Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1893-09-21
man who boldly announced that 1t
was blackmail, pure and simple.


was blackmail, pure and simple.
Later Mr.. Harden gave the whole
snap away. He said that the first
year of the existence of the License
Commission. Billy Martin, the saloon
keeper, called upon him and told him
what it would cost him to get license
In addition to the license fee. But
Billy failed in his mission, yet Mr..
Hardon received his license without
paying out blood money.
Last year the same missionary
work was attempted, says Mr.. Har-
don, but this failed, and then, he de-
clares, Kirby, the Massachusetts Presi-
dent, came to the hotel and told him
that his license would cost him above
the regular fee, 'just $3.50" Mr.. Har.
don replied, "you ere talking through
your hat, Mr.. Kirby. You don't un-
derstand your man." Notwithstand.
ing this blackmailing scheme the
august Commissioners again granted
the license. Probably they knew 1t
would have been best. Had they not
done 80, President Kirby would have
been arrested, charged with black
mail.
This year the things went along diff
ferently. The foxy President did not
come around, but Billy Martin seemed
to have an unusual amount of busi-
ness about the hotel. He was not
there for board, for he has a nice
home on Laurel street. 1t wasn't
drink he was after, for he has plenty
of 1t at his own rum hole. But he was
at the Hotel Cumberland just the same
about noon yesterday. When he was
not at the Cumberland. he was over
with Mr.. Richmond, member of the
Board.
Singular coincidence, wasn't il?
Well, Billy talked to Mr.. Rardon
about the big travelling expenses of
the members of the Board, and the
necessity of somebody paying them.
He talked about the money that must
be raised for the Liquor Association.
etc., and hinted about that somebody
or number of somebody's had to make
this up, but Mr.. Harden was i'm
pregnable. He understood fully what
it meant, but he had battled against
Billy before, and had also given the
Massachusetts, member knock put. and
he did not propose to knuckle this
time. Be wanted license, and was will
ing to pay the usual fee, but that was
all. He absolutely refused to be black
mailed.
Friday morning Mr.. Hardon clinched
his statements of Thursday. He said.
After mature re fiection I have con-
cluded to tell the public why this H.
cense was not granted. You may
state authoritiyely from Inc that we
did not get our license because we are
Americans, and Republicans, and re-
fuse to bribe. We were charged $3.50
extra to secure our license, and we re-
fuse to pay It,"
Mr.. Hardon further said, that after
the session OF the Board, he waited
upon Mr.. Richman and asked him if
he had right to know why his Ii
cense was refused.
Mr.. Richman replied, "You did not
get votes enough"
Were there any charges made
against the hotei?" asked Mr.. Hardon.
None whatever" replied the Com
missioner, ''you did not get votes
enough"
A reporter visited the office of Mr..
Richman during the afternoon. Pres
1dent Kirby was there. The reporter
asked If he could learn what the rea-
sons were for the laying over of the
license. Mr.. Kirby promptly said
there was no secret about 1t, The
President said that he had opposed
the licensing of the Hotel Cumberland
from the first. He understood that it
was built by temperance men, and he
did not think that license should he
urged upon the temperance stock
holders. All no! Not the Massachu.
setts President. But he did not saw a
word about the $3.50 demanded, as re-
ported by Mr.. Hardon.
The reporter suggested that there
were very pfiattering rumors sfioat
concerning the action of the Board.
The suave gentleman Immediately ex-
pressed himself as not caring an iosa
about that. He referred to his treat
ment by the press of this city, and de.
elared that the PIONEER had been
very abusive, insulting and offensive
to him, never missing an opportunity
to go out of its way in rejecting upon
him. 1t had been charged again,
he said, that he was afraid TO give
licenses in Vineland. He said he was
opposed to licensing Vineland because
the town wss incorporated as a TEN.
perance town, and he did not wish to
force the saloon uDon tho y,Iaoo