The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1918-01-03
FUSION FUND BIC
AS A PRESIDENTS
BENNETT CHARGES
Republican Says He Appealed
for Party Money and De-
nounced Frauds in Vain.

!
ant District Attorney Kllroo in con-
ncctlon with the investigation or the
Mi'chri campaign for reelection.
In A.a replies Mr. Bennett reviewed
tho campaign from the primaries 10
Election Day as It appeared 90 him.
| lie denounced bitterly the attitude
taken, ho said. by political leaders,
newspapera and financial interests.
After declaring that no believed
tho election machinery ~ already M
well GUARDED as legislation can make
IT, Mr.. Bennett said he thought ono
Improvement might be brought about
compelling each party to make n cam
paign statement several days before
election a tentative budget Of tho
total expenditures.
The FIRST question WIS ns TO w'at
hc know ~ Republican money used
against him.
Il can best answer that nc s1iC.
by saying that | called on Samuel
S. Kocnig. Chairman Of the Rcpubl!-
can County Committee. Lnd sus-
rc,tcd that he turn over to me the
campaign fund, the party machinery
and Northumberland that he rr-
fused. asked him " tho money
would bc spent in the promotion ~
the Mitchell Campaign and he said
there was no money.
81 then asked him II ho had dono
anything 10 remove tho inspectors
who had been guilty ~ fraud az tho
primaries. Ho auswercd that tho in
Spectorq had been appointed TO servo
from primary day 10 Election Day
nnd that he had asked tho Board OF
Elections and the Honest Ballot AS
sociation TO see that they were not
removed.
81 told HoeniE thought y was
his duty 20 appear before the District
Attorney and make charges against
these inspectors. since my mvcstiga-
ton had showed that frauds were
committed In between $50 and 400
election districts out OF 7si In New
York"
Mr.. Bennc}t said hc hal heard
that a Deputy state Comptro'ie' had
taken some money To- tho BROOKLYN
Republican headquartera a few days
before the primaries and that he,
! Bennett. had not been ablo to learn
what became OF II or who divided II.
Assistant District Attorney Kilroc
asked Mr.. Bennett what he thought
Of the ethics" ot a mayoraliy cam
p6lgn conducted with so huge % fund
as that employed on hchalr OF
/ Mitchell
IL have repeatedly pointed ou;,"
| Mr. Bennett replied. that this was
tremendous fund. big enough for a
| presidential campaign. In tho midst
Of tho campaign II was apparent
b mat. at the rate Of spending then In
progress. 100000 would he spent"
MIR. Bennett was asked what hc
thought Of big contributions by out or
town corporations 20 tho campaign
fund OF u Mayornlty candidate.
Such contributions" ne said Seem
TO mo to be the result " species ~
blackmail Big financial interests In
town bring pressure 20 bear on out
side financial interests. | think that
many Of those In New York who made
tremendous contributions wcro not
making them merely in support OF the
political principles represented by Mr..
Mitchell. but made them rather as In
vestments on which they expected TO
receive returns and interest"
Mr. Bennett launched into de
nunciatlon OF newspapers.
"rhc press" he said knew OF the
sinister influences that were AZ work
/ nud knew the amount Of the funl
that was being used. But the news
papers did not condemn the furl
during the campaign They waited
until after the election and thCp th"y
al agreed that It was scandalous
n was their duty TO condemn It be
fore election day and their failure
10 do so suggests ~ Interior motive"
Robert phillips. No. ii2S Park Ave
nuc, treasurer OF the city Democracy
organiza ton I'm the Seventeenth As
sembly District. who was examined
to-day los Assistant District ATTORNEY
b llack, admitted that ho had received
3 $500 of Mitchell money.
"What did you DO with it?' Mr
Black asked.
Part went 20 some 81 the boys."
said Phillips. THE rest bet on
/ Nvlan nnd cleaned un"
Joseph NJ. Price. member OF the
Fusion Executive Committee, was
nsked about the Mitchell fund and It's
expenditure.
II don't know whore the money
came from or how u was used" ne
aid. 80 far as ! know there never
was a meeting ot the EeXecutlvo
| Committee. william Hamlin Childs
| was the boss. lie ran things with an
/ iron hand and made butch Of IT,"
Twcnty-sovCn trcasurcrs NJ Fusion
organizations and district leaders
questioned hy Assistant District At
turney Mac> admitted that they had
used from $500 to s., 900 each In the
campaign ana ON Election pay
Most of them said they had used
the money 10 pay workers, rem head
quarters and huy nrnitur5, fixtures
ana decorations Some said they had
kept n "fair amount" OF money re-
Coiyed as compensation FOR their own
services, which they regarded as "a
business proposition"