The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1894-03-06
THE LEGIsLATuRE.

ed the following bills to a third reading
and lunatics House Ill, provides for the
payment by the State Treasurer of the
expenses incurred by managers of Agri-
cultural Experiment station in printing
bulletins issued from the station, amount
not to exceed $500; House 103, repeats
act relative to election of school trustees
in third-class cities; House ITO, appro-
PIRATES S.. 900 for current expenses of the
Bureau of Vital Statistics.
Senate l, making the Secretary of State
custodian of the laws was passed.
Adjourned until Monday night.
In the House, House SO, requiring all
dogs in townships to be registered and
wear suitably engraved collar was re-
committed.
MI. Olcott submitted report approx
ing the bond submitted by Treasurer-elect
Swain.
Mr.. Wilson, Democrat. put in minori-
ty report, which said that while the
bondsmen of Mr.. Swain were capable and
reliable, he had not been elected by le-
gally constituted Senate, and recommend
ing that the bond be not approved. The
motion to adopt the minority report was
lost, 10 to SO, and the majority report was
adopted.
The following bills were passed House
38, fixes term of attorneys to towns,
townships, communities and boroughs in
second-class counties at one year instead
of at three years.
Mr. Storrs submitted the following reso-
luton
Resolved, That the Committee on Con-
tested Elections of this House do, with
all convenient speed, proceed to investi-
gate the election contest of Jacob c. Lip
pincott against William J. Thompson,
take testimony thereon, and report there
upon to this Assembly and said commit
tee shall have and is hereby vested with
full power to send for persons and papers,
aud to compel the attendance of witnesses;
to employ counsel and a stenographic
clerk and also Sergeant-at-Arms TO said
committee; and, further, in case said
committee deems it wise and proper so to
do, it is hereby empowered to take pos
session, by its Sergeant-at-Arms or other
wise, of the ballot boxes and the contents
thereof used at the election held in the
Third district of Camden county on the
9TH day of November, A. ID. 1898, and to
hold said boxes and contents thereof I'M
til the determination of said contest or
the coming in of said committees report.
Further
Resolved, That the Speaker of this
House be and he hereby is authorized to
appoint two additional members of said
Committee on Elections, for the purpose
of said investigation.
Mr.. Harrigan, speaking to the resolu-
ton, denounced the proposed inyestlga-
ton as an extravagant scheme on the
part OF Republicans to make political cap
ital. The investigation, if held, would
cost the state thousands of dollars. Mr.
Harrigan ridiculed the idea that Mr..
Thompson was fraudulently elected, and
predicted that the committee, if it acted
fairly, would have an opportunity to get
at the bottom of the rascality practiced
by the Republicans.
Mr.. Beekman opposed the proposition
to employ counsel for the committee
The committee. be said, Is composed
principally of lawyers, and is competent
to conduct the investigation of the case
without the help of outside legal talent.
Mr.. Beekman also questioned the right of
the committee, by resolution of the
House. to take charge of the ballot boxes
in the districts where fraud has been
charged. The ballot reform law, he held,
would be violated in case the committee
opened the boxes.
Mr.. Storrs, replying to Mr.. Beekman.
quoted from the proceedings in the Stuhr-
Mcdonald Senatorial contest, and insist
ed that the committee had power to open
the boxes. eff were Mr.. Thompson"
Mr.. Storrs said, 81 would welcome the
proposed investigation. Charges of the
most serious sort have been fled against
him. and we want to give him an oppor-
tunity to appear before the committee
and defend himself. The committee will
not adopt any partisan tactics. and If the
evidence shows that Mr.. Thompson is en-
titled to his seat he will retain it."
Mr.. Thompson said that he asked for
the fullest investigation at the hands of
the House. He declared excitedly, that
he had been honestly elected, and as
serted that he never asked man in his
district to give him his suffrage. Mr..
Thompson said that while he courted the
investigation, he wanted the right to be
heard. both personally and by counsel
and witnesses. he claimed, too, that he
should be furnished with counsel at the
expense of the state. Mr.. Thompson
said he hoped the committee would get to
work Immediately and decide the con-
test as soon as possible. He said the in
vestigation was prompted by petty spite,
and wound up by declaring that he
wouldn't occupy his seat an hour if be
thought be hadn't been legally elected.
Mr.. Harrigan charged that the Demo
cratic member OF the Investigating Com
mIttee had not been informed as to the
decision of the majority to order an in
vestigation. Mr. OIvaney. the member
referred to, corroborated Mr.. Harrigan,
and he submitted another resolution pro-
vidinV that Mr.. Thompson be authorized
to employ counsel at the expense of the
state, and have the fullest chance to be
heard
Then followed a lively debate as to
whether the contestant and sitting mem
Der should employ counsel at the states
expense. Mr.. McEwan argued in the
negative. and Messrs. Beekman and
Thompson argued in the affirmative. The
latter said it was not fair to allow him to
occupy his seat for seven weeks and then
when an investigation is ordered compel
him to pay for lawyer to defend his
title.
Mr.. Beekman then submitted the fol-
lowing resolution
J Resolved That in said contest that both
the contestlng member and the seated