The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-24
DE NIALS S
That Clay Street Bridge
Story Brings Out a
Chorus of NO.
PLUNKETT BACKS DOWN
He Was in Jest, He Claims, When
He Said the 0. N. 7. Clarks
Bribed the Free
holders.

The story In The SUNDAY MORNING
NEWS of yesterday to the effect that Free
holder William Tierney had instructed
ex-Judge McGrath to begin suit against
John Piunkett, Newark saloon keeper,
for libel, has created great deal of ex-
citement throughout the county.
The allegation was that Plunkett
had libelled the Freeholder in
connection with the new bridge across
the Passaic River, which is now being
built at an expense of about $4,000, by
saying in his bar room recently that the
Clark Thread Company, of East Newark,
had influenced the Freeholders with
money to locate the bridge at Clay street,
and that Freeholder Tierney and Adam
Newark mill, had had $1,000 placed in
their hands by the Clarks for the purpose
of buying votes.
The story was the one topic of conver-
sation in the county yesterday and was
also discussed over the river in Newark.
DENIALS ALL AROUND.
As was to be expected the story of the
alleged bribery was met with indignant
denlalS by all who were concerned in it.
The idea that the Freeholders would be
gully of such q transaction seemed to
shock the good people in the western part
Icalled at the Clarks' factory in New
ark this morning and endeavored to OBJ
tain some definite information upon the
subject.
Why, the story is absurd said Mr.. A.
w Clark, assistant treasurer of the COM
pany, and at the present time the head of
the concern in this country. 1.-THE loca-
tion of the bridge at either Clay street Or
Fourth avenue was equally advantageous
to us, and we petitioned for both sites.
AS you can see, either street is but two
blocks from our factory, one on the north
and the other on the south.
We had no particular interest in one
site or the other, unless it might be the
Fourth avenue site, which was not taken,
and the only interest we might possibly
have in that is due to the fact that our
property on both sides of the river is
nearer Fourth avenue than Clay street."
WHAT Mr.. GEAU SAYS.
"A brisk walk for some distance along
the river brought to me the Erie Railroad
Bridge, which | crossed to East Newark.
Then retraced my steps on the opposite
bank of the stream until / came to the
new factory of the Clarks which covers
almost as much ground as many pre-
Il found Mr. Adam Grau, the
superintendent, and told him the
object of my visit He, too, laughed at
the idea of the Clarks buying the votes
of the Freehoiders and repeated Mr.
Clark's statement concerning the indiifer-
ence with which they viewed the location
of the bridge.
AND MIR. PLUNKETT.
I crossed the Passaic again to Newark
and found MIR. PIunkett absorbed in
watching two men playing seven up in
the rear room of his saloon. Mr.. Plunkett
did not smile at the story. On the con-
trary Mr.. Plunkett looked very grave and
acted Ikea man whom something was
worrying.
There's nothing in the story at all 2
he said. II said something like that one
night in my barroom, but didn't mean
to accuse any one of bribery, and what |
said was barroom joking"
Mr. Plunkett further said that he knew
of no foundation which he could have
had for making such a statement, as he
certainly knew OF no such transaction.
FIGHT OVER THE SITES.
This morning evely member of the
Board of Freeholders that I met told me
that he had read The SUNDAY MORNING
NEWS of yesterday. They had also read
iii it the account OF the accusations made
by Saloonkeeper Plunkett against Free
holder Tierney and the Hudson County
and Essex County Boards of Freeholders.
The committee that secured this site
were Messrs Tierney, chairman, Nc
Donough. Boyle. Noonan and Kimmerly,
and it was only after a fight with the
Essex county officials for nine months
that the. location was designated.
Why the fight lasted so long was,
according to the Frecholders, because
the Hudson county members OF the COM
mittee wanted to favor the demands of
the tax payers as much as possible.
Fourth-ayenue was at first considered
very seriously, but it was not accepted,
and because of this MIR. Plunkett, whose
store is on that avenue, SO it is said, made
his charges of bribery and corruption.
Ex-Director Pairson said, when inter-
viewed him on the subject that he ap-
pointed the committee from Hudson.
1.-THE SUNDAY MORNING News said
he, gave me the first information that
any one thought wrong had been done.
It was the first time that the rumor
reached me. I don't know anything
about the alleged bribery, for / never
heard OF H. The Director at that time
was not a member ex officio of the COM
fnitteeS, and my actions in the matter
Were in open Board meetings. Ii money
was used to secure the present site did
NOT know it, but don't believe it was.''
MR.. M'DoNoUGH SAYS mo BRIBERY"
Ex-Freehoider Thomas McDonough
said:-sI thought at the time weight was
brought to bear on the Essex people to
nave the bridge located at Fourth avenue
and before | voted l insisted that the
opinions of the taxpayers should be had.
for / wanted the sentiment of the peo-
pie. / asked Freeholder Tierney to
call public meetings and also to
q ascertan, as near as possible,
the wants of the people, which he did.
General J. Watts Kearney and another
imam wanted the bridge at Fourth avenue.
and tried hard to get 1t there, and at the
half dozen meetings held made strong
tight. but the people seemed to want it
ut Clay street. am absolutely GER
tain there was no money used,