Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-22
GUNMEN, CAUGHT IN NEW YORK,
CONFESS AND DESCRIBE EMPLOYERS

volve their chief For these reasons,
therefore, call upon you for the promo
tion Of the ends of justice to remove
Lieutenant Bennett from command of
the police of the Third district.
In view Of conditions. lieutenant
should be appointed TO take charge who
is entirely free from any active partici-
patton in politics May ] ask you for
prompt reply to this letter?
Very truly yours
(Signed) SAMUEL p. ROTAN,
District Attorney.
Director Wilson. who Is a Vare-Smitt
lppointee, in refusing TO comply with the
request, made his first statement that has
been made public since the Fifth Ward
illing. His reply read
Samuel +. Rotan. District Attorney,
City Hall. Philadelphia,
Dear Sir-Yours of the 22nd. inst. re-
questinE the removal Of Lieutenant Ben.
nett from the command Of the Third
Police District received.
I think that you will agree with me
that although n man is charged with the
commission Of crime, under the law he
is presumed TO be innocent until his guilt
is proved. 1t is my earnest desire that all
parties connected with this unconscion-
able crime be speedily brought to the bar
Of justice and you can rest assured that
the entire Department of Public Safety
is at your disposal to accomplish this end
and no man under me, no matter what
his position, need fear the consequence
of telling the truth. Each and every one
so long as he does that shall have my
fullest support. The Bureau of Police,
hich includes the Detective Bureau has
explicit instructions from me to cooper
ate with your Office to the fullest extent
and you are at liberty to summon anyone
ytftb hpfOrR
you at any time, and will see to it that
your summons Is answered
The Detective Bureau is working in
defatgably in this matter and all infor-
nation CLEANED by them will be turned
over to you, In addition, any line of In
quiry which you desire to pursue through
that bureau is at your disposal
With this assurance, fail to see where
the granting of your request will aid, and
with the determination to treat all men
fairly, 1 must, therefore, at this time
decline your request for the removal Of
Lieutenant Bennett
Very truly yours.
WILLIAM H. WILSON,
Director of the Department of Public
Safety
TO ARREST NEW YORKER
The arrest of a prominent Bronx poll
tician, who Is alleged TO have hired Il gun
men, will be made this afternoon, accord
ing to Inspector Faurot, of the New. York
police department Tho arrest will follow
the description furnished by the men ar
rested In New York city.
The men, in their confession, according
to Inspector Faurot, declared that they
were taken TO a prominent hotel In this city.
where they were given white ribbons to be
placed in the buttonholes of their coats.
they were taken into the Fifth
Ward, according TO the inspector. where
they were introduced to several ''politicisns"
and detectives, who told the gunmen that
they were working for the police DEPART
ment
Inspector Faurot said that the confession
Of the arrested gunner includes descrip-
tions of the three men whom they allege
hired them to come to Philadelphia, but he
declined TO make public the descriptions
I'VE have given out about all we can on
the case for the present" he said,
did the arrested men describe those ISho
hired them2" he was asked.
''Yes. We have fairly good descriptions"
Were the names OF those who did the
hiring mentloned7"
Il cannot talk further about the case for
the present. We are continuing our in
and such evidence as may be
obtained will be turned over TO the Phila-
ielphia police"
Eye-witnesses to the killing and BLACK
jacking' were taken TO New York today
10 Identify the men II possible The Phila-
delphia authorities will take out ONtradi-
ton papers 70 bring the prisoners here.
Among the witnesses that went 70 New
York were Detective Callahan, Emma Grif-
18th, the negress who saw the entire affair
Policemen Leo. Grover and Eisman, Of the
dce squad, who were with Eppley when
le was killed.
An unverlhed report that the three
strangers" mentioned in the gunman's con-
'ession in New York were Philadelphians
,aused a furry OF excitement here Told
hat Il was rumored that the gunman had
lamed two Fifth Ward men as having i'm
,orted the thugs for the election, Isaac
1eutsch. Yare-Smith leader OF the ward.
add III they say It's me ms = Ne
Ion't know any Of The things they're lry-