The New York herald., 1921-07-30
SLUSH FUND
talk Was 100000
Detective Deyanney Admits
Helping Hire Lobbyist to
Push Albany Measure.
LUSK WANTED CREDIT
Witness Says Senator Had
Gubernatorial Bee in His
BOnnet-VOtes Needed.
SILVER SERVICE INQUIRY
Senator's Gift Giving Charge
to Be Urged for Investiga-
tion by Legislature.
SILVER SERVICE INQUIRY

Detectives who went to Albany last
spring to lobby for the bill which pro-
posed to give life tenure in Office and
big increase In pay to them heard
reports that the slush fund available
to support the measure was 100000.
It was this bill which Senator Lusk
pushed through under his own name
and in gratitude for which services
the detectives presented to Mrs. Lusk
a $1,147 chest of silver.
Bernard J. Devanney, member Of the
Detectives Endowment Association.
who helped to engage John Kleist to
lobby for the bill, testified yesterday
before David Hirshheld. Commissioners
of Accounts. that he severa, times
heard the talk" that the slush fund
amounted to 100000. Devanney and
Detective Thomas H. Conklng were
replaced as the associations repre-
sentative in Albany as the result OF a
factional fight in that organization.
Asked how he accounted for the report
Of the big fund. Devanney said:
my belief was that 1t was propa-
ganda to scare Senator Smith away
from the bill so he would drop 1t and
it could be given to Senator Lusk to
bring up"
Gubernntorinl Zee in the Air.
Senator Smith OF Richmond has testi-
fed he did refuse to have anything to
do with the bill after he heard the sugar
talk" u
IT understood that Lusk had the
Gubernatorial bee In his bonnet. and
Detectives Brown and Gegan, who got
him to introduce the bill. wanted him to
have all the credit for IT, because 1t
would mean a lot of votes"
Senator Lusk has insisted that he took
up the bill purely as an act of friendship
for Detectives Gegan and Brown because
Of the good work the detectives did for
the Lusk committee which investigated
sedition.
Devanney said he had no knowledge
of any such fund and that he did not
know what the association was doing
further than that 1t was understood all
expenses would be met by assessment on
members The trouble which started
over the BILL he said, AMI which led to
his being ordered out Of Albany was
that Lusk wanted all the credit for put
ting through the bill.
Assemblyman Judson Of Rochester
was present at a meeting In the West
Sixty-eighth street station house. at
which 1t was agreed to employ Kleist
to lobby for the bill. Devanney testified.
Lusk spurned Uniformed Cops.
Lieut.. Courteney testified that he went
to Albany as representative of the Civil
Service empl6yee ees and the uniformed po-
lice to oppose the detectives bill. When
he explained to Senator Lusk the in
justice the bill would do the police. the
witness said the Senator answered:
Boys. / don't see what I can do for
you. There are two detectives, Gegan
and Brown. whose services ] greatly
appreciate. and / want TO do something
for them"
The witness said he was denied a
hearing on the bill. Mr.. Hirshheld will
continue his investigation into this sub
ject on Monday next
1t is expected that as a result Of the
controversy growing out OF the passage
of this bill, the Legislature will be
requested, when It convenes next Janu-
airy. to make an investigation with spe-
cal reference to Senator Lusks charge
that 1t Is common practice for Senator'S
and Assemblymen to receive valuable
gifts for their services to groups OF
citizens Several members of the Legis-
lature have stated they would Join In
making the demand for such an In
quiry. but In any event no step can be
taken befora uext Januayv