Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-08-14
PH|LA, ELECTION CASE
ST|RS COURTS IRE.
Judge Disbelieves Mayor; Charges
Perjury and Calls Gibboney a
Liar; Bad Day for Gang.

West Chester, Aug. 14.-The Fifth
ward election conspiracy case Will be
placed in the hands of the jury for n
verdict some time this afternoon. At
torneys for the defense and prosecution
finished their closing arguments late
yesterday, and unless there is a disagree
ment Ike Deutsch. Lieutenant Bennett
and Policemen Tram, Murphy, Feldman,
Hayden and Wirtschafter should know
their fate by tonight.
For several hours the seven men on
trial heard that they had nothing to do
with the Fifth ward scandals. Their
attorneys, William 4. Gray and j. Paul
MacElrce, argued that their clients are
the victims of a gigantic frame-up, but
they were unable to state conclusively
who hatched the plot which resulted in
one murder, several blackjackings and
general thuggery in the Bloody Fifth.
Isadore Stern was branded as the arch
conspirator by the two attorneys and
later in the arguments Samuel q. Maloney
was given credit for being responsible Tor
the big plot Ex-Jpdge James Gay
Gordon was dragged into the case by
Attorney Gray, who named hum the
"master mind behind the Carey letter
LINE OF DEFENSE CONFUSING.
The line of argument by the counsel
for defense was so confusing that 1t was
impossible to determine just who Is re-
sponslble for the Fifth ward Outrages.
MIR. GRAY and MIR MacElree denounced
the star witnesses for the Commonwealth
and passed the mantle of integrity to
their clients and everyone who testified
In their behalf.
The climax to the arguments, however,
came late this afternoon, when cx-Judge
Robert s Gawthrop, special counsel for
the prosecution, delivered the final
address. Judge Gawthrop handled the
witnesses for the defense without gloves
and caused q sensation in the courtroom
when he calmly charged ID. Clarence
Gibboney, star witness for the men
on trial, with lying while on the witness
stand.
The former Chester county judge went
further and declared that the CLARK
confession" which Gibboney read on the
witness stand, is a pure fabrication, and
that it was prepared within the last two
weeks.
THAT paper came to light after
Clark testified for the Commonwealth,
Judge Gawthrop declared.
Mr.. Gray was on his feet with denial
of the sensational charge, and he re-
minded the Commonw ealth's attorney
that Mayor Smith testified he had seen
the historic paper last October.
GrBRoNEY BRANDED BY COUNSEL.
81 don't care what the Mayor says"
Judge Gawthrop persisted, Il believe
William A. Gray would have questioned
Clark about the paper when Clark was
on the stand if it was In existence at that
time That paper Is one OF the pillars
of their charge Of frame-up, yet they
narrowly missed getting 1t into evidence.
''In view of the skill OF my friend on
the other side and his failure TO cross
examine Clark about the paper, ! believe
Gibboney gave them the confession
after Clark had appeared as witness
for the Commonwealth. II Is q falsehoOd
on its face.
"Gibboney is president of the Law and
Order Society OF Philadelphia. Heaven
help the Law and Order Society II It's
president is the confidant of a rat like
Clark He claims he had advance in
formation of all that was to occur IN the
Fifth ward, but he kept It IN the confines
of his own bosom.
"The story told by Gibboney Is false
The statement looks as though 1t was
planned after Clark told his story on this
witness stand
ShN LuIop ulI ilOl pdlT tAte ' aAtc
and Mayor Smith In his bitter denuncia-
tions. f'Do you believe William 5. Ware
when he said he did not know there was
a spirited political contest in the Fifth
ward?" he asked. "His story of Maloney' 5
visit to his office is ridiculous. Do you
believe he was not sufficiently interested
TO ask Maloney who was sending the IS
men into the Fifth ward?
"Mayor Smith did not tell the truth
when he said he was not party to the
contest
Attorney Gray asked for the with
drawal of a juror after Judge Gawthrop
had attacked the testimony OF William L.
Finley. THE motion was denied and
for the seventh time since the present
trial began Mr. Gray filed an exception to
the ruling of Judge Hause that the trial
should continue
This Is not time for the relaxation
of the law" said Judge Gawthrop In
closing his address When this trial
is over, when these chairs will be filed
by our children and our chiIdrens chill
dren. when this Court House is crumbled
and replaced by another, may il be said
that Chester county did ITS duty and that
It did It's part TO put TO an end practices
such as have been carried on III the Fifth
ward Of Philadelphia
Justice In Chester county TODAY leans
on a jurors oath. 1t will not lean in
vain"