New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-25
Deegan Named
Commander OF
State Legion
Bronx Veteran Receives 423
Votes TO II for Opponent
ON First Ballot. and Elec-
ton Is Made Unanimous
kiely Elected Adjutant
Resolution Condemning the
ku-klux Khan Is Rejected
as Unfair Until Inquiry
From a STAFF Correspondent

JAMESTOWN, N. Y, Sept. 24.-By
an overwhelming vote here to-day, del
egstes to the third annual convention
OF the New York Department of the
American Legion elected William T..
Deegan, of tho Bronx. as their new
State Commander. The first ballots
result was ABS for Dccgan to II for
his only opponent, Hugh NJ. Wise, of
Watertown. The latter thereupon with
drew his candidacy and asked that the
vote be made unanimous.
Deegan, whose home is at Valentine
Avenue and Fordham Road, has been
the vice commander of the Legion dur
ing the last year and he ran for his
new Office on the record he has made
as commander.
The following ticket, supported by
the same delegations which elected
Deegan, was chosen:
Vice-commandcrs, Albert S. Callan,
of Chatham; Robert G. Booth, of
Plattsburg, and Joseph A. Case, of
Rochester; adjutant, Edward S. Kelly
jr., of Queens: chaplain, Father Gregory
Mabry, of Kingston.
The election OF Callan, Kelley and
Father Gregory was uncontested, the
last named being reelected by accla-
nation.
District Delegation Chairmen
The district delegations also named
their chairmen In the LIST District
James M. Blackwell, of New York City.
was reelected. The others are: I'd
District, Donald Strachan, of Brook
Ign; Sd, Edward NJ. Schieberling:
9TH, William Z. Flanders, of St. Law
renee; 5th, T. II. Skinner. of Oneida;
9Th, Charles L. Coffey; 7th, r. c. Hill,
of Bath; 9Th, D. T. Ryan, of Orleans;
9th, Charles Lemon, of Orange.
Lennox Brennan, of Kings County,
seconding the nomination OF Decgan,
reminded the delegates of the hitter
opposition toward Deegan By Kings
al last years convention, when the
Brooklyn delegates consistently voted
against him on every ballot before he
was elected as first vice-commander.
eve we're mistaken then" he said.
'and we are glad of it, Kings County
believes Deegan is the most capable
man the Legion has in this state. We
want him not because he is New
o1 Aef, wv BECAUSE we can approach
the new year with confidence as our
guide. He stands on his record"
Bronx Men Lead Celebration
The demonstration which followed
the nomination Of the Bronx Legion
naire WAS eclipsed only by that which
came after his election was announced.
The Bronx was represented by only
twelve delegates, but they led the other
contingents who supported their candi-
date In a procession through the con-
vention hail.
AS in all the preceding conventions
OF the Legion, nearly all the excite
ment was crowded into the last day, and
1T was created over the reports of con-
vention committees, particularly that
of the resolutions committee.
The delegates rejected resolution
condemning the Ku-Klux Khan, despite
an impassioned plea for its adoption
from Rafael Murphy, Of the Bronx.
Murphy declared that the Khan was an
anti-American organization and that
its tenets were in direct contraventicn
to the principles for which the Legion
stands. However, the opponents of the
resolution insisted that it would be un-
fair to condemn any organization on
hearsay, and that until they knew posi-
lively the methods of the Khan were as
charged by it's critics they had no right
! to condemn it.
Resent Outside Interference
Another situation developed earlier
in the day which caused much adverse
comment from the Legion and resulted
in the charge being made on the floor