Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-07-19
VISITORS
LAUGH AT RAID

IDENTIFY were waiting LOT lnose WHOM they
knew.
A policeman seated comfortably on a
box which was backed up by the stone wall
edgng the railroad chatted pleasantly with
gaily dressed and hatless girl who crossed
the street to help him while away the
tedious hours that he was on quarantine
duty. ....
Just around the corner, on Spring street
below 18th, two other cops sat on comfort
able chairs while girls across the street
joled with them. The conversation came to
sudden halt when visitors passed. The
cops gave the strangers the ''once over" but
asked no questions.
After midnight taxs and automobiles be-
gan to appear and from three saloons in the
neIghborhood at least six couples emerged.
The men in the party seemed little
'1eary," but the girls laughed as they
ploted them along toward Callowhill
street.
Everything was quiet. of course, in the
Tenderloin police stations Acting Captain
Ewing. who had been summoned from the
61st and Thompson streets police station, TO
take charge of the I'd police division went
around the district in plain clothes. Ewing
was once attached to the 10th and Button
wood streets station and was known as
lieutenant who preserved order. He Is fill
ing, temporarily, the place made vacant by
the suspension Of Nicholas j. Kenny.
EVERYTHINGS QUIET.
"Eyerything's quiet" he said. 'I haven't
seen any disorder anywhere in the dis
trict." o.
Acting Lieutenant Koch said the same
and the sergeant on duty at midnight said
that no women had been arrested for dis
orderly conduct
Up in the 10th and Buttonwood streets
station. which was the storm centre of Sat
urday nights raid. similar report was
made. 'Al quiet" said the sergeant.
The restaurant known as the Arsenal,
at 10th and Winter streets, was also quiet
on the surface, There were few men and
girls eating at tables. .-.,~ .. =.
Ex.cops and ,hangerson in the neighbor.
hood smiled ,when asked about the raid.
They expressed the belief that the sus
pended officials will be given gruelling
and sent to some other district. They
could have made the same kind of a raid
at any time during the last six or eight
months" said one habitue, "and got as good
a crop"
No one would say anything against
Lieutenant Singer. of the 9th District, or
Lieutenant George Van Horn. who have
been suspended. They did the best they
could" was the general opinion, when
feller has too many bosses"
CAPTAIN KENNY AROUSED.
Friends of Captain Nicholas ]. Kenny
who was suspended after the raid say he
will have a general SHOW down" when he
faces the Police Trial Board. Captain
Kenny is an old Indian fighter and 1t is
said his fighting blood" has been reused
He has been in the Police Department "a
years and is spoken of as man who can
not be reached"
The fact that he was sent on an ostensible
wild goose chase to Detroit to get line
on the traffic regulations" there while the
raid was pulled of during his absence, has
aroused the ire of the Captain, IL is said.
Those who are in touch with affairs at
City Hall say Captain Kenny reminded Di-
rector Wilson that Captain Mills, of the
traffic division, was better fitted TO investi-
gate affairs dealing with that branch of the
department. But the Director, II is said,
told Captain Kenny that he wanted him 10
go.
The Captain will not be the goat" his
friends say and will review a few details
in connection with his suspension.
SUSPENSIONS OF POLICE
The statement OF Director Wilson that he
found vice rampant when he took Office
caused many smiles in the Tenderloin. II
was the opinion of many that the suspen-
| sions of the police officials were brought
about to find way for favorites Of the
| administration.
That politics was the essential feature is
the belief Of those who have watched the
| "ins and outs" of the Tenderloin.
When the Smith administration went into
| office It found the city tight from a vice
standpoint with the lid clamped down
| This was the cause of much regret in the
| Tenderloin, The word went forth with the
| incoming of Mayor Smith that the lid was
| to be torn wide open and everything would
| be as OF old.
MAYOR SMITHS DENIALs.
This was denied by the Mayor in vigorous
| statements, For a time the lid remained
down. Then it was gradually lifted The
| nails came Off by degrees and finally the
hinges, until the lid flew on completely. This
was evidenced by the large dope business
and the fact that the streets were frequented
| by the gaily dressed women. They heard
OF course, that the lid was to remain down.
| but the fact that they were not molested
and the quiet word from trusted politicians
| reassured them.
In comparison the Tenderloin is said to
be actually as bad as during the Ash
bridge administration when utter defiance
| of the law and contempt for public opinion
was one of the features. In those days the
| famous saying that philadelphia was cor
| rupt and contented' went forth and little
was done TO change the opinion.
The Ashbridge regime paved the way for
wholesale political deeapitations during the
Weaver reign. Disclosures at that time
brought out the fact that high officials
knew OF the vice and worked handin.glove
with It, LieuteRRnts and others who didn't
carry out political orders were quickly be-
| headed-and there does not seem to be the
slightest difference now. many IN the Ten
/ derloin say.
PORTER PASSES THE BUCK" BACK
Director Wilson passed the buck" for
the vice conditions in the Tenderloin from
/ his shoulders 10 those Of former Director
George d. Porter when he forced the police
upheayal yesterday afternoon. Porter to-
/ day returned the compliment.
aDirector Wilson knows the conditions
there" he said
The change in the TsndeFloin was no
ticeable after the election OF Mayor Smith =
continued the former Director who did mol
/ make plain just whlt this change vas. the
inference. however, being that the city vas
nooded with strong arm men and eFooila. =