Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-26
GIBBONEY WRONG,
JURY FOREMAN'S
REPLY TO ATTACK
Charles Sinkler Says Law
and Order Head Makes Out
Weak Case in Criticism
REV. DIR. DELK FOR MAYOR

The charge of d. Clarence Gibboney
president of the Law and order Society
that professional gambler was excused
from the August Grand Jury and his in.
Einuation that the Jury's condemnation OF
vice raids might have been influenced by
This mans presence on the body, were in.
dgnantly denied today in a formal state
ment Issued by Charles Sinkler, an attorney
who was foreman Of the jury.
Mr.. Gibbopeys attack the statement sets
forth. indicated the weakness of his case
Mr.. Sinkler also made an emphatic denial
that any one Of the jury had for associates
keepers of Illicit resorts and he reiterated
his personal disapprovat of vice raids as
means Of settling the vice problems in
cities.
Mr. Gibboney who furnished Mayor Smith
the Information for the big Tenderloin raid
OF July Is. characterized the jury's report
as "a pitiful exposition for jury that
knows the truth"
After ALL" said Gibboney. 81 cannot say
was unprepared for such a Grand Jury
presentment. as it was only a short time
before the August Grand Jury began its
sessions that / learned that one of the
members was q professional gambler.
This knowledge evidently spread to an
alarming extent, for within a short time
after l learned of 1t that member of the
Grand Jury, In company with his fellow
jurors, came into open court, and the pro-
fessional gambler was excused from duty.
''Of course. II could not be expected that
gentlemen of the gambling fraternity would
so grossly violate the code of ethics of their
profession as to do anything against any
member OF that brotherhood. SO when the
Grand Jury comes out with a condemnation
OF raiding of gambling dens and brothes,
1t is barely possible that their opinion of
rading was somewhat influenced by the ar
guments of their former colleague the pro-
fessional gambler, before he was excused
from Grand Jury duty"
sINKLER's STATEMENT.
The dismissal of the juror in question,
MFR. Sinlxler declared in his statement, re-
suited entirely from the fact that the man
was i'll. He said.
THE juror was undoubtedly unwell and
was absent from jury duty most of the
first week. He was excused from duty
after the morning session on Monday Of
the present week. He was not present
when the subject matter of our presentment
was under discussion; knew nothing what
ever of the contents of our presentment
and had nothing whatever to do with It,
Mr.. Gibboney's attack on the character
of the Grand Jury and the suggestion that
the presentment was prompted by improper
influences particularly that Of the alleged
professional gambler, who did not even sit
with us when the presentment was being
prepared. indicates the weakness of Mr..
Gibboney's case"
Mayor Smith takes the scathing criti-
cism of the August Grand Jury on his vice
raid of July 15 with good temper, and says
IL need be he would do exactly the same
thing over again.
The Grand Jury yesterday in its present
ment condemned the whole course of the
administration on vice, and placed the re-
gponsibilty on the Mayor and his Director
of Public Safety, William II. Wilson. They
criticized adversely all the methods and in
efr I'D hot he Hatf f,l ~. a
were not clean
MAYOR SMITH SPEAKS.
The Mayor today said this
ANY recommendation made by the
Grand Jury is entitled to respectful con-
sideration. I know that there were certain
conditions which made it, in my judgment
proper to conduct the raid. The Grand
Jury. do not believe, is informed on this
phase of the matter. Charged with the
responsibilities of my office, l would. If
similar conditions arose, order another
raid"
The Mayor smiled broadly, and added
sand then the Grand Jury doesn't know
what intend TO do"
Whatever the Mayor meant by that he
kept to himself He may have meant that
Director Wilson is slated to go, as was
rumored in the Penrose- -McNichol camp
some days ago
Mayor Smiths view of the August Grand
Jury report was ndorsed by the Rev. Ed
win Heyl Delk, president of the Inter-
church Federation of Philadelphia and of
the Christian League. He said plainly that
the jury was wrong and the Mayor was
right, and that he. the Rev. DR. Delk, be-
heyed in vice raids to clean things up.
THE raid may have been political" Doc
tor Delk said. but 1 do not think so. /
hope that Mayor Smith will retain Directos
Wilson. l feel that both the Mayor and
the Director are sincere and are trying to
do their duty
II have every reason to believe that the
grand jurors are mistaken in reporting al
legged conditions in the Tenderloin since
the raid. 1t stands to reason that when
ever you expose thing and call il by its
right name a rumpus invariably follows.
Mayor Smiths course. l feel has been
both sincere and a worthy one. Naturally
the raid has caused a disturbance in polit-
ical circles and among real estate owners
OF course, they are trying to stop II. / hope
the Mayor will continue the good work. 1
wrote TO him only recently expressing deep
satisfaction for what he had done"