The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-02-16
ROGERS GHOST STORY.
The Republican Senator Says
There was a Plot on Foot
to Murder Him,

TRENTON, Feb. 16, 1So4.-It was an ele-
| CANT night last night for wild and romantic
stories, and Senator Rogers furnished one
which for more real, blood curdllng horror
surpasses anything since the days of Baron
Munchausen, and the funniest part of the
whole story is that Rogers believes it him
self. After the Senate adjourned, the Sena-
tors, correspondents and some citizens were
talking over the situation.
"What you Senators should have done, /"
said one of the correspondents, twas to have
gone into the Senate Chamber on January
9, yanked Bob Adrain out Of the Presidents
chair and taken possession"
swell. in the light of subsequent events, "
said Senator Stokes. "what You say holds
good, but in the language 'of Bill Cole of
Camden the subsequent events had not
evented at that time.n
While this conversation was going on
President Rogers was sitting astride Senator
Ketcham's desk, listening intently, but say
ing never a word.
Suddenly his right which had been
moving with pendulum-like regularity,
ceased its vibrations, and the Senator
Strengthened Up.
PLOT TO KILL ROGERS.
Gentlemen, " and his voice was hard and
sharp; gentlemen, it's all very well to
talk, but let me tell you that murder would
lave bsen committed that day had We ever
attempted to do as you suggest. | know OF a
conspiracy to kill. A plot had been laid to
put me out of the way. These are hard
was on foot to kill me, and, if necessary, l
can name the conspirators. I have wit
nesses who, when called upon, can and will
tell all about the plot.
ga gang of thugs was brought to the
State House and stationed at various points.
made any demonstration, such as forcing
the doors of the Senate Chamber even, a
general row was to have been started n
shots were to ave been fired. / was to
lave been made the particular target of the
assassins, n no one would ever know who
shot me. Men who would not think murder
a very great crime were practically III am
bush to encompass my death. 1t may seem
hard and Incredible, yet l can, if neces-
sary, prove what l say"
By this time the listeners were gazing in
open mouth amazement at the speaker.
Senator Skirm. who was seated just in
front of President Rogers, turned toward the
latter and asked
Maurice, why is it they are SO much down
on you? Is it because you are a fghterW
President Rogers did not reply to this
directly. Continuing, but not connecting
his serious allegations with his earlier state
ments. he said:-
"a prominent Camden democrat brought
a gang to Trenton for my especial benefit"
NO PROOF OF CONTEMPLATED MURDER.
There is no doubt that Senator Rogers
believes the story but those who were outside
the Senate Chamber when the Republican
senators marched up to the doors, have their
doubts. The corridor leading to the Senate
Chamber is long and narrow and on the day
Of the organization was kept clear by the
police. If any of the murder which Senator
Rogers talks about was going to be done, it
would have to be done there as at that spot
before the doors. was where any hostile de-
monstration would have been made by
the Rogers Association. When Senator
Rogers, with Senator Bradley on
his arm, followed the brass
band from Camden which played
such melancholy airs up to the SEN
ate Chamber doors, some of the mob got
past the police line But there was no place
in the corridor where any one could have
shot Senator Rogers or any one else without
being seen and immediately arrested by one
of the policemen who were crowded about
the door. The galleries in the Chamber
were closed, and no one was in them; while
on the foor there were no one but the Sena-
tors, the officers of the Democratic Senate,
and the newspaper correspondents. These
facts somewhat discount Mr.. Rogers story.