Evening journal., 1892-03-21
WHOLESALE eRlseRY CHARGED.
An Alleged Corruption Fund OF s3, 600,
OO0 In the Jersey Legislature.


OO0 In the Jersey Legislature.
New YoRK March q. The Herald reiter-
ates charge made by it that n corruption
fund Of at least s., 100000 was raised by in
tereeted capitalists and stock jobbers 10
buno0 the passage of the bin legahzing the
gigantic coal combination Of the Reading
railroad with the jersey Central, Lehigh
Valley and Lackawanna Proof Of Il is fur
nisbed on the word Of State Senator Maurice
Alexander Rogers, OF Camden county, and
bis word will be accepted unquestiOningly
from one end Of the state TO the other.
Sitting in his home, 229 Mount Vernon
street, Camden, he declared that as hte as
1880 o'clock ON the morning OF the final
passage Of the bill, when an eleventh vote
was needed to make a majority Of the sen
ate, he was approached by people whom be
knows well, and who, in behalf Of the syndi-
cnte OF bribers, offered him $4,000 90 vote
for the bill He Indignantly repelled the
man.
The Herald says: The lobby employed by
the stock jobbing syndicate found the bill a
hard load 10 carry on account Of its obiec-
tionable features, and the natural fears OF
Legislators Of appearing as the champions Of
a coal trust
The opposition had the bill beaten that
morning -Four or five men We're in Tren-
ton with the money and the situation was
desperate because the work had 70 be done
that day or not at ALL Pennsylvania had
nine votes, Reading had ten or one short Of
a majority. Senator Browns sickness and
Senator Werts' resignation left but nineteen
senators on the roll
At the last minute, or nearly u o'clock,
eX-Congressnan Paddock, who was sup
posed 10 control four senators-Cornish, of
Warren; Martin, Of Hunterdon; McNicile,
Of Sussex, and Reyes, Of Somerset-turned
in for the bill.
8 Five South Jersey senators had also been
pledged, and with the six old ''standbysH
who could be relied upon would give four
teen votes, and the senate was called TO or
der Keyes, however, did not vote, and the
ball got thirteen votes, OF two more than q
majority.
Senator Rogers was offered the bribe oi
$1,000 during the time Pidcock was beine
dragooned into line.
Senator Rogers says the agent Of the lobby
approached him second time when It wa
felt another vote was needed.
"What amount did he say they authorized
him TO offer on the second attempti Was II
more than S25,OO0fn
''Yes, much more. You see, / was 10 have
made up the necessary majority, 70 the
/ agent told me. / win only say that II was
sum 10 large that II put at per cent. inter
est i need not have worked any more.F
''Do you not think it your duty to expos
the man who made the offeri Proceeding
against him would be sure TO uncover th,
whole plot
''Tbe people may blame me for withhold
ing his name, but would be causing create
pain to my feelings If l told it than am
public praise could assuage. sat there il
the senate and saw the bill pass, knowing
that many Of the votes were bought ha,
suspected bribery before but now knew
it. was almost stunned, and did not know
what TO do. The bill came up and Senate
Gardner IN a speech showed clearly that !
was a most outrageous piece Of legislation
forcing on the people monopoly ofa neces
sary Of life and providing for the arbitrar,
confiscation of the stock of shareholder
who objected. Not a word was said on tn
other side. They simply voted it througl
and that was an end Of it.n