Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-29
WARE LIEUTENANT ARRESTED
IN FIFTH WARD MURDER CASE

to the conspiracy in which Acting De-
tective George A. Eppley was killed,
he replied:
81 absolutely refuse to discuss Fifth
Ward affairs, because | know nothing
about them"
He then said that he had called upon
Mr.. Rotan in regard to the latter's can
didscy for District Attorney, which the
Republican city committee has indorsed
Senator Ware defended Mr.. Finley,
In statement made after the arrest
he said: "This is only part of the origi-
nal frame-up. Bringing Mr.. Finley in is
for the purpose of disrupting the Re-
publican organization, of which he is
the highest officer
Senator Vare's statement was read to
Mr.. Rotan.
"All right, sir!" said the District At
torney, grimly.
The accused Organization" leader
will be arraigned before President
Judge Charles L. Brown in the Criminal
Branch of the Municipal Court Tues
day morning.
At the same time Mayor Smith, Com
mon Councilman Isaac Deutsch, Ware
Smith leader in the "Bloody Fifth"
and Lieutenant David Bennett, Vare-
Smith police commander in that ward,
will be arraigned on similar charges of
conspiracy to commit assault and bat
terry and murder, in addition to violat-
ing the Shern act, prohibiting the po-
litical activity of city employees. Mr..
Finley's status in the case is generally
the same as that of his codefendants,
the Mayor, Deutsch and Bennett.
The affidavit of warrant was signed
by Detective Joseph McClain, of the
District Attorneys office. 1t was sworn
out this morning before Thomas j.
Sherman, clerk of the Municipal Court.
1t reads as follows:
state of Pennsylvania, County Of Phila
Joseph McClain being duly sworn ac-
Cordlng to law, deposes and says that
William E. Finley, late Of said. county,
a
County of Philadelphia did unlawfully,
maliciously and wickedly combine con-
federate and agree, together with cer-
tain Isaac Deutsch, late of the said
county, and other evil-disposcd persons,
to violate the act of Assembly of this
Commonwealth, approved February 10,
1906, by causing and procuring, through
themselves and others officers and EN-
ployes Of the City OF Philadelphia TO take
an active part in political management
and political campaigns ana to cause ana
procure them TO use their offices 10 In
hucHCe political movements and the poll
tical actions of other officers and em-
ployes, and to unlawfully interfere with
the conduct of an election, required by
law TO be held In said City of Philadel-
phia on the nineteenth day OF September
1917, and with the preparations there
for and in pursuance and execution or
said conspiracy, to commit and to cause
and procure to be committed assault and
battery and murder, which said con.
spiracy was performed and executed
within two years last past contrary to
the form of the act OF Assembly in such
case made and provided and against the
peace and dignity of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, And further deponent
(Signed JOSEPH McCLAIN.
Sworn to and subscribed before me,
this 29th day of September, a. D. 1911,
THOMAS J; SHERMAN,
Known as the Ware director-general
in downtown political matters, Mr..
Finley has been unpopular because of
his methods among certain factions in
the Republican ranks. Shortly before
the primary election, because of many
complaints that city employees were ac-
tive in politics, in violation of section
of the Shern act of February Is, 1906,
Mr.. Finley was questioned as to the
personnel of the ward committees as
filed with the Republican City Commit
tee. At the time he refused to allow the
lists to be scanned, but denied that GER
tain city employees named were actually
members of ward committees or en-
gagged in politics.
Mr.. Finley, whose home is at zoos
South Fourth street, is we'll to do.
Besides his political interests, he is
connected with a chain of motion
picture shows.
Mr.. Finley is the son of John E. Fin
ley, who years ago was tipstaf in the
Quarter Sessions Court. One of his
first positions was Government clerk
ship in the United States Subtreasury
in this city. Later he became a coin
teller. Both these positions were held
during the Roosevelt Administration.
He took an early interest in politics
and, becoming a division leader, was
identified with the Ware faction. With
this backing his political rise was rapid.
AS security for Finley's bail Sen
ator Ware gave his home at 22O9 South
Broad street.
In connection with the arrest of Fin
ley it was reported that the latter was
pointed out by James Clark, "the man
with glasses" who is also under arrest
in the case. Clark, according to rumor,
was let out of Moyamensing for this
purpose and accompanied Detective Nc
Claim to the Republican City Commit
tee headquarters.
After Finley's arrest this afternoon
District Attorney Rotan said that if
Police Lieutenant David Bennett and
Isaac Deutsch, Ware leader in the Fifth
-s.-gl