Evening star., 1951-04-10
Macy Declares Dewey
Asked Him 4 Times
To Burn HanIey Letter
BY the Associcted Press

~ DU1It tsUssaV 6V1hVb
BY the Assoeiated Press
ISLIP, N. Y, April 10.-Formel
Representative w. Kingsland
Macy says Gov. Thomas E. Dewey
asked him four times to destroy
the Hanley letter before it be-
came public during the 1850 cam
paign.
Mr.. Macy says he refused be-
cause "I'd be part of the scheme
If I destroyed the letter."
II was the unwilling recipient
Of an unwanted letter." the Re-
publican ex-Congressman added.
A copy of the letter-written to
MIR. Macy by Joe r. Hanley, then
Lieutenant Governor-fell into
Democratic hands and it became
hot issue in the New York State
campaign. ..-
The Democrats charged the let
ter was evidence of a "payoff" to
Hanley to step aside as the out
standing candidate for the Re-
publican gubernatorial nomina-
tion and leave the field clear for
Gov. Dewey to run for re-elec-
ton.
Mr.. Hanley wrote the letter
shortly before the G. o. P. State
Convention. which made nomina-
tionS for various Offices.
After Mr.. Macy made the state
ment last night Gov. Dewey's sec
retary, James C. Hagerty, issued a
statement in Albany.
Mr.. Hagerty said Gov. Dewey
and Frank C. Moore-then State
Controller and now Lieutenant
Governor-''received Mr.. Macy
once" at the Republican State
Convention.
"On that OCCASION" Mr.. Hag-
erty said. they both advised
him that he should either destroy
the letter or return it to Mr.. Han
ley because it was not accurate.
Mr.. Hanley has publicly stated
that the letter was not a correct
statement of the facts"
The one convention meeting,
Mr. Hagerty said, was the only
time that Gov. Dewey and Mr..
Macy discussed the Hanley letter.
State Job Mentioned.
In the September letter to
Mr.. Macy. Mr.. Hanley wrote that
he had been assured he would be
liable to clean UP my financial OBJ
legations within 80 days" if he
consented to run for the Senate.
The letter said Mr.. Hanley had
conferred with Gov. Dewey.
1t also mentioned a State job
IN the offing if he lost the Senate
race.
At that time Mr.. Hanley owed
money to Mr.. Macy. the veteran
Suffolk County Republican lead
er. and others.
Mr.. Macy's statement last night
was made in connection with
papers served in his pending $780,
900 libel suit against the New York
World Telegram and Sun. The
suit involves story in the news
paper concerning Mr.. Macy's
handling of the Hanley letter. q
Mr.. Macy said he and the news
paper agreed on one point in the
suit-that Gov. Dewey asked him
to destroy the Hanley letter.
Macy Beaten for Reelection.
Mr.. Hanley had emerged as the
outstanding Republican choice for
Governor at a time when Gov.
Dewey was saying he would not
run again. Gov. Dewey changed
his mind, and went in to win re-
election.
Mr.. Hanley. his running mate
for the Senate, was defeated.
Mr.. Macy-assailed on the Ean-
ley letter and other issues-was
beaten for reelection to Congress
in a Long Island district that ira
ditionally is heavily Republican.
Mr.. Macy, an intra-party foe of
Gov. Dewey, is fighting to hold
his county leadership under con-
slant attack.
Mr.. Hanley made his letter to
Mr.. Macy public at a time when
the Democrats had a copy. Both
Mr.. Hanley and Gov. Dewey
denied there was a "payoff" or
anything else illegal or unethical
indicated in the letter. /
After his term as Lieutenant
Governor expired. Mr.. Hanley gotI
State job through Gov. Dewey.
In addition to practicing law in
Albany, he is serving as a special
counsel to the State Division of
Veterans Affairs. He has a SAL
airy of $4,000 year, plus $4,000
in expenses, and a State pension
of approximately $4,000. His son
James recently was appointed to
a $7,000-a-year job in the State
Commerce DeDartnent