The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-11-28
FURSq'S GREAT PLANT.
Goods Hidden All Over
Snake Hills IN
StitutionS.
EVEN A SECRET CHAMBER
A Leaf Out of the History Of the
Forty Thieves-Facts That
Suggest Collusion.

the county great quantity OF dry goods
not needed created much comment. 1t
was not wholly unexpected by those who
had watched the operations of.Contractor
Charles 5. Furst during the past two or
three years, but the audacity Of the
scheme astounded all.
Freeholders Ellis, Kimmerly and Mel
son went to Snake Hill yesterday as a
committee to investigate the charges and
the discoveries they made were simply a
confirmation of what THE NEWS publish
ed. Freeholder Nelson said today that
the committee found four months sup
ply of drygoods scattered about the Aims
house, Asylum. and Smallpox Hospital.
The committee first called ou Andrew
Manning, the Storekeeper, and asked him
what he knew about the large quantity
OF drygoods that had been sent there
since October.
Mr.. Manning replied that he had re-
ceived acquisitions from the wardens of
the Aims House, Asylum aud smallpox
Hospital for the goods, and he had ordered
them in the usual manner, butt hat when
he learned that large quantity of goods
not ordered had been sent, he notified
Furst and told him to take them away.
The goods were returned.
SMALLPOX AND LEPRosY.
s.There were secreted in the tank room
at the Smallpox Hospital" said
Freeholder Nelson, (which is just
over the room set apart sfor the China
man VINO is suffering from leprosy, about
$500 worth of goods. When In the CO urse
OF our investigation we found these
goods, which had been furnished by
Furst, we made other inquiries and
learned that 5000 worth had been
sent away since the exposure, ard
some of these goods were the ones men,
toned in The NEWS yesterday. just
think of it, we found 2621l yards of India
rubber sheeting for beds secreted there.
How under the heavens can that guam
tity Of rubber sheeting be used in this
hospital in year. when the place can
only accom- modate eight beds. and it is
nsvsE to account iu for this hhs ruSDsy SDy shsei ws
ing being at Snake Hill is
that Furst contracted to furnish what
was needed at sixty cents a yard. The
contract made by Wolfson for the next
year is at twenty cents yard. THE NEWS
has stated that some people believe that
that is true you can see where Mr.. Furst
makes profit of forty cents a yard on
this sort Of goods.
'sThe Committees takes it for granted
that Mr.. Furst furnished these unneces-
sary supplies without authority to do SO.
anu W6 leave ~ w AAA ~ SAOW vudu gAio
is not fact"
"Dld you find goods secreted anywhere
elser'
"Oh, YES, we found large quantities in
the Aims House and in the old mems pa
vlion. When we were in the pavilion.
Assistant Warden Stewart showed us the
store room. and it contained but few ar
ticies. We were suspicious and asked
him il that was the only place where he
stored supplies.
A SECRET CHAMBER.
'sHe was cornered and went to what
looked like the side of wall and opened
a door so covered with wall paper that it
would not be noticed. He opened this
door and exposed to view room that was
filled to overlooking with supplies. The
Committee was amazed at the sight"
"Why were these goods secreted In the
different insttutions? | asked.
ITO prevent the Freeholders from
Knowing that such large supply was
on hand. You see the bills for these
goods do not all come in tog ether and
they are gradually presented to the
Board and paid. If they were Jumped
into one bill it would create suspicion"
rs it right for goods to be kept in large
quantities in the institutions?
mo. it is not; the proper place for the
goods is the storehouse, ana the Wardens
should take from it what they need for
weeks supply. This will be done in the
future, for the Board of Freeholders will
pass a resolution TO that effect"
Freeholder Kimmerly, when asked
about the peculiar transactions of Charles
S. Furst, said
'Furst has sent to Snake fill about five
times as much as is needed to enable him
to secure the profit on this years prices
over that of Woifson's prices for the
ensuing year. You will notice that the
articles FursJ has furnished are all high
priced, and goods on which he can real
ize big profit. The articles on which
there is little or nor profit
have not been supplied by
him. AS near as can learn the Warden
of an institution would order number
of wards of a certain sort OF goods and
Furst, instead of filling this order;would
sepd a case of she goods. This would make
such q large supply that when the next
order is given under the new contract at
reduced prices. the demand would be COM
paratively small. This. you see, enables
F'urst to realize handsomely on his man
ipulations. The goods that have been
furni shed by Furst during the last week
of the time of his contract can be bought
on December for about one-fourth OF
his price,"
KIMERLY coRRoBoRATEs.
Mr. Kimmerly corro borates what Free
holder Nelson said about the discovery of
secreted goods. and asked me why war
dens should make such great demand
for goods week before the new contract
took effect.
murmured "boodle'' and the Free
holder smiled.
"Why should any goods he placed in
the Smallpox HospitalT' | asked.
"rhere is no honest reason known to
the Freeholders for it, We intended to
have sent back all the goods FursJ sent
in excess of orders. but when we reached
Snake Hill yesterday we found that Furst
had asked to have these goods returned
to him. Furst has claimed that he filled
the order for blankets. which was not
true, for he sent the committee word
Yesterday that he would send 200 more
blankets to Snake Hill today. II he fails
to do so that number of blankets will be
bought Monday in open market and
charged against Furst."
.sDoes Furst make much profit by his
peculiar transactions"
"Does he? Look here; we found at the
snake Hill Smallpox Hospital three
rolls of red flannel aJ thirty-ive cents
ward Wolfson's price for the ensuing
wear is fifteen cents yard.
Il not that a neat profit, if, as 1T is
said Wolfson and Furst are one
In this business. Now there Is no
aarthiv use for these rolls or red
flannel at the Smallpox Hospital.
and fine institution don't need 1t. 1t will
last almost as long as the hospital itself.
Take rubber sheating too. Inere Is
enough of that on had now IN
the hospital to supply, al tne
institutions on this Hill Ior