The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-09-01
A BAY0NNE SCANDAL.
Prominent Men Quarrel Over an
Alleged Insult TO a Young
Lady.

There is a very pretty quarrel in pro-
gress between Councilman R. A. Bridge
man, of Bayonne, on the one hand and
ex-Councilman James Murphy land his
son, j. Herbert Murphy, a prominent
member of the Bayonne Athletic and
Rowing Association and the Newark Bay
Boat Club, on the other.
Young Mr.. Murphy asserts that when
he was out walking with a young lady on
the evening of the 21st he met Mr.. Bridge
man. Shortly after, he says. the young
lady told him Bridgemsu had caught
hold of her hand in a familiar manner as
they passed. Next day young Mr.. Muir
ply wrote the following letter to Mr..
BrIdgeman:-
Sir-I wish to know from you, as a Council
man. if, in your opinion, it is safe for a lady TO
walk the streets of Bayonne after dark, when
such specimens of humanity as yourself are al
lowed at large. Last evening you insulted the
lady with whom l was walking by daring to lay
hands on her. Ibid not know it at the time or |
should not have allowed 1t to pass unnoticed. l
think: as a representative of the people, you
had better try and learn some manners and con-
duct yourself as a gentleman instead of insulting
ladies'.
The evening he received this. Bridge
Murphy at his house. No. so East Thirty
third street. Bayonne. He says young
Murphy apologized to him verbally. and
prom sed to send him q written apology.
A day or two later he received u letter
from Murphy. senior, of which the sig
niicant portions read as follows
The lady with whom my son was walking at
the time you passed them. (my son recognizing
YOU'D informed him soon after, but not at the
instant, that you had caught her by the hand
intentionally as you passed. Not desiring to
add to the unpleasantne,s by creating a scene
on the public street while in the company of a
lady, particularly as he had recognized you, he
wrote youa letter Ga copy of which l have seem
expressing himself strongly on your conduct. ]
understand that you deny perpetrating this
insult, that your object in calling at my resi-
dence last evening, was to demand a retraction
of the said letter and an apology for sending it.
Eg1t seems to me simply a question of veracity
between the lady in question and yourself. l
submit it would be rather ungallant to brand
Ifail to see how, under the circumstances, you
can expect my son to comply with your de-
mands, consequently | have forbid him again
communicating on the subject. An apology
should emenate from you, as | believe the ledy
to be worthy of credence. / have no right to
assume otherwise. If this statement be not sat
~isfactory to you, it is the only one can present,
you Will receive no other, and If you desire to
make the matter a personal one, you may do so,
on my assurance that !, as far as my son is con-
cerned, make the dispute my own.
In a statement for publication regard
ing the affair. Mr.. Bridgeman comments
on the ABOVE letter tauS:-"NoW l Go not
know why the author of this latter screed
forbids bis son To break his work ofhonor
in reference to sending me the letter he
promised, but this / do know. Unless the
son is mentally unbalanced and is in
capable to act for himself, l think any
young man, who is permitted to be out
after dark, and who has attained his
majority should be allowed to heal the
breach he has made. and act for himself.
| have never in all my life, by word, or
thought, or action taken such an unwar-
rapted liberty with any lady, young or
old. / have had the honor in the past of
being associated with many ladies' COM
mlttees. and on more thar one occasion
with this young mans mother as presi-
dent. and 10 them and to her l appeal for
an endorsement of the fact thai my con-
duct has been always that Of a gentle
man."