Evening star., 1953-10-08
The Political Min
Republicans Suffer
Tough Break in Jersey
Troust's PIeo for. Release
Of Fuy Muy Be Dumuging
By Gould Lincoln

by 0ouIo Lincoln
Joseph F. (Joey) Fay, convicted
labor extortioniSt, his activities and his
connections in the worlds Of. business
and politics have almost overnight be-
come issues in two major political
campaigns-the election of a Governor
Of New Jersey, and of q Mayor Of New
York. It Is not nice story, but 1t gives
further insight into the mess Of graft
on the one hand and compliance on the
other-compliance on the part Of men
engaged in business, who were willing
to pay for labor peace. It Is all part of
the unfolding picture involving the
water front rackets and the more
recent revelations regarding the harness
racing scandals in New York.
Mr.. Fay's center Of operations was in
New Jersey, where, as head of the
hoisting engineers union, he was able
to horn in on construction operations.
He lived in big $4,000 house in north
Newark. He circulated among business
men in one or more of the clubs. He
was, in fact, a man Of property. He
ran afoul, however, of some New York
businessmen who were not so COM
PLEASANT, and of District Attorney Frank
Hogan, one Of Gov. Dewey's associates
in the Governors old racket busting
days. The upShot was his trial and
conviction Of extorting some $35O,OOO
during the construction Of the Croton
Aqueduct. He was slapped into Sing
Sing prison to serve q term of from
seven to Is years.
GOvernOrship Involved.
The New Jersey Governorship cam
paign Is suddenly involved because the
Republican candidate for Governor,
Paul L. TroaSt, in 1851 wrote to Gov.
Dewey asking for FayS release from
prison. He said he had always found
Fay fine man, able to arrange labor
disputes. Mr.. Troast was at that time
chairman Of the New Jersey Turnpike
Authority, the construction Of which is
the basis Of Mr.. Troast's claim to hold
Office as Governor. The New York
mayoral campaign is involved because
1t is now revealed that Acting 1t. Gov.
Arthur H. Wicks, president of the State
Senate, visited Fay in Sing Sing-and
so did lot Of Others Mr.. Fay ap-
parently, continued to be labor boss
even while he was in prison. That is the
impression gained from Mr.. Wicks'
statement that he went to see Fay to
get him to help Straighten out labor
troubles in his district. Also, Mr.. Troast,
when confronted with his letter to
Dewey asking for Fays release, COM
mented on the ability of Fay to deal
with labor disputes. Mr.. Troast has
been In the construction business for
years.
The New Jersey gubernatorial race
is mess in any mans language. Long
before the TroaSt-Fay incident cropped
up, investigation of gambling and water
front rackets in The State had brought
charges that the gamblers had been
paying $4,000 month to Harold
Adonis, a clerk in Gov. Driscolls Office
OF which $4,000 went to Adonis and the
rest into the campaign funds of the
Republican organization. The charge
was made by Willie Morretti, gambler,
now dead. AdoniS is soon to be tried.
having returned from Europe to which
he fed
Democrats Involved, Too.
The Democratic side of the picture.
however. is not without it's blemishes.
The Democratic candidate for Gov.
ernor is State Senator Robert Meyner.
and Mr.. Meyner is beholden to Mayor
Kenny of Jersey City, who has been
involved in the testimony in the water
front rackets investigation, and who
also was visitor to joey Fay in Sing
Sing. Mr.. Meyner was Kennys candi-
date for the Democratic nomination
against former Representative Wene-
and Mr.. Meyner was nominated by
1900 votes cast in Kenny'S Hudson
County.
The New Jersey situation is a tough
break, speaking politically, for the Eli
Senhower administration, though the
administration of course. is in no way
involved. It is tough because New Jer-
Sey is the sole real battle-ground in this
political off-year where an election
could be counted upon to give some in
dication Of the feeling of the voters.
Gen. Eisenhower has said on several
occasions he would take no part in the
Jersey campaign-in reply to questions
at his press conferences.
In New York, the Democratic nom
inee for mayor, Robert F. Wagner, jr.,
has seized upon the Wicks-Fay incident
to make political capital. He has asked
Gov. Dewey to get rid of the acting
Lieutenant Governor, even if he has
to call special session of the Legisla-
ture to have Wicks impeached. Gov.
Dewey is supporting the Republican
nominee for mayor, Harold Reigelman.
Mr.. Wagner is charging that Dewey is
seeking, too, to cover up the YonkerS
and Roosevelt harness track scandals.
Meanwhile, Gov. Dewey has removed
Fay from Sing Sing to Clinton Prison
at Dannemora, 300 miles from New
York, called the Siberia" of state pris-
ons. Presumably, Fay won't have so