New-York tribune., 1876-03-10
A LEGLSLATTVE SCAND4L.
MEMBERS OF THE NEw-JERsEY SENATE ACCUSED OF
BRIBERY.

MEMBERS OF THE NEW-JERSEY SENATE ACCUSED OF
BRIBERY.
Three or four weeks ago the Sheriffs OF New
Jersey and appointed committee to endeaVor 10
defeat the passage of bill the Legislature at Trenton
which provided for reduction OF 20 per cent or oil
sherds fees. Nevertheless the bill passed the House
and WAS sent to the Senate, where 1t was amended
50 as not to affect any Sheriff in office As sherhs
hold Office for three years from last Fall and cannot be
REFLECTED this substantially and satisfactorily defeated
the measure as far the present Oceholders were con-
cerned
The day after the passage Of this amendment David
Dodd Essex County. member OF tne minority In the
House stated in the session TINT he had been IN
formed that a POOL of $500 had beon made TO
defeat, the sherihs bill in the House. and that
10 this circumstance il owed its defeat Very soon after
a rumor wac heard that Republican Senator had writ
fen letter to certain Sheriff asking for S2, 800 and
guaranteeing for that to prevent the passage OF the
obnoxious through the Senate it having already
passed the House The upshot OF these rumors was
that The Neirark Erehng Journal In the early part
Of this week charged william ID. Hllyerthorn, "a
Democratic member from Warren County, with having
written a letter containing substantially the proposal
before intimatcd by Mr.. Dodd. This charge was con
newspaper from Trenton. Mr. Siverthorn immediately
denied 10 his friends the truth OF THIS
charge and announced his intention OF asEing
the Legislature for an investigation. But CHANGING
10 be live minutes late in his seat on the following dS,
County Instantly moved investigation thus depriying
the Democrats OF the credit, The resolution passed. anu
Senators Magee Pntts, and Hopper yesterday met ana
examined as witnesses Senators P,uinmer of salem
rem and Abbott OF Hudson; John y. Foster,
Clerk OF the House; Charles Jay edltof OF
The FTre Press of Trenton. who hrst made
The original charge that such letter had been written;
and several reporters OF NowlOrk an0 NeHJerHe{
PAPERS Senator Plummers testimony was not dVulstd
schstor syerthorn made the most emphatic and com
pete denial that he had written such letter OF assisting
IN IL. knowing except ny heafs'D ot suon
a letter having been indted. Senator hathcrs
nlso testified that he had no knowledge
whatever Of such transactlOn NJ. Jay, sid
that the IN formation upon which he bad based the edi
10 him by . man whom he knew very well but Nhos"
name he lad forgotten. This gentle man Mt. Jay
said. had told hin, n the office OF the
sheriff Of Cumberland County, that he bad seen
offered IT.. lheri whom the letter addressed for
a. 800, xiii the bill ia the senate The remainder oi
II testimony briefly stated, all went To show tl"t %
the time the sheriff. were supposed 10 he cOhtIln-
ming "a pool defeat the bill, the editor OF me
Norrisiclra Republican, by means OF deputy sherlns
the room wiere he Sheriff were meeting In SEE ret sta-
sion ana found that they had agroed t0 mako und oi
gbuut - 600 FOR lobbying purposes, wlch the erb oi
Hudson County startei with $40. with THIS money
their committee oceeded 10 Trenton but after testing
The einIcT of the House concluded 10 conne Their st
tenuonS 10 the senate The Terult the amendment.
~ l. S,sO reported that. outside o his testimony sen
1ior plunnfF has stated 20 prominent member OF Tie
nate that he the return aud obstruction
of the letter aud can therefore defy the Investigating
Committees iuquas. t IL also charged th i"ur sen
ators formed clique aud eneavored % gain possession
Of the whole Of this voc fOr themselves Wnelhcr they
s,ce. sed rs qnesOn vet tp he drcidei by the To
sesrehss 81 the Committee.