The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-05-04
BRUGGEMANN'S Side.
An Explanation in the Park
Board Matter Which
Does Not Ex-
plain.
A RULE TO SHOW CAUSE
The Commissioners Take the Direc-
tor at His Word and Bring
Him into court.

Knapp this afternoon for mandamus 70
compel Large Bruggemann to
sign the park bonds as required by law.
Judge Knapp listened to the application,
and then granted rule requiring Mr..
Bruggemann to show cause why the man
damus should not be granted.
The rule is returnable Saturday week,
at which time Mr.. BrugQemann will be
afforded an opportunity to show whether
his reasons for not signing the bonds are
good and sufficient in law
BRUGGEaiANN's STORY.
A New York newspaper printed this
morning what purported 70 be Director
at-Large Bruggeman's explanation Of his
refusal to sign the Park Bonds. 1t ap-
pears to be authentic. 1t is as follows:-
when returned from Europe in Sep
tember | called upon Mr.. William White
regarding loan had made for one of
my customers in Hoboken. Mr.. White
drew my attention to tract of land be
owned on West Side avenue, Jersey City.
known as 'Old Township of Bergen
now Jersey City. He showed me that 1t
was adjoining proposed park, and said
that he had had survey made Of the
said tract and had laid il out in
the city IL would leave him 100
lots. He told me it would be good
idea II would interest some one to buy
that property-some real estate dealer.
The lots average from 500 to 81 500 apiece,
and ought TO net $50 900 to the purchaser.
His price for any one taking the bulk Of
the property was SOS, 900. | told him |
was not familiar with the property In the
eighborhood, and that II knew Of any
body wanting TO purchase / would let
him know. He gave me few sketches
of the property as II was laid out IN lots.
had shown it TO several people in Jersey
City and Hoboken, saying that IL would
be a good investment. as it would be near
the park and within i've minutes walk OF
the Bergen station.
HIS TALKS WITH GENERAL HEPPENHEBER.
II had dropped the matter, not getting
anyone interested, until recently, when /
saw Mr.. Heppenheimer one day and he
told me that he thought Is would be
good piece of property and he thought the
Park Commissioners ought to take hold
of il. Mr.. Heppenheimer asked me the
price told him didn't exactly know,
but was of the opinion that Mr.. White
wanted $4,000 for it, at the same time
telling him that if the Park Commission
ers had use for the land, as they had it on
their maps as part of the park tled in the
engineers office, would ike them to
take it as Mr.. White was an old friend OF
nine MI. neppenheiuler tuSn sAlu:
'.Bruggie. I viii see Clifford, VINO
is chairman of that Park Com
mittee. and Mr. Thurston, and
see what they think of IT, In
a week or two afterwards met Mr.. Hep
penheimer and asked him II he bad seen
MIR. Clifford or Mr.; Thurston, and he said
he saw Mr.. Clifford, aud the latter said he
had written to Mr.. White asking him
who his authorized agent was. Then Mr..
Heppenheimer said:-'You had better get
a letter OF authority, aud don't think
there will be any trouble in closing this
matter l called upon ME White, and
Mr. White showed me letter which he
had received from Mr.. Clifford apropos OF
the authorized agent. Mr.. White then
asked me il | would act for him in the
matter, as he lived in Plainfield and had
no time to attend to it himself and being
in the real estate business the matter was
perfectly legitimate SO far as was con-
cerned. I asked Mr. White the price of
his property, and he told me he had once
received an cffer of s35 900. l told him
that the price was too high and didn't
think could sell il, and after a great deal
of persuasion l had Mr.. White agree 10
accept S24, 900 for the property. Mr.. White
gave me then letter Of authority, which
read as follows:-
A. n BIuggemdHn, Esq., HobokeIl, ". j.
DEAR SRI hereby authorize yon to sell my
property on West side avenue. Jersey City.
Contains 6 10000 acres. Yours truly,
81 again called upon Mr. Heppenheimer
and showed him my authority and told
him the lowest price the property could
be sold at would be 81, 600, which was
81 900 less than the original price Mr..
White had asked Mr.. Heppenheimer
told me that Mr.. Clifford was sick aoed
and the matter could not be acted upon.
| called upon MIR. White the next day
and he suggested that should call at Mr..
Gifford's Office and find out when Mr..
Clifford was expected back. To my sur
prise I found Mr.. Clifford in his Office.
The next day l met Mr.. Thurston and
Mr.. Heppenheimer on the train going 10
Trenton, and / told Mr.. HeppenheiTHer
that l had seen Mr.. Clifford at his office
and that | thought he was favorably im-
pressed with the property. but thought
that the Park Commissioners would only
take half
"Nr. Heppenheimer and Mr.. Thurston
agreed to have Mr.. Clifford at Mr.. Thur
stou's office on Saturday morning, two
days following, TO settle the bargain. In
the meantime / had seen Mr.. White and
told him what had bappenedi and at the
same time | told Mr.. White that was
very sorry, that / didn't think the con-
tract would be made with the Park Com
missioners. as had concluded not to sign
the bonds, as several prominent citizens
and a Freeholder called upon me and
begged me not to sign them. One of the
citizens told me he was willing 10 pay the
expense TO prove that the act was uncon-
stitutionaL He also stated that Jer-
sev City was in a very lair con-
dition to recover from increase of
salary, City Hall. roads. etc. The ad-
ditional burden of parks, new county
road. etc, would send her into bank
ruutcy. and make null and void the work
ing of the Martin act. / also told Mr..
White that Mr.. Dugan, County Collector.
convinced me at one time that the county
could not stand the heavy TX rate Of the
proposed improvement. as we We're going
100 fast Mr. White said he would like 10
sell his property. but would not Jeopar-
die me in my official capacity, as he had
ali confidence in me on account OF my
business experience, and SO had the COM
pany-
'sThe same afternoon l notified Mr..
Bovd. Clerk of the Board of Ereeholders.
personally that be need not be present
Saturday, as the bonds would not be
signed. l gave Mr.. Boyd no reason. As
a rule, MI Boyd never questions my nc
tions or decisions He simply said
ssWell, Director, Saturday Is u legal half
holiday aud the business could not be
transacted anyhow at the same time tell
ing me the County Collector had ordered
him 10 have the seals ready. ! told Mr..
Boyd II was time 10 have them ready
when the Director gave orders, as was
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