Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-23
FINLEY ON STAND;
INNOCENT, HE SAYS
Councilman on Trial Declares
He Didn't Know Smith Be-
longed to Ware Faction
FREE LANCE IN POLITICS

from tnc ruin WdTu Vl'tN'pu S'dbuhl va
1917, described himself today as "a no
ltical free lance" and said he helped
himself rather than any faction.
TIE accused councilman, who is also
executive director Of the Republican
city committee. now controlled by the
Wares. is on trial before Judge Johnson
in Quarter Sessions Court, Room 6J3.
City Hail.
The conspiracy charge on which hn
was indicted twenty eight months ago
is base, Oh the aid he is alleged to have
given for the fight of the Fifth ward
gunner.
While the councilman was on the
stand in his own defense this afternoon
the commonwealth : probe into political
conditions in the Fift& ward ~ 1917
transcendcd in interest the talc Of thug
gerry and murder related by other wit
nesscs.
Acted For Himself
The courtroom was crowded with pol
iticians. who listened avidly as Finley.
with the utmost SenGfluid. dec'Grcd he
did not know former Mayor Smith sided
with the Ware faction aud that the
defendant acted for himself in 1917
rather than for the Naros or any other
faction.
The FIRST portion of Finlcy'S tpsti
nony constituted general denial Of
evidence given by Samuel g Malonpy.
former head of a detective agency and
himself under indictment for conspir-
aCy.
The defendant denied nc had over
talked to Malonpy about detectives
for the Fifth ward or that he had
promised him money for tho guards
who proved to be Frog Hollow thugs
He denied telephoning to Maloney from
the Ritz Carlton Hotel and insisted he
had not seen Maloncy at the hotel
The political situation was injected
into his testimony when Mr.. Gordon
asked
Were you the active working head
of the Republican organization in Sep
tember. 1917"
The witness replied he was executive
director. and with John 4. VOORHEES,
now affiliated with the Republican Al
lance. carried out the city committee s
orders.
WAS there a split in the Republican
organization in 1917 asked Gordon
The witness answered no.
How about in the party" quericd
Gordon.
NO, there was no sn'it in the party
Absolute harmony been agreed
upon, the witness replied.
DO you meGl '"N was not
COnUBSI III lUS lH'f FL lff't b' NtfA III
Wares and the Peurosc 1l"Nichol fac
tions in the various wnrd~t"
There was absolute narri0Iy."
Were there not tight ~ ,rrtair
wards?" persisted Mr.. Gordon,
"Yes." replied the witness
I'm what wards were the fights? -
II do not know.
In the Fifth ward was there :
fight"
Yes" said Finley.
Kept Out of Fight
Between whom" asked the assist
ant district attorney.
Carey and Deutsch. was tn
prompt reply. Senator McNichol wa
backing Carey and Mayor Smith wa
backing Deutsch."
Didn't you back either"
No"
Here Mr.. Gray broke into the play o
question and answer with the following
declaration:
The only reason the district at
torney had for holding the case off -
long was for exploiting it for politica
purposes. These questions are for poll
tical exploitation. | ask your honor no
to permit him to Stultify this case foI
political exploitation, but to try th'
case on its issue.
Mr.. Gordon continued with his batter,
of questions.
What faction was Mayor Smitl
aligned with--the Vares?" he asked.
Mayor Smith was considered !;
so. so man" was the reply. II die
not know Smith was with the Var
faction"
"If Deutsch won the nomination 70
Select Council would he have obtalne'
the ward leadership queried Mr.
Gordon. Il couldn't admit that now.
the defendant answered.
Were you not trying to help tn
Wares in that fight:' continued Mr.
Gordon.
No. l was trying TO help myself,
returned Finley. Spectators laughed anc
tipstaves Aad to call for order,
Interests My Own" Says Finley
Mr.. Gordon put questions designed t.
have Finley classify himself politically
Il am n free lance politically. Ny
interests are my own. the defendan
replied.
Finley refused 10 admit the Ware
were trying to gain control Of Council
in the 1917 primaries. When the linz
of questioning swung to Maloney agair
Finley said when he heard Malone!
was sending men into the Fifth war,
ne understood the men we're detectives
and not "roughnecks and murdercrS,
Asked why he had not reported vha
he knew 20 the District Attorney
Office. the defendant said hn d,i
consider it any Of his business II
did not learn Of the murder nf Elpley
the policeman, he added. ultii election
night
Il had not read the newspapers. h
continued, and never read ;hr Doliti
cal news in the papers anyway
Finley aDparcutly had water tigh
alibi covering his movements on th
day Malonpy claimed to hav ruikc
with him, and for several DAYS Hftc
that
Motion Is Overrulcd
Counsel for the defense moved in val
TO have the case taken from the jury o
the ground OF insufficient evidence whe
Judge johnson oycrrulcd Mr.. Gray
motion. This was followed by mo
tiou by the defense TO strike from III
record all testimony concerning III
ownerless $1,000 bill figuring in III
Fifth ward scandal, That also wa
Overruled
Witnesses for the prosecution toda
included Nsirs Jeanette Curran, ALE
s. Morgan, q lawyer James H. Ran
dali. an investigator ana Jimmy
Clark. private detective. Preyiou
testimony Of Miss Margaret o O'Rourkr
a hotel telephone operator. was read
Miss Curran, formerly a stenographe
ia the detective agency managed b
Maloney and the first woman witnes
in the Finley trial, denied she woul
iell Who mailed the $1,000 bankuote.