacks-" They say that some of the Ware l
oliticians have suspected for some time :
hat the Judge" has been slashing Ware
andidates in favor of McNichol. therefore 4
he Ware men are 'out to get the Judge"
But there was plenty OF evidence today
hat the Call dynasty was crumbling. Even
is closest friends criticized what they
srmed Calls lack of judgment. One OF
1ese was Isadore Reinheimer l74l North
ighth street. In speaking of the acceptance |
$4,000 In straw bail by Call for the
slease OF ls dlsorderly women, Renheimer
aid:
The Judge is a good fellew, and he is
ways ready TO come through with a bone
r two for anybody In trouble But he
lght not 10 go outside his own ward to
clip anybody In trouble, as he did In the
ise of those women. He should be con-
mt TO keep his, own people out of hot
ater."
'ASKERT'S HIT SENDS