The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1882-11-04
McGuire's Methods.
The Reasons Why the Ex-Detective Health
Inspector Caused the Arrest and I'm.
prisonment Of few Poor Colored
Night scavengers.

James 81. Mcclure, is the name of
the Health Inspector. On Wednes-
day of last week he procured the ar
rest Of John 81. Handy, Henry john
son, and several other colored night
scavengers for failure to procure a
permit from him for the prosecution
OF their business. A hearing in the
case was set down for last Saturday
before Justice Caine. The City Solicit
tor refused to prosecute and abandon
ed the case.
Johnson and Handy, two of the &C
cused, claim that the arrest was only
one of many prosecutions to which
they have been subjected by Mcclure.
They give as reason for it, that they
have heard that Mcclure is interested
in an edorless excavating firm and is
DESTROYS of monopolizing the business
in which they are engaged, and they
further claim that they are regularly
licensed by the city and that they
have paid for the privileges of which
Mcclure is endeavoring to divest
them. In proof of this latter asser-
ton, Johnson a1d Handy yesterday
called at The SENTINEL office and
exhibited night scavenger's license,
signed by the Street Commissioner
and attested by City Clerk, Early.
dated March 18th, 1882. guaranteeing
them the right to pursue their bust
ness for one year under certain condi-
tons (not one of which was the issu-
ance OF a permit by McGuire), aud for
which they paid into the city treasury
under an Ordinance to regulate night
scavengers," the sum of eleven dol.
lars. This was many months before
the organization of the present Health
Board, and PRONUNCIATION of the sani-
tary code. An eminent lawyer, one
OF the oldest and sblest in the State,
after examining the permit, gave Ii
as his opinion that no law or regula-
ton could take away from these men
the privileges for which the city had
received their money until the expi-
ration OF their license on the 18th of
March, 1888.
A SERIOUS CHARGE.
Mcclure knows this" said Handy
yesterday, "but it looks as if he de-
sires to get our customers away from
us and endeavors to compel us to get a
permit from him for every single job
we secure. If the job is profitable
one he can prevent us from doing it.
AS late as October Sd I received
permit from the Health office signed
by J. 81. MCGUIRE per l.. III. Liso, for
which the SUM of fifty cents was de.
manded and paid by me. | afterward
called McGuire's attention to the fact
that the charge OF fifty cents was in
violation of law as / understood it,
and he then returned the amount to
me.
Under the conditions of my license
we were compelled to take out permits
for each job during the months of
June, July, August and September.
That we have always done; during the
other months no permits were re-
CURED. Acting, then, under the terms
of the license for which we had paid
the city, under the law as it has been
explained to me by eminent legal tai.
ent, and under those principles of
equity and fair business dealing which
L supposed governed the city in the
contracts winch it made with us and
for which it demanded and received
pay, I believed and still believe that
our arrest was uncalled for, unfair and
unjust"