Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-23
Receipt Of Payments
|0f Extra Fund Denied
By Illinois Officials
spsciol p;.po.eh 10 Tn. s,ur

or Democratic fund raising IN
Illinois continued to bubble today
The Chicago Daily News re-
ported that one State official said
he had heard Gov. Adlai Steven
son discuss a fund to supplement
key employees salaries. but he did
not know if anything had been
done about it.
The newspaper said that de-
partment heads and key officials
all denied receiving pay from a
private fund to supplement their
incomes.
The salary question was raised
by Kent Chandler. a Chicago bust
nessman, who contends that Gov.
Stevenson promoted a fund from
private sources to bolster the sal
aries of his political appointees.
Diversion Charged.
This blast followed charges
that funds raised to re-elect Mr..
Stevenson to the Illinois gov
ernorship were being diverted to
his presidential campaign.
Michael F. Seyfrit. State di-
rector of public safety and for
mer chairman of the State Demo-
cratic Committee, was the official
who said he had heard Gov.
Stevenson discuss the supple
mentary salary fund.
But whether such a fund got
beyond the talking stage, I do
not know" he said.
Mr.. Seyfrit readily admitted
that the State Committee col
lected between $50, 900 and $75,-
900" for the 1850 campaign from
firms that do business with the
State and from State employees.
The bulk of the funds, he con-
tinued, came from contributions
of State officials and employees.
Another official, Joseph Pois,
State finance director, said he
had never heard Gov. Stevenson
mention a private fund for supple
menting State salaries.
when we tried to get a State
purchasing agent to replace Dave
Cummings, who resigned" he told
the Daily News. IT told the Gov
ernor we would have to get q
retired official or one on loan
from a business firm because the
State salary was so small.
'At that time the Governor
never brought up the idea of sup
Elemental pay"
Mr.. Pois, who draws a salary
from the Signode Steel Swapping
Co. in addition to his $4,000 a
year from the State. said he re-
sented having his situation COM
pared to that of Senator Nixon.
I'm my case, I'm on loan from
a company. Nixon received con-
tributions directly from many in
dividualS.
Deny Extra Pay.
Mr.. Bois said his firm never has
done any business with the State
and would not so long as he holds
the dual jobs.
Several department heads and
key officials denied receiving pay
from a private fund.
Unfortunately I'm gettin 6
nothing beyond the $4,000 the
State pays me-" observed j. Ed
ward Day. State Director of In
surance and former administrative
assistant to Gov. Stevenson.
I'm reasonably sure no such
system of supplemental pay was
ever instituted. Nobody in my
department is benefitting."
Mr.. Seyfrit. Fred Hoehler, pub
lie welfare director; Lewis Martin.
assistant conservation director,
and Frank N. Parker. chief high
way engineer, all denied getting
supplemental pay.
They said they were sure none
was paid in their departments.
Transfer Denied.
The published reports that
funds raised for Mr.. Stevenson
gubernatorial campaign had been
shifted to the presidential kitty
brought a denial from w. Donald
Forsyth, former down-State man
[ager for the Stevenson governor
ship drive.
Mr.. Forsyth, now campaign
manager for 1t. Gov. Sherwood
Dixon, Mr.. Stevenson's successor
as candidate for Governor. said
Stevenson never got q dime Of
the money for his presidential
campaign"
The fund transfer was reported
by the Chicago Daily News and
the Chicago Tribune.
Deny Pressure on Employees.
MIR. Forsyth also denied reports
from Chicago and Cincinnati that
part Of the money was raised by
pressure on Illinois State employees
The fund was raised through
voluntary contributions from peo-
pie interested in re-electing Ste
venson Governor, said Mr.. Forsyth,
an insurance man of Springfield,
III.
Then he was nominated for
President of the United States,