Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1893-09-21
the others i?

4uOotiOA dShou was
"Mr. Richman, is Billy Martin an
authorized agent of the License Com
missioners. to go among saloon men
and collect money for the Board, in
addition to the fees %
II doh'G think 1 understand you.n
said Mr.. Rjchman.n
The reporter repeated the question.
II believe" answered Mr.. R'chman
thoughtfully, II have nothing to say
about that"
Will you deny 1t ?''
:No."
"Will you firm 1t %
II will say nothing about It,"
"Well, Mr.. Richman, what does
President Kirby mean, when he goes
to the Hotel Cumberland, and de-
clares to the proprietor that his license
will cost him just $25O?"
u am not responsible for Mr.. Kir-
by's actions" answered the Commis.
sioner.
but supposing the $3.50 was paid,
would you know anything about it
then ?''
but" replied Mr.. R'chman, 'syou
are supposing something that did not
happen. We amt got that far yet.n
'Well, then, MIR. Richman, if it is a
fair question, has anybody ever been
made to pay up some money for a Ii
cense p
Il have nothing to say" was the
only answer.
Don't you think Mr.. Richman, that
your star chamber sessions are a bad
thing?'
mo SIR" said he, 81 do not. think
1t is good thing. We only follow
after the courts" Continuing, be said,
that>there were many things to be said
that man did not want every body
to know and was nobody's business.
Mr.. R'chman took from his pocket
book the article published in these
columns copied from the Voice. He
was frank to say he did not like it, es-
pecially that part of it which referred
to the fact that no decent, respectable
Democrat would have the appoint
ment. He thought the newspapers
should go a little slow about these
matters.
Then 1t will be remembered that
Dave Crawford had some trouble
with his application. The Board
turned him down. Dave visited law.
yer. He told tale. The next meet
ing he received license. Later he
wanted to sell rum as we'll as beer, and
this the board promptly granted.
Why? Had the Board anything to
fear from Mr.. Crawford? Perhaps.
A Bridgeton saloon keeper said 10
the presence of witnesses, that he
would never pay another cent of
blood money" and would have Ii.
cense, too, while the Board was in ex.
istance. He thought that after one
divy had been made, he would stop.
Then the case of George Zimmer-
man. of Millville, comes to mind. His
was laid over at one meet
ing. At the next meeting Mr.. Zlm-
norman came to Bridgeton, and that
day his license was granted. What
could Mr.. Zimmerman have done In
the meantime?
L. has always seemed strange that
those men could be found in Cumber.
land County, who would fly in the
face of public opinion aud reck-
lessly and fagrantlv grant licenses,
and particularly too, when the law is
Not a cent of salary is
paid. Nothing is allowed for expenses.
The clerk Is the only man who gets
He gets $5 per year from the
county, and $5 for every application
that is made.
But poor President Kirby He must
show sufficient patriotism to come all
the way from Massachusetts,, foot his
OWN bills, and is not allowed penny
oy law. Then there Is Mort Westcott.
He comes over from Millville. Some
attendant expenses that the law al
jows nothing for him. L. is really
strange how much a trus patriot will
10 for nothing in community like
6his.
But the trouble is, argue as you
may, you cannot make people herea-
bouts believe there is nothing in the
office. lt is variously estimated that
there is good to each member from
$3.50 to $500.
This recalls a little conversation
with the late Samuel W. Wells, Secre-
tary of the Board Oa the morning
OF the day Mr.. Wells died, a reporter
went up in the flee. The Justice
was in the room with Tommy Oamac,
the wholesale dealers in whiskies. Tn
going out of Camac caused remark
to be made about "hush money" for
the Excise Board. Mr.. Wells said that