Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-30
COrteIy0U Probes
RUHlOr of Bribery


.."'bcrs Of the Veteran Newspaper
Writers Association.
Iur statement follows:
"Rumors concerning the detection of
some of the eleven Independent council
men have been coming to me from time
20 time." said Mr.. Moore. To-day such
rumors came to me from two sources,
ruggcsting that three men had been ap-
preached by the Ware organization,
through certain medium which might
he traced to one of the courts, and that
while the organization of Council as
contemplated by mo might be permit
ed 10 90 through. the civil service COM
mission was TO be captured at any cost.
"Cert&in sums and certain names
nave been mentioned, one being close
o the present director of pubic safety.
/ have not wanted to believe these ru-
mOrs, because every one of the eleven
men elected in opposition to contractor
ule has given me his personal pledge
IN the pr, Scnce of others that he IN
ended to stand by the administration.
Il have firm faith in the statements
voluntarily made by these men, who
are all high minded, and / believe sin
cercly devoted to the pub ic interest
| But rumors coming to mo have assume
n specific character and have led me t.
| deem it advisable to take the public
INTO my confidence.
10 Confer With R0tan
81 have no reason to doubt the in
| tcgrity of any of the eleven indC-
pendent councl.men opposed to the con
tractor system, but | intend tomorrow
to confer with the district attorney, the
new director of public safety and the
new city solicitor, with Il view to see
|
tected, and that men who seem to OBJ
struct my administration and who seem
to go so far us to resort to bribery an
corruption are stopped.
IF they do attempt this they will be
watched. detected. and it may be that
some of them will forever lose their
20 itical influence in this town. I shall
mention no names tonight. After in
vestigation | may not mention any
names un'css rumors which come tC
me are verified.
Il want the people to know | an
counting on them to rid Philadelphia
of such malign influences
Charles Il. Hall, candidate for prcSi
Tent of the new Council, said today
that he believed the statement of Mr.
Moore to be unfoundcd.
Il hpve no faith in such statements
as given to newspapers, he said, "anC
| be ievc such reports as this one ar
unfOunded. However, if Mayor eec
Moore thinks this is true. it is his duty
to investigate the matter
No Tainted Office" for Hall
Discussing Mr.. Moorcs words tha
( ''whilc the organization of Council a,
contemplated by Mr.. Moore might b.
permitted to go through" Mr.. Hall as
serted
r Il would not accept tainted Of
flee"
, The attention of David Phillips,
l lawyer and personal friend of Senate
+ Ware, was called today to one part o
the Mayor elect 5 statement to the ef
feet that three men had been ap'
preached by the Ware organization
through a certain medium which nigh
, be traced to one of the courts"
Mr.. Phillips, who was formerly as
sociated with Judge Monaghan in tn
practice of law, said he knew nothinj
about such efforts as referred to b.
! Mr.. Moore. He said he had nevc
spoken to any Of the cOuncilmCn elec
concerning the organization of the neN
Council.
q Ware men in the new Council VIII
, were asked what they knew of Mayor
y elect Moore'S bribery charges, dis
a claimed any knowledge this morning.
! Joseph p. Gaffney-''I haven't hear
= ANYTHING about it. The first knowledg
! | received of the charges came fror
Il newspaper men.
u Isaac ID. Hetzell-'I never rea
! scandal. ! rarely look at the news
! UaDprS.