Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-29

run Ndru, ldCe CndrgeS Oh conspiracy
to murder.
Fifty subpenas summoning witnesses
for Tuesdays hearing of the conspir-
acy-to-murder charges against Mayor
Smith, Lieutenant David Bennett and
Common Councilman Isaac Deutsch in
the criminal branch of the Municipal
Court were issued today, according to
former Judge James Gay Gordon.
Lieutenant Bennett, who is under
heavy bail on other charges-thuggery
before the election-has repeatedly de-
MED that he took part in or had any
knowledge of the importation of the
"Frog Hollow" gunner by "Bloody
Fifth" Ward politicians.
Punish all concerned in the Fifth
Ward murder-high and low" Such
was the demand made by the Grand
Jury to the Court of Quarter Sessions
following a vigorous protest against
outrageous laylessness which was in
evidence in the "Bloody Fifth" on
primary election day.
EIGHT MEN ARRESTED
Eight men, mostly Italians. were rounded
up today by the police as suspects in con-
nection with the conspiracy.
The October Grand Jury, which will be
called upon to indict the Mayor and his
odefendlnts in case that action Is pressed
by the District Attorney, includes mem
Der from the Fifth Ward and several others
from wards where the factionai fights be-
VnTG-Gp1tth nd No
Nichol wings of the Organization are par
ticularly bitter.
The four Frog Hollow" gunmen under
arrest in New York were held without bail
today to await eXtradtion in spite of a
protest from their counsel, who declared
he would appeal to Governor Whitman not
to surrender the men to the Pennsylvania
authorities.
MAYORS BLUNT REFUSAL
Mayor Smiths blunt refusal to accede
TO District Attorney Rotan's demand for
BENEFITS removal came this afternoon in
the form OF a letter. 1t read as follows:
In reply to yours of the eth, in which
you renew your request for the transfer
of Lieutenant Bennett from the Third
Police District, permit me to say that /
have no information that either Lieuten-
ant Bennett or any other officers of the
Third District, or elsewhere, are inter.
fering with your investigation, nor do
you aver that either Lieutenant Bennett
or any officers of the Third District is
interfering with your investigation
There were 261 officers on duty in the
Third Police District on the 18th inst.
You have their names. One hundred and
ninety-one Of them were sent into that
district from other districts orders
were Immediately issued by the Director
of Public Safety to all men serving in
IN ragOnh m nd
freely give you such information as they
can give, OF this you were advised As
to the 1871 men from other districts than
the Third district Lieutenant Bennett
will have no means of knowing when you
send for them, nor will they have TO
reort back to him.
If however, you can point to one spe-
cific instance wherein either Lieutenant
Bennett or any other officer connected
with the Department of Public Safety Ia
interfering with your investigation, and
can furnish me with proof, the Depart
ment Of Public Safety will at once order
the offender before the police board for
trial and II the charges are substantiated
will dismiss him.
II, in fact, you are being interfered
with in your investigation II Is your duty
so to advise me, for under such circum-
stances the man so interfering is not fit
to be continued on the police force and
Detective Souder, from time to time,
made reports to me verbally and he |
gave it as his opinion that the situa-
ton in the Third District was we'll in
hand. Nothing he ever told me at any |
time gave me any reason to anticipate
that there would be any more than the
usual turbulence incident to a bitter
political fight at the primary, and against
that ample provision was made.
| send YOU the reports received from
Detective Souder.
Very truly yours,
THOMAS B. SMITH, Mayor.
The District Attorneys Office was puzzled
by the reference to verbal" reports from
inclosed in the letter,
Asked what action he would take fol.
lowing the Mayors second refusal to re.
move Bennett Mr.. Rotan said:
"I have no comment to make. The let
ter speaks for itself"
He openly was surprised at the refusal
Asked If there would be any arrests today
or warrants sworn out, he said: II win
not say that there will not be any addi-
tional warrants today; neither will I say
that there will not be any more arrests
today"
Mr. Rotan said that he probably would
be at the hearing Tuesday.
BECAUSE, ne explained tine prOBecu-
tlon is in a way linked with the case Of the
Commonwealth"
RUMoRs ABOUT SULLIVAN
News that Mike" Sullivan. missing oFo-
between" for the frog Hollow" Runmen
and the men higher up" had died In the
CoRtesville Hospital caused excitement at
Detective Headquarters today. Detective
George Spillman, according TO Captain OF
Detectives Tates, established that the dead
man was not sullivan but Raymond Little.
Of 4937 Stenton street. Germantown
state Senator James p, McNichol. one OF
the Commemorative star" witnesses. was
reported as improved today. He win be
able 70 appear, according to former Judge
James Gay Gordon, at the hearing before
President Judge Brown, of the Municipal
Court, next Tuesday, when Mayor smith.
Lieutenant Bennett and Isaac Deutsch,
Smith boss OF the Bloody Fifth
Ward. win be arraigned on charges rang.
ing from violation of The slsollon lans y
conspiracy 70 commit murder