The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-09-13

4 Goodness Between County Collector Dneasl
and Director Govern.

.
D0N'T SPEAK As THEY PASS BK
4 Goodness Between County Collector Dnean
and Director Govern.
The negotiations for the sale of the Hud-
son County War Bonds has caused cool
ness between Director-at-Large Govern
and County Collector Hugh Dugan. Fay
Brothers, of New York, were the purchas-
ers of large block of the bonds. When
they came here to receive them, they were
confronted with the County Collectorship
question. Whose signature should be put
to the bonds-that of Mr.. Dugan or Mr..
Farrier9 They concluded that it would be
better to have Mr.. Farrier sign as
County Collector, and Director-at-
Large Govern was made acquainted
with their determination. At the
meeting of the Board at which the
bonds were ordered sold, Freebooter Bird
sail had offered resolution that County
Collector Dugan sign them.
:" That is not necessary" was Director
Governs rejoinder. ssChere is but one
County Collector, and that is Mr.. Dugan. I"
County Collector Dugan assumed that
Director Govern would permit no one else
to sign. When the was made
acquainted with Fay Brothers ul-
timatum, he took counsel of Job
Fl. Lippincott. Counsel to the
Board of t'reeholders, and that lawyer
decided that it would be about as we'll for
Mr.. Farrier to sign. So Mr.. Farrier put
his name on them, and Director-at-large
Govern made the issue deliverable by adj
ding his name to them, and they were
handed over to the purchasers Mr.. Dugan
thinks that the Director should have insist
ed upon having the name of the rightful
Collector oh the obligations, or have re-
fused to sign them himself; and his failure
to take that course has given rise to little
personal feeling between the two County
officials. If Mr.. Farrier Is the defdct0
County Collector, the Courts will of course
respect his signature, but there seems to
be room for two opinions even on that
point. ssn s7eH
Judge Allan McDermott said to TAT
LER q few days ago that he does not look
for decision in the County Collectorship
question till the November term of the Su-
preme Court. The rule of the Court is to
reserve decision ia matters argued at one
term, till the next; and tbs Judge does not
think now that the Court will vary the rule
to make ruling in this question.
Editor Sunday TattLer; I have seen, in
the TATTLER of Sunday, the 9th inst, the
following: San old Bergen County farmer
walked into ex-Collector Farriers Office the
other day and laid down one hundred Hud-
son County war bonds, for which he re-
ceiyed 500, 900, and therein lies lesson
in interest for borrowers. beg to add to
the advice-and serious lesson also for
the Democrats of Hudson County.
i was of the opinion, until i read the
FATHER, that a Mr.. Hugh Dugan was the
Collector for Hudson County, that is, if an
election by the Freeholders, confirmed
by the Director, and the qualification of
Mr.. Dugan in the penal sum Of 100000
for the faithful performance of his duties,
could make him Collector
see by the printed minutes Of the meet
ing of the Freeholders, August 9th, the
following resolutions
LIST. Resolved, That the sale of coupon bonds fol
the loan of 1854 000 ordered made by resolution
of this Board, passed July 10TH 1885, for which
bids and proposals weae advertised, be and the
same are hereby awarded to Fay Bros at 5 52-1OC
per cent. premium, they being the highest bidders
for the same.
I'd. Resolyed. That the Committee on Finance and
Audit are hereby instructed to have the bonds foi
said loan prepared and engraved at once the same
to bear date September list, 1885, and that the
Dizector-atLarge and County Collector are hereby
instructed to sign and seal said bonds as author
lied in said resolutions of this Board of July 10th
1885, and deliver the same TO the ssid Fay Bros
and the proceeds Of the sale Of said bonds be paid
to the County Collector for the use of the County
in accordance with the statute in such case made
and provided
The Journal of August 7th, giving re.
port of the meeting of the 9Th. states
''Mr. Birdsall suggested that Mr.. Dugan's
name be inserted as County Collector in
the resolution of Freebooter Clarke.
Director Govern said "That it is not
necessary. Mr.. Dugan is the only Coll ectol
this Board recognizes. 1t is likely that the
Director meant what he said at the time, as
the certified check for SAT. 146 of Fay
Bros" was turned over to Collector Dugan.
1t is possible that the Director may be able
to explain how came the change of front,
by substituting Mr.. Farrier for Mr.. Dugan,
in the matter of signing and receiving the
money for those bonds. tSee resolution
9Th If the title of the Director is clouded,
then he should not have signed the bonds.
If he believed it was not, then the name OF
Mr.. Dugan should have been upon the
bonds and not Mr. Farrier's.
/ have read the testimony of Mr.. FarrieI
as given before Geo. Van Horn, Supreme
Court Commissioner, on May 18th, 1885,
relative to the organization of the Board,
g He swore, that the members of that Board
did not meet and elect presiding officer,
a Director, according to law, but met and
allowed an intender to take part in their
proceedings, and to preside, the intruder
he spoke of being Director Govern. To q
further question, Mr. Farrier answered
under oath, do not recognize any Board
as now acting. Pray, Mr. Farrier, when also
did you change your belief in the right OF
the Director to perform official duties
Strange conduct. And am more surprised
at the action of the Director, backed as he
was by the opinion of Attorney General
Stockton, given to the Judiciary Committee
of the Senate on March the 9th, and also
of the veto of Governor Albeit, of March
the 18th, of Assembly Bill No. 226, abolish
ing the Office of Director t-large. Strange
things happen in politics no doubt, surely
this is one of them. Think of high
official like the County Collector, signing
bonds to the amount of 1854, 900 in con-
junction with man who he swore short
time previous was an intruder Perhaps
the Ex-Collector can explain how he came
to recognize Director Govern afterwards.
AS long as the Director performs the
duties of that Office. to be consistent, he
can recognize but Mr.. Dugan only. The
Freeholders owe it to the people they rep
resent, and to themselves, to inquirs into
the matter. Let US have light upon this
more than surprising affair.
A TAXPAYER.
Jersey City, Sept. Ii, 1885.
DIR. Carpenters Death.
The death of DR.. B. D. Carpenter re-