The New York herald., 1873-10-13
THE NEWARK TWEEDITES
The sewer Frauds and
the Laws Delay.
Fresh and Important Facts for the Citizens
Committee Jersey Justice Mapping
An Unfortunate officials Illness.


The work or the Newark Citizens Investigating
Committee, like the work OF the Common Council
Finance Committee, does not go braveV on. 1t
lags melancholy and for the past week 1t seemed
though the popular movement and the movers
had nearly hzzled out but in this matter, as in
many others, appearances are deceptive. Neither
the movement nor its chief movers have
any notion OF fzZling out policy
OF mastery inactivity is now being pursued for good
reasons. For the last two weeks or SO the charge
that the movement was merely a shrewd dodge OF
the political "outs'' to get out the 'inso and IN
the .'outs,n has been industriously urged by the
City Hall ring organs and personal apologists. In
spite OF the well-known fact that the majority OF
the leading members of the Investigating Commit
tee are OF the same political household OF
faith as the ring members and their igno-
BILE army OF followers, this charge has obtained
to such an extent that in view OF the charter
election being at hand il has been deemed wise to
let that event pass before any further active in
vesugating work was done. Another reason for
this inactive action is that once the election Is
citizens generally will sober down to the interests
OF the whole community and not a section OF it
only. And, besides, there will then be better
chance TO reorganize the committee. But While
the Citizens Committee OF One Hundred may thus
wisely take a rest the
HERALD's SPECIAL INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE
OF one finds it incompatible with duty to 'cease
Iabor,n even though the hour OF "high noon"
should have arrived. Within the past week the
clearest proofs have come into possession OF the
HERALD's committee that tithe OF the truth in
the new notorious sewer frauds has only surged
itself to the surface through these columns. Just
here it may not be uninteresting to refer to the
HERALD or January q, 1872, now close on two
years ago, and there. IN the course Of the first
article ever written posing this system OF public
pocket picking In Newark, ind a noted Newark
criminal lawyer using the following language IN an
interview with the HERALD representative
ssTalk about your Tammany In New York!n-
said the lawyer, with marked emphasis-'I tell
you, sir we've got Tammanys here, In Jersey, that
are Just as Infamous Look at the monstrous
measures losted upon the people OF Jersey City Dy
local ring, UNANIMOUSLY notorious, and here, IN
Newark,
SHAMEFUL SYSTEM OF PUBLIC ROBBERY
has been carried on Tor years. 1t certainly ought
to be shown up. It's perfectly infamous. The
storm is brewing and Is bound to burst on as
sooner or atern
And it seems pretty certain that the time for the
'burstn is now near at hand. During the last
week the HERALD investigator struck rich vein
OF new iacts in the sewer fraud mlne, which, how
ever is not fully worked yet. Evidence prepared
for submission 70 the Court by person VINO was,
lor time, pdiceps crinstnts in the series Of swim
dies was shown TO, and examined by, the HERALD
committee, which fully satisfied the lat
ter that the end le.csao Of the beginning
DEFEAT THE ENDS JUsTIcE,n
as the authorities say when they don't wish the re-
porters to print certain matters OF act TO reveal
all that has been discovered 1t is considered best
for the present to put in type for public Inspection
and instruction few oi the nuggets OF truth
truth such as the following That by the south
orange sewer Job the taxpayers had their pockets
picked OF $1,000, money charged for Work never
done and material never furnished; that by the
Court street sewer JOB the taxpayers were robbed
in tne same way out OF $4,000 at least; that by tue
Iitr1 N M
uently taken from the peoples pockets tnat
BY the West Kinney street Job $1,000
pubic publ re, robbers; ;'' that BY the Earl street
job the taxpayers owning property along
pockets and pay at least $4,000 for work never
done, and materials never furnished; that, by the
Waverls place job the taxpayers were compelled
to FORK to poorly paid agents OF the city $1,000
for worse than nothing. MIR. Earl the gentleman
who, as stated some time ago In the HERALD,
had his property improved" so that he declares
himself wiling TO sell the whole tract, 'improve-
mentsr and all Tor $1,000, whereas the city wants
him pay nearly So 600 Tor the aforesaid Improve
mentsn states that TINS Earl street sewer has
been constructed in such manner as to be serious
damage rather than beneht TO property owners.
And these swndles, be It remembered, are only a
small portion OF the whole.
.sTHE LAWS DELAY,n
Immediately after the HERALD's first eJDose,
January Il, 1872, AIR. william H. Francis, City
Counsel OF Newark, visited the newspaper offices
and caused II to be published that he would at
ceedlngs against certain contractors and others 10
recover the amounts which. IL was alleged, they
had lraudulently obtained from the city. At the
spring term Of Court nothing was done. At the
september term OF 1872 judge Depue, having had
his attention called TO the matter, dwct iorcbly
IN his charge TO the Grand Jury on the duty OF In
vestgating the charges and bringing the Offenders
10 justice; but nothing more was done, 80 iar as
results are concerned. A year has passed and
sui nothing has been accomplished.
IN JUSTICE TO CITY COUNSEL FRANCIS.
II - proper 20 state taat he did commence several
civil suits against contractors three four terms
OF Court ago but, as yet, that Is all that has been
DONE One oi the suits which nrst appeared on the
calendar Is stated TO have been dropped from the
present court calendar, but whether through de-
sign or accident IS not known IL may have been
done through tnat stereotyped typographical err
ror," winch Is very handy at times, ior reasons
clearly obvious There are two suits against Al.
contractor named OConnor. One OF these
SUITS was set for trial in the Essex
county courts one day last week. Previous to that
the HERALD representative had an interview with
Mr. Francis on the subject oil these suits, in the
course OF which the City Counsel stated that he
was pushing the matter as rapidly as he could. He
did not say so, but IL has been said Tor him, that
the delay In bringing these suits TO trial caused
by inability TO procure the attendance OF the prn-
cpal witness lor the prosecution-the Inspector
VINO is alleged to have .'laid in whacksr with the
contractors in gouging the city. This Is
VERY GREAT MISTAKE,
as the sequel Will prove. On the very day last
week the sewer suit was to have been tried the
Ctv Counsel caught severe cold and sickened so
seriously that he was confined TO bed and OF course
unable 70 attend Court and do his duty by the city
and the contractors. Word was brought to him
tbaf the 40 called mic2tp0 wttpena lOnaer