The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-09-12
ASKHLLS DINNER FAIL.
Mrs. Aske11 Says 1t Pro-
Voked Tom" Tenant
to Insult Her.
A MAN AND HIS BOSS.
Did Tennant Expect Askell to Hold
his Railroad Job at the Expense
Of Mrs. Askell's Honor?


The arrest of Arthur Askell, of No. So
Newark avenue, at the instance Of
Ihomas Tenant, uncovers sensational
and racy story. Tenant is the man who
has charge of the flag men of the Penn
syivania Railroad. Askell was one of his
subordinates.
AT the examination before Justice Still
sing yesterday morning, Askell made a
statement to the Court that he had at
lacked Mr.. Tennant because the latter
had offered indignities to his wife.
SUSPICIOUS LETTER.
Mr. Tennant introduced q letter pur
porting to have been written by L. b.
Dent, in which threats were made against
Mr.. Tenants good name unless he inn
mediately handed up $50. The imputa-
ton was thrown out that Askell had
written the letter.
saw both Mr.. and Mrs. Askell at their
house this afternoon. The lady is hand
some, with singularly clear complexion
and deep lustrous black eyes. When
made known the object of my visit Mr.
Askeil was at first disincIined to say any
thing about the matter
For the sake of his family he wanted to
let the matter drop. He was only poor
working man, he said, while Tennant was
IN an influential position and had money.
When | explained to him the unenyia-
Bile position in which the published re-
ports of the court proceedings placed him,
he concluded to tell me his side of the
story.
A DINNER PAIL AND AN INSULT.
About year ago. he began, 81 was
working under Tenant as fagman at
the Warren street crossing of the Penn
sylvania Railroad. One day my wife
brought my dinner to me and
met Tennant on her way. What she then
told me of his conduct toward her mad
dened me and l went to him and de-
manded an explanation of his conduct.
He denied my wife's story.
From that time on until the end Of
December he did all he could to try and
force me off the road. He gave me poor
positions and such disagreeable work
that finally in December left the road.
'sThe treatment which my wife re-
ceived at Tenants hands still ranked
within me and / went to consult ex-Judge
Seymour with view to having him
answer for his conduct. Judge Seymour
told me to send my wife to him, as he
wanted to hear her story.
But my wife, who was in delicate
health at the time, shrank from the pub
Hcity of the affair and begged me to drop
the matter, which l did.
sT RETRACTIoN WRITTEN.
I'm the middle of January ex-Judge
Whalen, as we used to call him about
the yard, came to me and told me that il
would sign paper taking back all that
said against Tennant, Tenant would
give me job.
II hesitated at first. as I was afraid
Tennant wouldn't keep his promise and
only wanted to get me in his power but
had no work finally signed.
Il did not obtain the position ab first
and asked Whalen If Tennant was going
to keep his promise. Tenant finally
gave me position as gateman at the
Jersey avenue crossing, an old mans job,
which paid only $50 month.
Although several good vacancies oc-
CURED he refused to give me one of them.
Finally became disgusted and left.
then had a chance to go on the Brooklyn
elevated railroad, and asked Tenant to
sign my application, which he did,
MRS. AsKELL SAYS YES.
Mrs. AskeH sat by while her husband
said. He refused, however to state what
indignities Tennant had offered her.
Asken denied most emphatically that
he wrote the letter which Tenant re-
ceived and pointedly asked why If he had
written the letter Tennant did not have
him arrested for blackmail.
He copied q portion of the printed
letter and when / afterwards submitted
his handwriting to Lawyer Chapman,
who had seen the original letter, Mr.
Chapman said it did not resemble that
of the letter.
I saw James Chapman, Mr.. Tenants
counsel and obtained from him Mr.. Ten
nant's side of the case:-
"Askell came to Tennant," Mr.. Chap
mon said, ''about year ago and said he
was poor and in need of work, and as
Tennant wanted someone in the yard he
set Askell to work.
''He lost child and came to Tenant
for money, and Tenant let him have $50,
which he took back in instalments.
DISCHARGED FOR BEING DRUNK.
sSoon after this Askell accused Ten
nant of being intimate with his wife.
But Tennant denies that there is any
truth in the charges.
''Then Askell got drunk and Tennant
discharged him.
Shortly afterward Tenant learned that
Askell had been to see Judge Seymour in
regard to the charges, and Tennant went
to see Judge Seymour.
"The Judge, Tenant says, became
convinced that there was nothing in
them and refused to take any action.
''Askell went to ex-Justice Whalen and
told him that he was poor and didn't
know what to do. His family was suffer-
ing and he needed work. Whalen told
him to go and see Tenant, and the old
man, meaning Tenant, would give him
work.
''Askell said he couldn't do that be-
cause he had abused Tennant. Whalen
then told him to write out a state
ment that the charges against
Tennant were untrue, and Askel
replied that he could not write out the
statement, but if Whalen would draw up
such document he would sign it.
Whalen did this and Tennant gave
Askell work.
HE GOT DRUNK AGAIN.
'But he soon got drunk again and Ten
nant was obliged to discharge him again.
'tSoon after Askell came to Tennant and
told pitiful tale about his
family being poor and in want
and said he could get a
place on the Brooklyn elevated railroad
ii Remnant would give him letter of
recommendation.
'Tennant wrote the letter, and saw no
more of him until he met him on the
street Monday"
More Rain.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 70, 1885, For
Eastern New York and New Jersey
Rain, except In northern portion Of New
York; fair weather; stationary tempera-
ture; northerly winds,
Et..t..