New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-19
Ing heard Of man by the name Of
Kleist until | saw his mama In nrint

A'SS''6a.ioH' nave no knoWl-
edge OF ever having seen or talked to
the man. I certainly never talked with
him in reference to detective bills, as
my conversations in reference to this
legislation were confined to Mr.
stevenson, Sergeants Gegan and
Brown and members of the legislature
During the session Of the Legisla-
ture Its corridors were swarmed with
men and women urging support and
opposition to different measures. | am
sorry that any of these have turned
cut to be grafters and that they have
seen fit to graft in connection with n
that situation has arisen which tends
70 discredlt legislation which / be-
neve would make for efficiency in the
Police Department of this city. | do
not believe that any member of the
Legislature received or was promised
any money for supporting or voting
against this or any other measure.
am naturally very much concerned in
seeing that full investigation is made
lshed. | feel that Commissioner Hirsh-
held is to be commended for his zeal
| IN attempting to ascertain all the facts
in this matter.
II will render every possible assist
ance in making thorough nyestiga-
ton"
Senator Lusk was asked if he had
called on Commissioner Hirshneld yes
terday. He said that he did and that
on Wednesday. Hirshteld had invited
Senator Lusk to testify in a letter
which he sent to Senator Meyer on
Saturday.
After Senator Lusk finished his testi-
mony Chairman Myer said that when
the other detectives who had been sub
p9naed could be found he would hold
ANOTHER public hearing.
The others wanted, most Of whom
Hirshfeld, are Captain Rails, in com
mand of the West Sixty eighth Street
detective bureau, where Kleist, the
lobbyist, and several detectives dis
cussed the need of raising money to
pass the legislation; Detectives Ber-
nard Devaney, Thomas Conkling and
Thomas j: Finn, who were denoted on
July ~ after hearing before the act
ing Chiet Inspector for their part in
cornelius Brown and Detective Edwin
j. Burns, president of the Detectives
Endowment Association.
detective George Mcdonald, OF Act
ing Chief Inspector Lahcv's Office. was
the first witness yesterday. lie ex-
planned why the other detectives be-
slues Gegan were not presenv IN an
swer to subpoenaes served at the Act
ing Chief Inspectors office at 4 o'clock
were out of town on their vacations,
ne said. He said that some would be
! available tomorrow.
! Detective Gegan, the next witness.
told of going to Albany along with
Detective Brown to enlist Senator
Lusk's aid in the legislation. At his
flrst meeting there with Lusk, who
ne testified, was we'll known to himself
and Brown because of their constant
contact with him when he was chair
man Of the Lusk committee, the ma
jority leader said:
Il want to do something for You
boys for the assistance you rendered
me when / wss in New York. | advise
you to get together and withdraw one
bill and l will introduce your legisla-
ton for you if you convince me it is
good bill"
He said that on April he and
brown discussed the merits Of the bill
with Senator Lusk.
1--WE told him that this was the only
rank in the department where there
was not permanancy and that some
lawyer, in defending case, might get
lawyer might later be made a special
deputy police commissioner and de-
mote the detective or remove him."
The next time that the witness said
he saw Lusk was on April 7. Brown
was with him again. This time he said
he again addressed himself to the
merits of the bill and raised second
point in its favor.
81 told him that the bill was pat
termed after Scotland Yard" said
Gegan.
TO which he said Senator Lusk re-
piled:
IF you tell me this is good bill
III give it my name and introduce it,"
That same day the bill was intro
duced.
He again went to Albany on April II
and it passed the Senate on April 49,
on April 10 he said he was in the rear
OF the Assembly chamber. He said that
on that day he met Jack Kleist, De-
vaney and Conkling.
Threatened to Arrest Devaney
81 want to say that had previously
met Kleist and was told by the mana
ger of the Ten Eyck Hotel that he was
barred from there because he beat the
, hotel out of $3.50. From other infor-
: nation got believed that Klest was
punco steerer. L talked to Devaney
IN the presence of Detective Brown
in the rear of the Assembly l asked
him if the bill had come out of the
Rules Committee. Devaney replied:
1T has not. I got it stopped You
are telling people that no money is
needed to pass this bill, and I'm going
: TO- prove you are damned liar | said:
: m see Lusk.' He said: What the
! hell good is Lusb at this end? He may
! be all right in the Senate, but he is
: no good at this end I said to De-
! vaney: No money is needed. Senator
Lusk is an honest man and if YOU
don't stop talking about money in CON
nection with this bill which bears his
name III ask Senator Lusk to have the
bill killed in the Assembly, and, further,
t I'm going to lock you up if you talk
about money any more Devaney col
J ored and went over to another part of
the Assembly and Joined Kleist and
Conkling and I followed him and said
to Conkling what l had just said to
Devaney. Then l went to Senator Lusk
and told him what had happened and
he said to me: Jim, we don't do bust
ness up here that way. Don't let the
} men pay a penny. 1t won't cost YOU
a postage stamp. If you hear any more
about money tell me and I'll notify
the District Attorney here"