Evening star., 1952-09-25
Top Aide Who Became
Justice Says He Got
$500 From Stevenson

CHICAGO, Sept. Is (CDN.-
Gov. Adlai Stevenson's former
top administrative assistant, now
a justice of the Illinois Supreme
Court, said today he received a
$500 check from the Governor at
Christmas, 1850.
Justice Walter v. Schaefer, who
was appointed to the bench by
Gov. Stevenson in March, 1851,
and elected to a nine-year term
three months later, said he also
received a 500 check from the
Stevenson-for- Governor Commit
tee for work he did in the 1948
campaign.
He turned over the $500 check
to Northwestern University, he
said. He had been on leave as a
law professor from the university
during the campaign. He felt
that he should reimburse the
university for having had to get
some one to I'LL in for him, he
explained.
Payments to Key Men.
Justice Schaefer's disclosure of
the two checks followed a state
ment by Gov. Stevenson in Balti-
more yesterday concerning pay
ments to few key Illinois State
employees out of a special fund
which had been raised for State
campaign purposes.
The Governor said he did not
intend to make public the names
of recipients or donors because
he saw no useful purpose in doing
so. He explained that the pay
ments were to supplement COM
paratively low salaries of few
key officials in the State.
Justice Schaefer told the Chi
cago Daily News that he knew of
no other person who was paid by
Gov. Stevenson.
State Salary Small.
During the 1949 legislative ses-
sion Justice Schaefer was top>ad-
ministratiye assistant to the Cow
ernor. He Was paid by the uni-|
.versity, where he was on sabbaticall
leave and also received a small
salary from the State. In the fall
Of 1949 he was appointed chair
man of the Little Hoover Com
mittee." which submitted reports
in December, 1850, and January,
1851. During this time he also
was back at his post as law pro-
fessor.
Around Christmas-it may
have been just before or maybe
Just after-I received a check for
$500 from the Governor" he ex-
planned. whether it was a per-
sonal check or on another ac-I
count I don't remember. It may
be that the Governor heard that
it was a pretty rough year for our
family. But he didn't hear It'll
from me. With the added work Of
the Little Hoover Committee II
was unable to take on added work
and suffered financially. We had
to sell some of our bonds during
that period"
Three Deny Sharing.
Meanwhile, three administrative
aides to Gov. Stevenson denied
that they shared in any payments
from a private political fund to
supplement their State salaries.
Two others refused to comment.
They were Carl MCGOWAN, the
Governors legal aide at the exec
utive mansion in Springfield, and
William I. Flanagan, the Cover
nor's press secretary.
Mr.. Flanagan said, however,
that the Governor used contribu-
tions from friends for various
political purposes" He added that
the Governor makes personal
arrangements with people he
wants to hire"
Richard j. Nelson and Dom
Hyndman, administrative aides,
declared they received no pay
other than their State salaries. j.
Edward Day, a former administra-
tive assistant who now is State
insurance director, said he never
received supplementary payments
and never heard there was fund
for such a purpose.
Evidence Elusive.
Charges are being tossed about
like flying saucers that some of
Gov. Stevenson's administrative
officials are soliciting campaignl
funds from State civil service
workers. But the evidence is elu-
Sive.
Clifford Halpin, State revenue
department director, said that con-
tributions were being received
from some employees. He declared
it was strictly campaign contribu-
tions which were unforced and un-
solicited.
Miss Maude Myers, president of
the Civil Service Commission, said
she received IS or 20 telephone
calls or anonymous letters from
people who said they were civil
service employees who had been
asked to contribute. She noted
that the State law forbids solicit
ing political funds from civil serv-
ice EMPLOYEES.