Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-05
MAYOR DECLARES
HIMSELF READY
TO MEET SUIT
"My Life Is Open, Nothing
to Conceal" His An
swer to Threat
sHERN ACT A WEAPON
Ex-Judge Gordon Confers With
Rotan, Who Subsequently
Meets Penrose


might be taken against him, chargin
violation of the shern law on account o
his connections with the Thomas B. smitI
Bonding Company which has bonded cit!
employees for many thousands Of dollars
I'm ready for them" declared thu
Mayor. Let them start the suit. Ny
life is open. have nothing to conceal
A suit against Mayor Smith and other
city oficials was discussed today among
followers Of Penrose and McNichol as a
possible outcome OF the present political
situation.
Former Judge James Gay Gordon and
District Attorney Samuel p. Rotan held a
conference yesterday and Mr. Rotan was
subsequently closeted with Senator Pen.
rose.
With respect to the Mayor and his con-
section with the bonding Of municipal em-
ployes, through his relations to the
Thomas B. Smith Company II has been
brought to the attention Of the courts.
Proceedings along this line would be
started with view of determining judi
clnlly whether or not the Mayor could hold
public office and maintain financial in
terest I'm the bonding business, Some in
sist that this condition should automati-
cally remove him from office.
In any event. Judge GUrdons sudden
entrance into the field, as the representa-
tive Of anti-Vare elements was taken to
mean that this question, among others.
finally was to be raised.
Not only is II proposed to investigate
charges that oficeholders are in poll
tics, but also to prepare for future vio-
iations of either the Shern act or the
laws governing elections This latter has
special reference to such things as using
the police illegally at the polls on election
days: illegal assistance to voters and, in
general. any violation of the election laws
In the interests of factionalism.
BOLD LEGAL STROKE PREDICTED
The possible and probable results Of the
Gordon-Rotan and Penrose- -Rotan meet
ings stirred politicians TO the keenst in
terest. as it was generally and authori
tatively accepted as fact that the Pen
rose-McNichol leadership was preparing
for the delivery Of a bold legal stroke
against the Vare-Smith- h-Brumbaugh COM
bination in city and State politics,
1t was believed that Mr.. Gordon repre-
sented the Citizens Republican League
and also the Philadelphia Republican
League. the former being conducted by
independents and the latter by Select
Councilmen Trainer and Seger, Penrose
leaders. These leagues have been sup
DIyl1k the AIlOTTey WIN material
for the investigation and prosecution of
cases in which 1t is charged the police
have been used for political coercion.
Neither the District Attorney nor Mr..
Gordon, however, would discuss the pur-
pose or the result of their meeting.
Judge Gordon, asked to discuss his
conference, said he was sorry he could
not do so.
DO you represent any organization or
1.
81 am sorry 1 can't answer the ques-
tion," the Judge replied. Anything said
will come from the District Attorney"
Their conference took place in Mr.
Rotan's private Office. The District At
torney had before him afhdavits OF
alleged police activity which had been
sent TO him by David T. Hart. Penrose-
McNichol leader of the 25d ward. and
also communications from George d. Por-
ter. secretary OF the Citizens Republican
League, making similar charges of
Shern law violations. He declined to
make a statement with respect to these.
Notwithstanding the rUmors that definite
action soon was to be taken.
LEAGUE NOT YET FINISHED.
The Citizens Republican League later
announced that 1t had not finished its
program of supplying evidence to the
District Attorney
this afternoon when it was announced that
another case would be forwarded to Dis
trict Attorney Rotan. The announcement
was made following the dismissal OF Ed.
ward Hewlett, chief compare clerk in the
Recorder of Deeds ONCE Hewlett is
follower Of Select Councilman Flaherty, !
McNichol leader OF the 18th Ward. II
was due, so McNichol adherents say, 10
Hewlett's refusal to get in line with the |
Wares that was the cause for his dis |
charge
DOWNTOWN BALLOT BOXES.
Preliminary to a move to open ballot |
boxes used in the last mayoralty election |
in South Philadelphia, Senator Ware and |
Joseph C. Trainer. brother Of Select |
Councilman Trainer. crossed verbal swords. |
Senator Ware called upon Joseph Trainer !
TO have the ballot-box in Trainers division |
OF the 26th Ward opened Trainer said |
he would be glad to do so. He added:
For further proof Of the illegal mark |
ing OF ballots in South Philadelphia, I |
need only recite the case In this very |
division, when d. Clarence Gibboney was |
a candidate for District Attorney in 1906 |
Frank Kelley. sr.. OF 1911 South Broad |
street. happened to pass the polling place
when the count was being made. The |
shade was pulled down TO within an inch /
OF the bottom Of the window He looked 1
extra marks upon, and thus inyalidatinR, |
ballots.
The expose which resulted showed that
shout 2l Gibboney ballots had thus been
destroyed. Alexander McKeon Scott, the
Judge OF election. was driven into in
sanity by worry over the prosecution
Another member Of the same election
board went 20 an early grave through the
fact that the worry aggravated a disease
with which he was afflicted. Il was then
that the Wares came 70 me- confessed |
the crookedness had lost them their hold |
upon that division. and asked me 70 take
hold Of anairs- ! did. and went TO the
Ward Committee upon the binding
proviso that there should be no crooked
work IN that division. There hasn't been,
and there wont be. 50 long as have any
control there"
Trainer also gave out a list OF nve
sfheeholdsrs, who. he charges, are ''pernl-
atously active In politics" under orders
from the Wares,
They are: Harry MeAnany Of 1919
south Broad street an assistant City /
SOLICITOR Joseph Diyits, Of 1881 south
Broad street, q Court interpreter VIII
Lam Groves. q l32s Dickinson street. a
! hishWay Inspector e n Boyer; em-
aleyed IN the Department Of Public
safety. who, Trainer says does not live
ID the division where he Is registered. and
1eorge - Kelley Of 1883 South Broad
,freet 4 CLERK IN lhe Court Of Ouarfay |