New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-26
Graft Pr0be1'
Asks Lusk to
Quit Inquiry
Tammany Member Be-
lieves Silver Gifts of De-
tectives Disqualify Com
panion to Retain Post

The acceptance by Senator Clayton
r. Lusk of the gift Of silver service
costing $1,131 from the New York City
detectives, after he had sponsored leg
islation increasing their salaries and
copper -riveting their jobs, was made
the basis yesterday for the initiation
Of movement which has for its object
the forced resignation of Senator Lusk
from the joint legislative graft investi-
eating committee.
Assemblyman Maurice Bloch, one of
the Tammany members of the commit
tee, started the movement to oust SEN
ator Lusk in q letter to Senator Schuy-
Ter M. Meyer, chairman of the commit
tee, IN which he asked that the COM
mittee be called together in special
session, not only to bring this about
but also to consider the resignation of
Senator Lusks law partner, Samuel A.
Berger, as associate counsel to the
committee.
Senate Demotion Sought
Before Assemblyman Bloch made
public his letter to Chairman Mever
Kepubllc Senators discussed the advis-
ABILITY OF calling upon Senator Lusk
TO resign as majority leader Of the
senate. One suggestion was to wait
Until January, when the LEGISLATURE
convenes, and demand the formal res
lgnatlon of Senator Lusk as chief The
other was to start a round robin sue
gestlng. that he resign from the ma
Jority leadership.
=, Newspaper men asked Chairman
Meyer:
"Will you ask Senator Lusk to re-
sign from the committee ?''
~ can't discuss that" he replied.
do you think he should resign from
the committee 2"
81 can't discuss that either" said
Meyer.
1t was in his letter to Chairman
Meyer that blyman Bloch said !:
MY attention has been called to the
fact that Senator Clayton r. Lusk, a
member of your committee and major
lty leader OF the State Senate, has &C
cepted gift of silver from the De-
tectlves. Endowment Association, total
ing S1,131. Evidence adduced before
Commissioner of Accounts David Hirsh-
field shows that this gift was in the
nature Of a reward for extraordinary
activities in procuring and promoting
the passage OF the permanent detective
bill bearing Mr.. Lusk's name at the
last session Of the Legislature.
This bill, if signed by the Mayor
and the Governor, would have cost
the taxpayers of New York City $780,
600 per annum by reason of an increase
in the pay of members of the detective
division. Fortunately, in the light of
recent disclosures, Mayor Hylan saw fit
to veto the Lusk measure
"lt seems to me disclosures involving
the gift of silver service to Senator
Lusk amounting to over two-thirds of
his annual salary as State Legislator
together with his admitted close friend
ship for members of he New York CITY
Police Department raise a question If
personal bias and disregard for public
opinion which will discredit the whole
committee and its prospective investi-
cation if Mr. Lusk continues as men,
Der of your body
Suggestions for Withdrawals
"In order to disa buse the public
clean slate | suggest that a full meet
ing of the committee be called and
the advisability of suggesting to Mr..
Lusk the diplomacy of withdrawing
from all activity in your probe of
Mayor Hylan be canvassed.
"Jnasmuch as Samuel A. Berger, Mr..
Lusk's law partner, has been made as
sociate counsel for the committee, and
in the popular mind at least will be
closely associated with Mr.. Lusk as a
representative of his opinion and ac-
tons, / also suggest that retention of
Mr.. Berger as associate committee
counsel be debated at the proposed
meeting.
"My deep solicitude for the welfare
fcnntiuued nm neYf naae)