The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-13
TRENT0N'S HUNGRY LOBBY.
THE TRUE INWdRDNESS or THE A.
LEGED BRIBERH CASE.
How the Third House Pirates Tried TO strike
the sherins and what they Did on Find
ing Themselves Entirely Unsuccessful.


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How the Third House Pirates Tried to strike
the sherins and What they Did on Find
ing Themselves Entirely Unsuccessful.
Tho inquiry into the alleged attempts at
bribery I'm Trenton In connection with the bill
to reduce the fees OF the New Jersey Sherirs
was continued on Saturday In Elizabeth, In the
law office OF Senator Magic, Chalrmsn of the
judiciary Committee. Tho other members Of
be committee, Senators Potts of Hunderdon
and Hop,,Sr Of Passaic, were there also. The
hearing lasted sovore, hours. Sheriffs Layerty
OF Hudson county, Roberts pf Middlesex,
Thompson Of Union, Herring OF BERGEN anu II.
l.. Lundy. newspaper correspondent, were ex-
amincd. This examination was private, like
the first, but the facts developed are these:
In pursuance Of circular letters sent early In
January to all the Sherins by Sheriff Laverty
after consultation with few OF them. an asso-
cintiun was formed Of which he Is President,
bheriH Roberts, Secretary. and Sheriff Mount,
Treasurer. Its objects were said to be for their
mutual benefit In equaliznV the rates OF fees
and otherwise systematizing the practice of the
Office. rumured purpose Of the Legislature to
cut down their fees was another motive for
strong henng themselves. These fees were
largely increased bv law n few years ago In con-
sequence of the dettlment to their emolumcnts
caused by the National bankrupt law, and In some
Of ths larger counties. notably Hudson and
Essex, the Shrievalty Is held to bo quite party
bonanza.
In the lower House there are number Of tn o
class whom the Shorlffs look upon as their natu-
raj enemies, the LAWYERS. ard who, they say,
want to clip the SheriGs fees in order to tack
the clippings to their own. when the bill was
Informed tho SherlHs by circulars that the time
had arrived for action. They gathered In Tren-
ION on the day the bill was to be up. Another
gathering which the Legislature has with 1t
always. and which Is no lese concerned on the
subJect OF Tees tnan the SherHs ana the LAWYERS,
Is the Trenton lobby. Its members also put their
heads together ON the subject. IL the Sherins
! hadn't alrc .dy raised fund 1t WAS time they
! should set aOOui It, they were speedily advised.
| Adam Boyd known as tho Eng OF tho
LOBBY, Informed his friends ON the same day
| tied in the House. whore they had a"pull" hut
that others, whose pun was in the Senate,
wanted u over there; and that Senator silver
thorne had offered to XIII the bill for 5000. The
| Sherirs had consultation for several hours In
| the United states Hotel. Their object was not
providing that II shall not take effect until after
| their term OF offce expires which Will he In the
fall Of 1878. They were called upon by F.L.Lundy,
| anewspaper correspondent and compiler OF the
| Legislative Manual, the appropriation for which
there Is yearly nght. MIR. Lundy presented
| (dorris), deputlzing him to act In his behalf.
| After some conversation about the danger to
| be avoided from the hungry lobby, Mr.. Lundy
| advised stuthng its mouth with greenbacks, aud
he offered to do the stufhng. Sheriff LavenIy
| and Others said, Not one cent OF our money
| goes to the lobby;" tut whether with or with
out authority Lundy went to see about It. 1t
was growing late, and the House was to meet
| at o'clock In the evening. He went to see the
clerk OF the House, Daine's friend, John Y.
Foster. told hlm be thought the Sheri1s would
raise fund Of $3.50 or 5000 to get the lobby
| to keep Oh its claws. and wanted to know
whether he would take the contract for that
| amount. Mr.. Foster thought he could do IL for
less; and Mr.. LundN carried the news to the
| Sheriffs. The Sherfs SAID they would be COW
| cred with capiases aud cognovits from top to
! toe before they would let themselves be mulcted
| by any LOBBY.
| The lobby put the bill through the House that
| night, In their vernacular with bells on"
The next struggle In this Senate. Here
| also tho Sherins bearded the lobby In Its lair
| and here the scandal arose that brought about
| the investigation. The rumor about Senator
| SilverthoIne Is not known to have been traced
| further than the lobby that originated It, ant
| the general belief is that II arose from theli
| baffled spite that, In fact, they have made al
the trouble IN order TO force the Sherirs to thelI
| terms.
The charge against Senator Plummer Is that
| he wrote to the Sheriff OF Salem, his own county
| Offering To do the business for $1,000, and that
| tho Sheriff showed the letter 30 "A leaKy friend
| who was tapped by Charley jay, editor Of
| Trenton newspaper, and a share critic OF Repub
| lican corruption. Senator Piummer Is a son o
| United States Marshal PiummeT, who, II Is said
| retains bis POSITION through Secor RObeson'
| influence, although Senator FrelinghuyseI
! sought his removal.
| Tue character OF the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee, who are conducting tire Investigation
| gives assurance that there will be less whlts
wash than Is usual in legislative advisory
| councils.