Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-10-18
LETS GO RAIDING," COP
INVITES PREACHER; HE
SAYS, I'm NO RAIDER"
Captain Tempest Tells Rev. A.
j. Ferry He Will Make Ar
rests If Pastor Shows
Disorderly Places
PROMISES PICKED POLICE

Captain George Tempest head Of the
Fifth Police Division which covers West
Philadelphia, today replied to additional
charges by the Rev. Asa j. Ferry, pastor
OF the Bethany Presbyterian Temple. Fifty
fourth and Spruce streets, that vice -four
ished in West Philadelphia and that the
police were well aware of it.
The captain invited Doctor Ferry to ac-
company the police on "a wholesale raid on
places beyond the law and offered to place
at the clergymans disposal every patrol
wagon across the Schuylklll, to be manned
by picked policemen.
The charges and denials today added
another chapter to the verbal retorts passed
back and forth since Doctor Ferry made
his first charges last week. Accusations.
counter-charges and reproaches on the part
of the clergyman, coupled with rebuttals,
denials and invitations on the part of police
men from Superintendent Robinson down
have made both church folk and their foes
along South Fifty-second street await anx-
iously the final Showdown"
PAID BY THE TAXPAYERS"
Indications are however that there will
be disappointments, Doctor Ferry said this
afternoon that he was a minister and not
a raider and insisted that the file at the
Fifty-hfth and Pine streets station would
show many complaints on which the police
nave talleu 10 ACT.
~ am through talking about vice for the
present" he added.
The clergymen said, however, when told
that Captain Tempest was ready 20 send
out every patrol wagon in his division and
MS many policemen as were necessary, II
he would point out the resorts, that he
had no intention OF doing something for
which the police were being paid by the
taxpayers,
rumors that he was planning TO resign his
charge as result of controversy between
himself and prominent members of his
congregation following his remarks last
Friday evening, when he was quoted as
saying that South Fifty-second street was
rotten" Later Doctor Ferry insisted that
he misquoted.
DENIES RESIGNATION RUMoR
"The rumor that ! am going to resign"
said Doctor Ferry, "is nonsense / am
going 10 stick in this fight to the finish
stand by my original statement that the
police OF West Philadelphia know that
vice exists In that section. No, l won't
go on any raidng party. IL the police
can't find those places themselves then
am sorry for them. II is very nice for the
police TO invite me to go along on their
patrol wagons, but won't Let the police
find the places that have reference TO-"
Captain Tempest whose district covers
the section named by the minister. said to.
day that he had personally visited Doctor
Ferry and had pleaded with him TO give
him the addresses OF the places where Vice
existed, but that his request was ignored.
II again stand by my first statement thar
the section named by Doctor Ferry IL
clean" said Captain Tempest. These
statement made from time 10 time by Doc
tor Ferry are not only read by grown-up
persons, but also by children. / suppose
they must wonder what sort OF a man
am 10 permit such conditions to exist After
Doctor Ferry's charge that vice fiourishec
/ personally made careful Inspection OF
the section named by the minister and
found that everything was orderly.
GIVE us INFORMATION"
'If there is vice In West Philadelphia and
Doctor Ferry knows where these places
are located, Il Is his duty as a minister and
a citizen OF the community TO come forth
and give us the information. We don't
want him TO supply US with evidence All
we ask OF the minister is 10 give us the
addresses where the law ie being violated.
I am ready TO cart out every patrol wagon
la my division ana have them manned with
trained policemen and visit the places that
Doctor Ferry speaks about.
''If the police have sufficient grounds on
which TO make raids can assure the min
lister that they Will be made. ! do not
know whore these places are, and / will
call upon Doctor Ferry 10 accompany us
and point out the places.
ION the police force We have honest man
whu have wives and children and many Of
whom live In the section named by the
minister. These policemen would only be
100 glad 10 make such raids.