Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-14
STATE WILL NOT ACT
IN SPOON|NG CASE
Attorney General Says Haver-
ford Township Row Is Out
side His Jurisdiction
DOZEN SUITS THREATENED

No action or investigation in the case
of the alleged illegal arrest and black
mali fine system said to be conducted
af Squire Thomas and the police force
Of Haverford township will be taken
by William I. Schaffer, attorney gen
eraI of Pennsylvania, according to his
statement this morning. He said
II expect to take no official action
in the matter. as it does not come with
in my jurisdiction. If the state should
enter the case it would have to 60 to
| the district attorney and that is only in
case there is warrant sworn out
| against the System by one of the
complainants.
"If the statements against the squire
and his men are true, they could be
brought to justice for conducting sum
| mary trials when a jury trial is called
for" he continued, "and. moreover. it
is grossly illegal to charge an offender
for getting out of bed, as it is said that
Squire Thomas has done"
Hannum May Act
John B. Hannum, district attorney
for Delaware county, may take up the
case
AT the present time | am not con
ducting any investigation, he said
| this morning, "but it is very probable
that I shall before the end Of the week.
The only way in which l can officially
conduct any legal prosecution is by
acting upon warrant sworn out by
the complainants, but while none of
them has done so yet, it is very likely
that they will within a few days.
"If warrant is sworn out the trial
will not come up until the next court
session in September"
A dozen lawsuits may be the outcome
of the tide of indignation which Is now
being directed toward Squire Thomas
and the police force of Haverford town
ship, under the leadership of Chief Hal
| lisey. all of whom are declared by
numerous compliments to be handed
together in conducting a system of Of
fetal blackmail against autoists passing
through that section.
The commissioners of the township
know of this high handed practice, the
protesters allege. but they are loath to
put an end to the "fine mill' because
of the fat sum which it is pouring into
the township treasury. 1t is said that
the community has been enriched to the
extent of $4,000 to $15, 200 annually
from this source.
Call Hallisey Gar
Chief Hallisey is characterized by
some as a veritable czar. who has been
holding the destiny of those motorists
who pass through the territory in the
hollow of his hand. arresting and
threatening them at will.
Chief Hallisey is said on one occasion
to have attempted to act as judge.
Michael Corcoran, one of the victims
of the practice Of the 1Iaverford police,
had been arrested by one of the chiefs
agents on a charge of speeding He
was taken before Chief. .Hallisey, who is
alleged to have said to him:
The judge will fine you about $3.50
anyway. Give me the money and I will
save you the trouble of appearing before
him.
Mr.. Corcoran said he sent the chief
check for that amount, but that for
some reason it was returned to him.
Chief Hallisey is also said to have
forced the passage of an ordinance by
the township commissioners, requiring
all peddlers to take out licenses. a
vigorous campaign against peddlers fol-
lowed, which is said to have reaped
quite harvest in fines.
Among the complainants, who may
take legal action against the squire
and his police, are: l.. T. Brehm,
of Ilanerch; Charles and Michael Cor
coran, also of Llanerch; Edward A.
Acnew, of Haverford Sergeant Harry
d, Reichner. of the Lower Merton po-
lice force; Michael s. Hatch, of Bryn
Mawr, and Edward II. Bryant, state
detective, of Brookline Edward
Browning, of Devon; William Arm
strong, Howard S. Smith, of this city;
William S. Coyle, of Chester, and
| Lewis de Francesca, of East City line
road.
All of these men are mentioned in the
investigation which is now being con-
Quoted.
Thwarted One Attempt
Sergeant Reichner today told of
thwarting an alleged attempt made by
the Haverford police to arrest a man
| and woman in machine, who were in
nocent OF. any wrongdoing.
The sergeant. said he saw Eugene
Graney, one of Chief Hallisey's men,
watching a standing automobile. Gra-
ney, the sergeant said, was then sew
eral squares outside the Haverford lin
it's. The Lower Merton sergeant said
he stepped to the road between the
machine and the Haverford man, and
warned the occupants of the car that
they were being spied upon. The SER
geant ordered Graney to stay on his
own side, and the man and woman drove
away.