New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-19

him that he was liar in saying that
money was not necessary to pass the
legislation" He said that after he
told this to Senator Lusk the Senator
Immediately went to the Assembly
Rules Committee and had the bill re-
ported out.
Lusk Details Bills History
Senator Lusk, after being sworn, was
asked to tell all he knew about the de-
tectives' bill. His reply, which went
over the entire history of the legisla-
ton, follows:
II became interested in the legisla-
tlon affecting the Detective Bureau
through Detective Sergeants Gegan
and Brown. of the bomb squad. My re-
gard for sergeants Gegan and Brown
and able services which they rendered
IN connection with the work Of the
committee investigating seditious ac-
tivities. of which I was chairman.
Il gave my support to this measure
because, after investigation, l be-
lleved it to be meritorious. The bill
gave members of the Detective Bureau
permanent tenure in Office after five
years of service in that bureau. This
system, understood, had made for
efficiency in London, Paris and other
cities. The measure made a special
appeal to me because, under the pres-
ent law, a detective who, in the line
Of his duties, displeases a local poll
tlclan is liable to be arbitrarily re.
turned to the uniformed force, losing
the standing which he had earned bv
years of meritorious service.
the bill also gave increased pay,
which l understood put the Detective
Bureau on substantially the same basis
as the uniformed force and corrected
an injustice of long standing.
Sergeants Gegan and Brown came
TO my office in the Senate some time
1ne last OF March or forepart Of April.
tives with them, whom they introduced
l did not retain their names nor dis
cuss the matter with them at any time.
| DO not recall ever seeing these other
detectives again.
A. f.. Stevenson, counsel for tho
Lusk committee, had ALREADY snoken
to me about the need of this proposed
!eglslatlon. After going over the mat
Ter at length with Sergeants Gegan
| ana brown | told them that I would
40 what | could to assist them. Thew
asked me at that time, or soon after
TO help them get Senator Smiths bill
out of the Senates CITY Committee
went with them to that committee
and stated to the chairman, Senator
Mulian that l thought the bill meri.
torlous one and asked him to report &
out. lie said that there was opposition
to the bill and that Senator Sniff AZ
not wish it reported out. understo u,d
that the opposition came from renre
sJe;n sen of the uniformed force. 1t
ald not, IN my judgment, go to the
hefiIs OF the measure. | then re.
quested Senator Mullan to report i,
oue as committee bill. He STATED
mat mat TINS would require reprinting ane
:: :n"t IL was SO late in the session that
an ., inouaa De handled in the name OF
an Individual Senator to save time
told him that l had no objection &c
sponsoring the bill, which / did. Il
passed the Senate on a short roll call
Some time after the bill was intro
ouced, and either before or after !;
passed the Senate do not recall
| when-Sergeants Gegan and Brow,
came to my Office in the Senate an,
stated that two detectives were talkino
| or raising money to promote such legis.
iatlon. They told me that they hac
INFORMED these detectives that if anv
money was used in any way they would
ask me to kill the bill, and that thew
had requested the other detectives ~
leave the Capitol.
1T was at that time agreed to be-
tween Sergeants Gegan and Brown and
myself that they would take word to
these other detectives from me that
they should get out of Albany at once;
also that Sergeants Gegan and Brown
would investigate the matter, and if
they could find any evidence of any
money having been used in any way to
further this legislation that they would
report the matter to The District At
torney OF Albany County and to myself
at once. l never heard anything fur
Their about any money being raised or
ton until about two weeks ago.
after the bill had passed the
Senate and was in the Rules Com
mittee in the Assembly Sergeant
Gegan met me in the hall of the Capt.
toll and stated that he did not know
whether it would be reported out.
told him to wait and | would find out.
| went over and saw Speaker Machold
and told him that l believed that the
bill was mertorious and ought to be
reported out and passed. He stated
that he would give it his support.
Later on it was reported out and
passed the Assembly, having the sup
port of both the majority leader, Mr..
Adler, and the minority leader, Mr..
Donahue
ABOUT two weeks ago Sergeant
Brown came to my hotel and stated
that letter had been received at Po-
lice Headquarters in reference to
some money loaned to detectives in
connection with their legislaton; that
the matter would be investigated right
away, and that he would keep me in
formed as to the developments. | was
also promised a copy of the evidence, ,
which intend personally to lay before
the District Attorney of Albany
fw