The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-03-23
BRIBERY !?
Freeholder Tierney Goes
to Law and Raises an
Awful Scandal.
THAT NEV INTER-g0JylY BRIDGE.
Did the Hudson Freeholders
Make the 0. N. T. Clarks
and the Riverside
Iron Co. Buy
Them T?
THAT NEW I1TER-eOUg1Y bridge.
QUEER LOAN INSINUATI0NS.


Freebooter William Tierney has in
structed Counsellor J ohm A. MeGrath to
begin suit for $1,000 damages against
John Plunkett who keeps liquor store
at Ogden avenue and Fourth street, East
Newark Mr.. 1ierney charges that Mr..
Plunkett has slandered hum in connec-
ton with the newly opened bridge across
the Passaic river which this county and
Essex have just completed at an expense
of about $50, 000 A question arose at the
start as to whether il should be located at
the foot of Fourth avenue or of Clay
street. East Newark. Clay street was
finally chosen
lii 4 barroo1n discussion some evenings
since Plunkett, who was probably in
favor of the Fourth avenue location, de-
clared that the Clark Thread Company,
of East Newark, mad influenced the Free
holderE with money to decide upon Clay
street., aud that Freeholder Tierney and
an employe of the Clarks named Grau,
had had S., 900 placed in their hands by
the Clarks for the purpose Of buying
votes.
This, Freebooter Tierney says. is a
SANDER, and it is the basis of his suit
against the talkatiye East Newark saloon
keeper
Plunkett is said to have since either
denied that he said the things alleged
against hin, or to have declared that he
said them when he was feeling too
good.
About two weeks ago ex-Judge Nc
Grath and Freebooter Tlerney CHANGED TO
ride from the Court House down town on
The same car, and it was then that the
treeholder asked for legal advice on the
subject, and insisted on a suit being
brought, aud the counsellor has accepted
the case.
A SCANDAL. UNCOVERED
The commencement of the action and
the gossip it has provoked uncovered
what seems just now to be one OF the
most unsaTory scandals that have yet
beeu bred in the Hudson County Board
of Freehoiders, Those on the inside free
" declitre that money was paid to influ-
ence The action of the Board at one stage
or another of the discussions over the
construction of the bridges and rumors
Of ''loansp Of 81, GOO to each of three or
four Of tho Freehoiders by the Riverside
Iron Company, TO which they gave the
contract TO build the bridge, ill The air.
81 hear the rumors," said Freebooter
Tierney when questioned about them,
"but can't say now true they are. In
spector Lawless told nue. that Morrison,
the sub-contractor who did the piling,
said that he would show them all up after
he had procured his money for work
DONE"
WHO is meant by 'thems'''
Il suppose the Freeholders."
.'srhe Essex Freohoiders?''
well, guess they are no better than
those from Hudson said Mr.. Werncy.
THE Essex members were for Fourth
avenue at the outset and they Topped to
Clay street suddenly. l am satisfied per-
fectly with the work done by the River
side Company on the bridge. however.
The job is good one
Contractor McGrath. of No. Gf New
street, Newark, when asked what he
knew about the alleged $1,000 loans, said
he had no desire to make any statement,
but that the reports We're exaggerated.
Were the Freeholders in Essex county
interestedfn
III SO do not know 1t. / believe not.
What is the use OF stirring up this old
matter-it has all been settled now, and
it will only create trouble.
CHARGED By IMPLICATION.
s'Do you think the Hudson county
Freeholders know more about it than
those in Essex2''
You had better go to Paterson and ask
the Riverside people; they know more
about 1T than do
"Did the loans consist of 81 900 eachf"
NO; che amount has been greatly ex-
aggerated, but / won't say anything
more,N
Freeholder Thomas Kinsey. of New
ark, chairman Of the Joint Committee of
the two Boards last year, was indignant at
the rulnors afloat: and when spoken to
about them declared that he did not be-
licve them, or that the Freeholders had
been paid money 10 locate the bridge at
Clay street. He had nearly concluded to
begin an action against Mr. Plunkett
himself as soon as Mr.. Tierney was
through with him.
Election day last fall Plunkett said, .
Mr.. kinsey went on, THAT / had been
paid for my share in the selection of the
Clay street site. Then l didn't think the
matter worth noticing, butt have since
changed my mind. have heard rumors
OF the Clarks having paid 1000 and
So, 600 for the Clay street site, but never
credited the reports for the reason that
had and still have in my possession a
petition signed by the Clark people ask
ing that bridge be built across the Pas
sale River from the foot Of Fourth ave-
nue.. That shows they did not want the
Clay street site very much"
HUDsoN's EFFECTIVE KICK.
The Freebooter went on TO state that at
ajoint meeting there Were votes sufficient
to build the bridge at Fourth avenue,
but later on the Hudson county Free
holders refused to consent to 1t. 1t then
appeared as il no bridge would at all be
built; but after considerable discussion
the Hudson men consented TO the bridge,
il it were erected at Clay street.
"That is why Clay street instead of
Fourth avenue was selected ] am will
ing to wager that no Essex Freebooter
sold his vote, and l don't believe that
Hudson county man did, either, in this
case. If Bill Tierney has been unable to
locate u guilty man, | certainly cannot
do it,
ExcULpATING THE NEW BOARDS.
ftH1 consider the rumors of no account, y
said Freebooter John Seaman, chairman
Clay Street Bridge, Today Il heard
stories to the effect that the CIarks had
spent "a 900 among Freeholders to secure
the bridge at Clay street. was never
ap;stoached, am stlre, and do NOT credit