The New York herald., 1922-08-02
COLCAN SAYS HIS Aid
AS ELK WAS SOUGHT
Smith Man Says Dismissal
Followed Refusal to
Help Hearst.
NO DENIAL BY MAYOR
Hylan Too Busy, but Bent
Says He Carried No
Such Order.
VETERAN SUPPORT ASKED
Effort Made to Have Foreign
Wars Post Indorse
Editor.
VETERAN SUPPORT ASKED

Editor.
Bubbles were still coming to the
surface last night from the depth
bomb exploded in the Hearst-Smith
political situation by George A. Col
gan, former Governor Smiths friend,
dismissed from the post of Deputy
Market Commissioner because, his
friends say. he refused to further the
political ambitions of William r..
Hearst. Further explosions are ex-
pected.
Mayor Hylan gave out no denial of
the declaration Of Mr.. Colgan that
Francis p. Bent had told him the
Mayor wanted him to visit the Elks
throughout the State in the interest
Of ,Hearst's candidacy, that his ex-
penses would be paid and his time as
city employee would go on.
1t was learned yesterday that at
tempts were being made also to use
the Veterans Of Foreign Wars to ad-
vance the political ambitions of
Hearst.
Recently at a meeting of Bronx
Post No. 95. resolution was intro
duced commending the publisher as
''the best friend former service men
have in this country" 1t was amend
ed by striking out the name.
When an attempt was made by
newspaper men to see the Mayor word
came out he was too busy.
Mayor Hylan will not dare deny
anything I have said" declared Mr.
Colgan, as he gave out his statement,
NOR will Mr.. Bent"
Claims Ace In Hole.
What IL they did?" he was asked
We'll. am not in the habit of play
ing this sort Of game without a real
ace in the hole" was his reply.
Mr.. Bent, director Of the Bureau of
Contract Supervision and an old crony
and neighbor of the Mayor. was sum-
moned to the Mayors office to read
Colgan's statement Afterward he said
to newspaper men:
when 1 had read 1t the Mayor said
to me: is there any truth in it?'
replied 1t is false from beginning to
end"
Mr.. Bent then said Mr. Colgan, be-
cause Of his unpopularity among the
Elks, was the last man he would ask
to do such a thing.
The recriminations over the Colgan in
cident have intensified the bitterness be-
Hylan administration and the thick
and thin" Hearst advocates. II may
lead to a serious rupture, not only in
the Tammany ranks but also in the
organization on John II. Mccooey in
Brooklyn.
It was reported McCooey had been re-
sponsible for landing E. :. oLoughlin.
n Hearst editor. in Colgan's job as Dep
uty Commissioner Of Markets. anc that
II had been done on the insistence of
Hearst The ultimate Job for O'Lough-
lin would be Commissioner. according
to political gossip. II e. ]. O'Malley. the
Commissioner of Markets, should be
dropped II would at once involve Mayor
Hylan In a quarrel with Maurice Z.
Connolly. Borough President of Queens.
political godfather of o'Malley
Commissioner o'Malley said Saturday
that colgan had resigned to go into the
insurance business and he was sorry to
lose him.
According to the Commissioner. Col
gan went to luncheon Friday. July 2i.
and did not get back until the following
Wednesday. The next day he was dis
missed.
When Mr.. Colgan was informed last
night OF Mr.. Bent's denial and that Com
missioner O'Malley had charged him
with neglect OF duty he replied:
when the Mayor has had something
to say ! shall have something TO add to
my statement But until then all I can
say is that told the exact truth.
II will discuss only affairs between the
Mayor and myself. ! do not recognize
any of his subordlnates."
CoIsan's Statement.
The Colgan statement, which was no,
made public until after due deliberation
with his political friends, in part. fol-
lows:
False assertions are being made In
hostile newspapers that pressure has
been or Is being put upon municipal Of
ficials in favor OF one candidate or an
other for the Governorship or refrain
from following their own inclinations.
"The Mayor is either in error or for
getful. On Wednesday. June z. 1922, I
was requested. through his representa-
tive. director In the Board of Estimate
Francis p. Bent. to call at his Office In
the Municipal Building. l did After
I met Mr.. Bent he said
THE Mayor has requested me to ask
you to take man along with you ard
go up through the State visiting every
Elk lodge in the interest OF William II.
Hearst. I know that you are prominent
in the order OF Elks and trustee OF
Brooklyn Lodge No. 90. want n copy
of the roster of Brooklyn Lodge and
all the other Elk lodges In the State
All your expenses viii be paid and your
time and salary In the Markets Depart
ment will go on
Il stated 10 Mr. Bent T will not be
a party TO this request. because I could
not and would not use the order OF Elks
for such a purpose.
Mr.. Bent replied This same re-
quest Is being made of Others In Ma
sonic. Moose orders and the Knights OF
Columbus In favor OF Hearst
II replied. Il do not care what others
may do. I could not be a party to such
request
"Mr Bent then said Won't you