New-York tribune., 1917-12-28
Adamson Denies
Calamity Hope of
Fusion Workers
Never Heard of "Cold
Blooded" Suggestion in
City Democracy

Fire Commissioner Robert Adamson,
Fusion candidate for President of the
Board of Aldermen and one of the pill
lars of the City Democracy movement
behind Mayor Mitchel's candidacy, was
questioned yesterday by Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Kilroe about the manner
in which the organization spent its
funds TO enroll Organization" Demo-
Gratis.
Mr.. Kilroe also questioned Mr.. Adam
son about the patriotic issue"
"Our information is" said Mr.. Kilroe,
that about ten days before election a
conference was held in which it was
generally conceded that the Mayor was
in great danger of being defeated A
number Of cxtemporaneous talks we're
made, and among the speakers a prom
inent leader got up and said, Our only
hope is if great calamity should hap
PEN"
81 never heard of it," replied Mr..
Adamson. 81 can hardly believe that
any man would be so brutal or so fool
ish as to make a cold-blooded sugges-
tion like that in conference"
Believes in Limited Fund
"What do you think of the ethics Of
such a gigantic campaign fund.-"
81 believe a limit should be placed
on the amount of money which any cam
paign organization is allowed to spend.
OF course. this point has been raised
that independent organizations might
be put at a disadvantage because they
necessarily have to raise more money TO
accomplish the same result and because
they have to create anew their plants
and build up their running organiza-
tions."
Mr.. Adamson thought contributions
ought to be published by law about ten
days before election.
Mr.. Kilroe asked Mr.. Adamson If
there were not many Democrats taken
into the City Democracy who were
"despaired in morals and fortune" He
said he didn't know any that answered
that description.
Il can name hve or ten right off"
said Mr.. kilroe.
You know more than | DO" the wit
ness replied.
Il think can locate some with Grim
inal records"
81 don't know that"
"Did you hear during the campaign
that wholesale promises were made to
these men,"
Il did not"
"You weren't familiar with the prac-
teal work of Charles Steckler in the
campaign"
"No, except that knew Mr.. Stcckler
for many years and had every conf
dence that he was employing honorable
methods, and | have that confidence
now"
Says Cult Didn't Profit
Misha Appelbaum, founder and leader
of the Humanitarian Cult, admitted TO
Mr.. Kilroe that the Fusion committee
gave $l3,700 TO the cult for meetings
and magazines. He declared, however,
that il all went for expenses and he
never profited a cent from the checks
lie said the cult has 10000 members
and has spent more than 100000. The
Stielow case alone, he said, cost $27 900
and the garment strike benevolences
cost $4,000.
Mr.. Appelbaum said he was thirty
nine years old and that be was in the
metal and ores" business. He repre-
sented that he does not profit at all
from his connection with the cult. The
magazine, he said, is not incorporated
and he'is the owner, editor and pub
Usher. The expenses OF the meetings
under the auspices of the cult. he said
were in charge Of Morris Moskowitz, q
brother Of DR.. Henry Moskowitz.
"If | knew then what an amount oi
money had been raised and that il was
90 be squandered as il was | should
have been against Mayor Mitchell in.
stead of for him." declared Mr.. Appel.
baum. "In fact, the Humanitarian Cult
has already passed resolutions directed
20 Senator Robert +. Wagner calling
E for the passage OF a special enactment
/ by the Legislature 10 limit the amount
I Of money TO be spent by political or
ganization or candidate"