Evening star., 1953-12-22
Monaghan Accepts
Job Of Cleaning Up
n. Y. Harness Racinq
BY the Assoeiotsd Press


P. Monaghan, a top cop and
veteran crime prober, now is
the ''iron-hand" car of the
scandal-ridden harness racing
sport in New York State.
Gov. Thomas E. Dewey cut
across party lines yesterday to
name Monaghan, a Democrat,
to the new post of bossing the
affairs of the eight trotting as
sociations which operate at seven
tracks.
Monaghan, who has been New
York City's police commissioner
since 1851, sat in at the press
conference as Dewey. his long
time friend, made the announce
ment. The new appointee de-
clared cleaning up harness rae
ing presents a great challenge
that I readily accept"
Monaghan said he would re-
sign his city post December 81
and take over the State assign
ment the next day. Monaghan
will be So in January.
legislature to Fix Salary.
Dewey said that enabling leg
islation to provide a title other
than the temporary "czar" de-
signation and to fix his salary
would be asked when the Legis-
lature convenes. AS police COM
missioner he received $4,000 an
nually.
The Governor said the exist
ing laws controlling trotting are
inadequate and pledged that if
Monaghan lever needs more
power I will undertake to get
it for him."
Monaghan and Dewey first
joined forces in 1888 when the
Governor, then the racket-bust-
ing district attorney of New York
County, named him as an as
siStant.
In 1914 and 1945 Monaghan
conducted an investigation of
corruption in Albany County,
later returned to the district
attorneys office and headed it's
homicide bureau when called
into the municipal service by
Mayor Vincent Impellitteri.
High Praise From Dewey.
In December. 1850, he became
fire commissioner, six months
later shifted over to command
of the police department. Dewey
called him "the best police COM
missioner New York City ever
had"
Monaghan'S one-man rule of
the quarter-billion dollar annual
operation replaces the supervi-
sion previously provided by an
unpaid three-man commission.
In addition to the "czar" ap-
pointment, Dewey named Mon
aghan a fourth member of the
special Moreland Act Commits
sion currently engaged in a
sweeping investigation of abuses
in harness racing. No 1854
meeting dates for harness tracks
will be announced until the COM
MISSIONS report is in.
Dewey said it was his objective
to have a single commissioner to
supervise harness racing in a
manner similar to which base
ball, boxing and waterfront ac-
tivities are supervised.
Harness racing is most popu-
lar in the State today" Dewey
added.
"Five million persons bet, $272
million at the harness tracks this
year and the attendance at those
tracks exceeded the attendance
at the fiat races. One of the
things that astonishes me is
where do those people get the
average $50 to bet in one night
at the harness raceways?"
Head of USTA Pleased.
In Columbus, Ohio, Lawrence
B. Sheppard. president of the
United States Trotting Associa-
ton, said he was delighted with
Gov. Dewey's move" He added:
1T is an indication to me that
the Governor has a thorough and
complete understanding of the
situation and what it called for.
With a man of George P.
Monaghan's reputation. expert
ence and proven ability. the de-
sired results are practically guar
anteed. The primary reason for
the existence of the USTA is to
keep harness racing one of the
best regulated of American
sports. Gov. Dewey's move in
appointing Mr.. Monaghan is
compatible in every respect to
our objectives and we pledge to
him our fullest support"