Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-09-22
LUNACY MAYSAVE
SMITH, H,SAYSPREST
Father McDermott Declares
Insanity Only Excuse for
Mayors Actions
CITES HIS ATTITUDE

In A. scathins denunciation Of Mayor
Smith, the Rev. u. l. McDermott rector OF
St Mary's Catholic Church, Fourth and
spruce streets. expressed his opinion that
There Is no question ss 10 his legal respon-
sibiiity only on the ground that he is
insane will a jury in the criminal court
scqnit the Mayor Of completely in the mur-
DER of Policeman Eppley"
With profound feeling Of syn,pathv
for the members OF his family, l am con-
strained TO recognize That the public also
has a claim on sympathy" he continued
The attitude Of the Mayor since the iss,i-
ance OF the warrant charging him with
coInplicity In the murder OF the policeman
was cited by Father McDermott se "aII but
ineXplicable"
II am shocked at me spirit of evity with
which he has dispored Of the matter" he
said.
QUESTIONS MAYORS MIND
Generally, when a man finds himself in
q perilous situation. he treats II grayely
To attempt TO dispose OF the matter as he
Is quoted as doing IS TO mo suggestive OF
the mans not being in his right mind
And In connection with such an assump.
ton, there Is possibly to be found the ey-
PLANTATION excusing him for not having OF.
fered reward for the arrest Of the mon
all of them who were implicated ia the
Eppley murder"
"'f the city has no fund for the purnose
then as he s rich man, he might have
given evidence Of his earnest desire TO bring
the guilty parties to justice by Offering a
reward from his personal funds II was
only few days ago. am told, that he
received $4,000 from Senator McNicbol
and it is generally known that his income
from the bonding business has been liberal
since he entered office.
Positively, thc-e Is no excuse and nor
haps but one explanation for his conduct
and that is that he is mentally irresponsi-
bic. OF course. no one wishes to see an
unfortunate suffer for things for which he
Is in no wise &C. be held responsible"
The usually kind blue eyes of the priest
Mashed as he Indignantly asked why the
Mayor had not removed Police Lieutenant
Bennett and his men. who adopted thug
tactics in terrorizing the residents of the
ward. He reiterated his statement that the
Mayor was aware of the situation i'm the
Fifth Ward several days before the pri-
mary He declared that the guilt of every
policeman. every gunman and every one
implicated in the death Of Eppley rested On,
the Mayors shoulders.
Il have no wish 20 msjudge the Mayor"
he said. but II / should be called TO meat
my God tonight l could not excuse him for
these crimes"
MEN "HIGHER UP" MUST PAY
Father McDermott further said:
The men higher up must all nav for
tins heinous crime Why. the idea of
the Mayor attending a banquet when he
should be investigating the murder of
one OF the city's employees II is pre
posterous He should have been in his
Office I'm City Hall, making arranReuents
TO offer a reward for the arrest and con-
viction of the men who are responsible
There are three factors in this anfair
which must be considered carefully by
the authorities and newspapermen who
are INVESTIGATING this atrocious crime
First, the presence OF Runfnen IN nance
loving Philadelphia. within the shadow
almosss Of the nations shrine Of liberty;
second. the ribbons and hats worn by
these gunmen. and third. the presence Of
large number OF policemen at the mur-
fort TO stay the Hands OF the Gs sssassins aS
Who brought the gunmen here? That
'bons and hats were for the beneHt OF
police thugs and served the gunmen as
parks OF identification. The police evil
IDENTIFY were ordered to protect these gun
This. whole affair seems to me to be
part Of gigantic city-wide plot TO gain
for the Wares a majority in Select and
common Councils. II has, think. even
weplsnned scheme A1 to siSs ie'd5s tSe Vsres y es
the next Mayor
CITES SIMILAR CASE
Up in Columbia County Pa. when
gions there was @csm conspirasR R sRe &c coal re-
paymaster OF certain coal mining
operation No Violence was planned. on
NAo Neg tHe IODDeTy was TO be committed
one of the conspirators was miles away
me robbers, upon holding up their VIC
tim, found that he had no money OF any
account on his person. One of the high
waymen said that rather than have She
police hunt him for stealing a small sum
ne would close the paymaster's mouth
he nred at the man, killing him.
The gang was rounded up and the con- !
spirator who was miles away was tried !
convicted and put to death for the muir
der OF the paymaster along with the
others
Mayor Smith has done far more than |
the absent conspirator. He had been
warned that murder was likely TO come |
as the result Of the police thugs tactics
In this ward. The conspirator did not |
sanction violence. Mayor Smith, both by
word and act, knew of the violence ia
the Fifth Ward, Mayor Smith and ali |
the men implicated in the murder and
anarchy should be dealt with severely.