The sun., 1879-05-27
TREAsURBn LErsoNs ACCOUNTS.
Thirty-thrrs Thousand Dollars wanted by
the County Of MIddleaex, n. j.


NEW BRUNSWICK, N. j., May 26.-This old
and staid collegiate city is just now OF its
pins and in a state OF excitement owing to the
default Of Joe @. Letson. late Collector OF the
County OF Middlesex. He had held the ofIlce
only year when a new Board Of Freeholdors
elected ex-senator Levi d. Jarrard to be his
successor. The new Boards Committee Of
Audit reported. at n meeting on Wednesday
last. that they had been unable to find Mr..
Lctson in his ofice. and were. therefore. not
prepared to make n final report. The Com
mitteo continued their abors but instcnd OF
finding $2l. 1915 in cash in the National Bank
OF New Jersey. In addition to about $4,000 in
the defunct State Bank. thcy were unable to
discover single dollar belonging to the county.
Mr.. Letson was called upon for nm explana-
tion. He WAS unable to give 1t. but begged for
time until to-day at 2 p. NJ. when hc would. he
said square his accounts The Committee did
not, favor the proposnl. and on Saturday last.
under advice of Robert Adrnin. counsel of the
Board. the Chairman Of the Finance Committee
wont before n Justice OF the Peace and made tho
following complaint:
James Sweeney " the county o Mddcsex In the state
Of New Jersey being duly sworn according 9 law, on his
holders OF ne county % o' MdasadS and that derdnpni
va Ts'a meggsr g, ,'d B9.tl Chosen Frecheder, f
County collector q said countyi that Tic drroncnt 10
members Of sconmitir tn s,minc Xxx, ilc a""9u,ts of
said ei.on and rer careful examination OF said ac,
counts hnds the said Iesou has received the sum u
sio Ist9. winch he hss admitted as receiving ~ pay
Wtnt " state AMI county taxes ami the dcpnnen alleges
70 me best ol his nehyi ana kn"w,glse nai We .ad
the said county OF Mddlescx
Letson WINS very quietly arrested on Saturday.
Ho gave bonds in $4,000 to appear when want
ed. and was. released. At 2 o'clock this
afternoon he had not made good his promise
10 replace the county's money. His official
bond is good for 100000.
:. Joe, Letson Is widely known. throughout
N ftnf a. 80
ing been II member Of the lower House Of tho
State Legislature during tha sessions OF 1872
aud 1873. and the Democratic candidate for
state senator against his present successor.
Mr. Jarrurd. in the following year. Tho legis-
latye session OF 1873 was ono ot tho most mrm-
orable n the Annals Of Now Jersey, owing 90 the
grcnt railroad fight. In which tho Pennsylvania
Company was ptcd against what was then
kuOwn us the National rofd schcme which
finally eventuatcd in the passage Of the Free
Railroad law. and the building Of the Bound
Brook road, Thousands Of dollars we're ex-
pended by both parties. and from $1,000 to
s2 900 was paid for Accomplishments votes, sen.
ators' votes commanding from $4,000 10 100000
each.
On tho night before tho bill was 70 be put on
its final passage. an agent OF the PENNSYLVANIA
road called ono senator out of bed. and offered
him $4,000 cash for his vote. The Senator re-
Piled that he already had 100000 from tho
other side, aud that when they were prepared
| o make whenvicr offer they might sec him.
| They did not SOC " him again. and the checks
| OF wealthy manuiacturer OF Trenton for
| 100000 were tracel 10 his possession. and paid
| from city bank after he had voted In favor OF
| the bill.
Joe Letson was tho champion OF tho National
! road bill IN the Assembly. and. on the strength
! oi his championship, he claimed md WAS given
| the Democratic nomination Tor state Senator in
! MiddlcseN the following igll against Levi ID;
| JnrrArd. Republican and Pennsylvania rond
| candidate for reelection. Letson was defeated.
! as Jarrard was tlree years SUI sequenty when
! he ran for u third reelection against George c.
! Ludlow. one 81 the counsel OF the Pennsylvania
! Company in New Jersey.
In The corrupt Legislature Of 1873 more than
| 500 ono WIS spent in buying votes on a single
! bin. IL was not uncommon for u country mem
| her To hand n $500 or 81 900 grcenback to n
| trusty messenger. and pHy MIN 50 or $40 tc
| take II TO bank md get smaller nOtes. Nearly
| all the legislators who took brides at that ses-
| sion have since lost their money.