New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-10
SCANDAL PUTS
LOFT IN PERIL
Continued from page I

Continued from page
taken from the directory and telephone
books. II was, however, cause or
wonder to employees living IN New Jer-
sey, Brooklyn and Westminster County
why they should be asked to help de-
fray the expenses Of the New York
County Democratic Committee.
little thought was given 20 the fact
though. since the strict laws against
soliciting campaign contributions have
been i'm force federal employees have
not been held up IN so daring fashion.
Some OF the employees received a sec
ond appeal. All received the one dated
October 81. which reads:
several communications respecting ROM
tr.hu'iou OBJ ue campaign fund m Ils com
m''ter have bon sent io sou AMI up i' ne
present ONO ip fc-lo. at mas been received.
We take tie opporullb 90 make final ap-
peal Cor contribution. it.iug That your
Interest ln this important campaign illJ Jus
Tie c5rcnscs o. conducting campaisn
iT. s s-s se,ia.. l,rs a .9b.crr,iaI. w. h9ae
therefore. That sou can see your way FOO max.
ing REMITTANCE ny any amount sou may ieel
justified !I giving we have BOT already
heard FROM SOFA before receipt ~ th7 letter
Gsiueu GEORGE " LOFT
THIS communication B., uut Intended flr Of.
Zee holders ol CHfpuraliDf...
The numerous letters seen by Tho
Tribune reporter show wide variance
IN the chirography Of the Loft sigma
turo.
When Representative Loft was in
formed of the details Of The Irlbune's
story carly this morning, he said:
"No contributions were solicited by
the committee Of which am chairman
from any but individuals. We eX-
pressly said on the bottom Of our re-
quests. This communication is not IN
tended for oiiiceholder5 or corpora
tons. We did not want money from
any person connected with the city
state or federal service"
did you sign the letters ~ ne was
asked
81 presume ! signed all the letters
as chairman" he answered.
His attention was called 70 the ap-
parent difference On handwriting evi-
denced I'm the signature. Then he re-
marked:
"Well, ] can't be certain now"
"Who furnished the list of employees
OF the Surveyors Office ~
81 haven't the slightest idea. The
names and addresses Of the persons
solicited were taken from lists m Tam
many HAIL.
DO YOU know whether they came
from Mr. Rush's office ?'
"I do not Furthermore, | haven't
seen Rush IN over Il year"
"lIow did it happen that only the
Surveyors employees were solicited"
81 don't know"
All Of the envelopes bear the post
mark Of the Hudson Terminal Station,
which is the nearest to the Custom
House, save that actually IN the build
ing. And the postmark date was "Oct.
81, p. NJ"
Who Mailed Letters
The hour is ono of the most i'm
portant features. The Custom House
employees quit work on aSturdays at
p. m. October 81 was Saturday.
While the letters requested that the
contributions be sent to Tammany
Hall, which is on East 1lth st., that
fact does nothing TO induce the Hudson
Terminal station To- handle the mail
sent direct from Tammany Hall
Who mailed the letters and who was
working in the Custom House after
o'clock Saturday afternoon, October
81, is something which the District
Attorney may bring out
The mail was so definitely directed
that all probability that the names and
addresses were taken fro ma directory
is dissipated The Tribune is in pos
session Of conclusive information on
this point. which it is not at liberty
TO print this morning. This much can
be added 20 make the point many OF
the employees names do not appear in
the city directory.
The effect Of the receipt OF this let
ter on the majority Of the employees,
who imagined when they passed the
civil service examinations and were
appointed that they had little to fear
from politicians, was varied. A great
deal of money, comparatively, when one
considers the salaries paid, was turned
into Tammany Hall from the workers
in the Surveyors department.
Employees Were Timid.
But the payments were not made I'M
I'll counsel had been taken by the en-
plOyes among themselves. From No
vember l until the day before election
a number of whispered conferences in
the halls OF the Custom House and Of
the Barge Office were broken up by the
seemingly accidental appearance Of en-
ployes close 20 Mr.. Rush.
II was agreed by the less timid en-
ployes that something could be accom-
plished by holding out and, after cleo
ton. appealing 70 Washington, mean
while retaining all Of the one-sided
correspondence.
Reports had come that Deputy Sur
veyors Parr and McKeon intended to
take that matter and their own more
closely personal troubles 20 Secretary
of the Treasury McAdoo and President
Wilson. Friends had told them Of a
rumorcd intention 10 force out all Re-
rublicans from Rush's office and sup
plant them with Democrats.
Mr.. Rush Vas in Washington last
night. His plans, as they were framed
up 10 midnight last night, scheduled
his return 20 This city this afternoon.
George ". Loft is wealthy candy
manufacturer. He was elected TO Con
gress i'm 1912 TO succeed the late "Bic