The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-06
SULLIVAN PROBERS
WILL DELVE A YEAR
Assembly Extends Committees
Life and Gets Report Of Big
Graft and Waste.
BENSEL REACHES ALBANY
Issues Statement Indicating a
Contest on State Depart
mcnt Investigations.
BENSEL REACHES ALBANY

ALBANY, March B.-Events turning on
the Assembly investigation OF State de-
pArtments happened rapidly to-day. chief
among them being the extension OF The
life Of the committee by the Assembly
for the rest Of tho year after q prelimi-
nary report had been submitted showing
that through lack OF foresight. political
influences and graft. moneys OF the State.
10 an amount impossible to ascertain &C.
curateiy. have been wasted or stolen"
The committees report showed that II
10 intended to make a thorough examine
ton Of State depar .ments with u view
- bringing criminal actions and suits to
recover stolen State moneys.
The Democratic majority OF the Senate
decided not to pass the bill appropriating
$4,000 for the Assembly investigation
unless the Senate was represented on the
committee. Chairman John l.. Sullivan
annoiinc,i that more than one person
has offered 70 lefray the expenses OF
the committee, whoa probably Will reach
$50. 900 instead OF the $4,000 asked.
State Engineer John A. Bensel. for
whom the committee had been searchin.
for a week. according to Chairman Sulli-
van, arrived in Albany tonight and is
sued n statement denying that he had
tried to evade subpoena by the committee.
Il am mt all times ready and willing TO
appear before any legally constituted
committee aud answer any questions per-
tanning to my official actions" sad the
State Engineer.
May Test Committee's Authority.
The wording Of Mr.. B.nsel's statement
gave rise to the impression that legal
proceed ngs will be instituted to test the
right Of the Assembly committee to m Ak c
an inv, t!gation Of the State departments
comm ttee provides that II may lnvesti-
Fate any state department IL "a majority
Of the committee believes the public In
terest requires H."
Assemb.yman Horton announced that
he would abandon his resolu ION c,liln /,
for an investigation Of the Legislature
- that 100000 annually might b. saved
10 running Il, but said he would call the
attention Of the Sullivan committee to
certain facts In his possession.
Chairman Sullivan OF the committee
said II had been decided that each
member of the committee would do some
''sieuthing on his own account. As q
starter the chairman and Progressive
Leader Michael Schaap OF New York
will try to learn II anything IL wrong In
State printing.
The committee issued a statement de-
ciaring that Il proposes to investigate
fully the whole subject Of waste. inefIi-
cssacy and corruption In the Highways
Department. examining all highway work
Of recent years"
cit will hn.eh the work that Hennessy
began says the statement 1T is BE-
iieved that indictments will follow. and
that bond actions will be begun against
numerous contractors and their sureties
to recover moneys Of which the State
hA h<,or Anfr
"Your committee expects to present to
you next week certain proposed legisla-
ten the need for the enactment OF which
u already apparent" the report said.
Not word Of opposition was voiced
to tho passage Of tue resolution extend
Ing the life Of the committee.
Ts Ask Waiver Of Beasel.
Counsel John X. Clark Of the Sullivan
committee announced to-day that State
Engineer Bensel would be asked to sign
waiver Of immunity before he 10 allowed
TO testify. Mr.. Bensel refused 10 sign
such a waiver at the John Doe investi-
cation In New York. and II Is expected
that II he repeats such = refusal before
the Assembly committee his refusal will
b the signal for q test Of the powers
OF the committee.
Al the conclusion Of q conference Of
Democratic Senators Majority Leader
statement, explaining the attitude OF thu
Senate Democrats on the Cristman bill
THE majority Of the Senate 10 III
anxious as the Assembly to ASCERTAIN Il
the accusations against State officiali
end the workings Of State Department.
are true, but they DO not believe that II
ought 10 be merely a pa rt,sAn inycstiss
No. "a serve onlv ooliticaI ends. Tn,
nsmocratic Senators are convinced a,
svsrv fair minded man must be. that m,
.ct;s, ~ ,ho A.snvh1v :nd lie co,nr,ts.
chip.
win q committee Of equal representa-