The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-10-31
QUEER INDICTMENTS.
Madden, Cook and Yoe Ar
raigned For That
Asphalt Job.
REUBEN SIMPSON, TOO.
All Sorts Of Funny Rumors aud
Surmises-rolitical Protec-
tlon Invoked.

| During number of meetings recentl y
held by the Gradd Jury every one about
the Court House excepting the persons
| connected with the District Attorneys
| office seemed TO have Information that
| the so called asphalt swindle by the
Street and Water Board was being In,
| vestiga'ed. Inquiry at the Prosecutors
office from day to day ouly developed the
stsreotyped answer that. ''at proper
| time all things are reached"
Yesterday Mayor Wanser and Corpora
| tion Attorney Weart were witnesses be-
fore the Grand Jury, and lmm ediat ely 1t
was rumored that the subject bsing con-
sidered was asphalt, aud that the Mayor
ard Corporation Attorney were called
ON to testify concerning the contract
entered into by the Street and Water
Board with the Barker and Trinidad
companies.
Soon after the Grand Jury adjourned
tor the day rumor gained much cred-
ence that three or the Street and Water
Commissioners had been indicted, and
that q true bill had also been found
against Reuben Simpson. who was Act
Ing Mayor at the time the scandal was
unearthed and who allowed the resolu-
Board TO become operative through not
vetoinR it.
VERY STRONG TODAY.
This rumor became stronger this morn
Ing, and the eIlDloves in the Prosecu-
tors Office neither affirm nor deny it. One
Court House official said he believed the
rumor to be true, but he thought the
Indictment would be rescinded
Another high official said he was certain
that IL any indictment was found it
would not be rescinded for the Street and
Water Board was not favorite of either
the Democratic or Republican party and
neither wanted to be sponsor for the
Board.
Unusual secrecy is maintained IN con-
nection with the rumors by persons sup
posed to know, but no person l asked
about the alleged indictment would say
that it hRd not been found, excepting
one man who is in position TO know
and he said that an Indictment would be
found, but 1T was not yet completed. The
Grand Jury will meet again this after-
noon and may take further action.
ONLY THREE INDICTED.
The report down town was that iudict-
ments had been found against President
John F. Madden of the Board of Street
aud Water Commissioners, William B.
Cook aud Stephen P. Yoe, aud Alderman
at Large Reuben Simpson. It was at
first disbelieved, and even now few
wise heads say that no credence can be
placed in the report.
AT noon aft irs took a different turn
and 1t was said HAT fFeRa he sfassss Rasr-
thentic sources came Information Of the
reporr.
Alderman Large Reuben Simpsou
was at Mayor Wapser's office unusually
early. and he was in consultation with
the Chief Executive of the city for more
than an hour.
THE ASPHALT INCIDENT.
The story of this asphait incident has
been fully told in The NEWS. Messrs.
Madden, Yce and Cook by a majority
vote OF the board gave to the Barber Ass
phal5 Company about $4,000 worth of
work, Notwithstanding the fact that the
Trinidad Asphalt Company had SUBJ
mltted much lower bid for
WHY Messrs. Dugan and So ners escaped
Indictment is that they protested against
this award aud declared at the time that
to pursue such course, was to lay the
board liable to indictment.
Messrs. Madden. Cook aud Yoe de-
clared that they made the award to the
Barbour Company because they believed
that company did better aud more salts
factory work.
Alderman -at-Large Reuben Simpson,
then acting Mayor of the city, virtually
sanctioned the course Of Jha three in
dicted members.
Allan l.. McDermott. acting In the rols
of an outraged citizen, certio:arisd the
proceedings on tho ground that the Com
lnissionerS were not abiding by the
law In not awarding all the
work to the Trinidad Asphalt
company, 1t being the lowest bidder.
Testimony was taken in tho case few
days ago, when Alderman-at-IargeS Stmp.
son testified TO his actions in relation to
the work, before Commissioner Isaac
Romaine.
MR. SIMPSON DOUBTS 1T.
"Have you heard 5haG You were in
dicted?" r.sked Mr.. Simpson this morn-
ing.
/ have was the reply, 'but I doubt If
there is anything ln it. My course In
that transaction Is open tor Investigation
and the sooner it is begun the better
satisfied l will be, l knowmY duty aud
| never WANDER from it,"
Mr., Simpson declined to discuss the
matter further.
MAYOR WANSER RETICENT.
Mayor Wanser is not inclined to discuss
the matter.
81 was before the Grand Jury ysster-
day." said he, this morning. "For my
part l cannot say wnat matter was under
Investigation. l simply testified that [
was Mayor of Jersey City and that was
absent when this asphalt business came
up and also when syenite was proposed.
Further tnan this the Mayor declinep
to say anything.
City Attorney Weart who. it is al
legged, acted as adviser to Mr.. Simpson in
both transactions, de ;lined to discuss the
matter.
MADDEN AND COOK SCARED,
President Madden aud Commissioners
Cook spent the morning looking for
County Clerk McLsughlln, with
the hope Of enlisting him
In their defense County Clerk McLaugh-
lin Is \ hard man to find and when found
he is a man OF few words, but tuey mean
a great deal.
Mr.. Mclaughlin declines to discuss
the indictments, but a friend of his
said:-"When Mr.. McLiughlin heard of
the rumored indictments he began a \
thorough fuvestig ltipn OF the case
and he has found that not only are the
members Of ths Street and w tier Bosrd
In The right, but that they were acting
under the advice of counsel"
One of the many stories IN circulation
concerning the lndictments Is that the
Trinidad Company u anxious TO get rid
of even the small share OF the
work awarded it. The company. it IL
said, made au error 10 bidding aud sub
naitted figures which would entail con-
siderable loss