The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-03-28
WHO GOT THE CASH /?
State House Furniture Sold
Annually But No Records
Can Be Found.
NO AUTHORITY FOR THE SALES
Doings Of the Voorhees, Committee
Today = Secretaries
Expenses.
NO AUTHORITY FOR THE SALES
Specfa1 to the Jerseu citu Ne,rs.

TRENTON, March g. 1Ss5.-The voor-
hees Investigating Committee was late
in getting to work this morning. At
the opening of the session Mr.. Corblnt
called attention to the various sales of
old furniture, and other material which
Ford from time to time sold.
He, Mr.. Corbin, said that no detailed
statement could be found of them, and
the only record of the sales was three
entries in the State Treasurer's books
of checks received from B. ]. Ford for
proceeds of sales of old carpets and fur
niture, engines, etc, October 26 81.
2,06S.24; October 81, '92, $1O,051.25; Octo-
Der %. s2 $7OS.s5.''
There was a public sale of the furni-
ture in the Supreme Court Chambers
December q, '9S, of which no record
could be found.
John Connell, an assistant about the
Capitol, testified that he kept account
of what was sold. The sale brought
sh4.05. Ford got the money. Connell
kept the record of the sale until the
first part of the year when Ford asked
him for it and he gave it to him.
John Colwell, who was auctioneer at
the sale, testified that he got the job
through Major Hurley and was paid by
Ford
Mr. Corbin then said that from 1890 to
1894 substantially everything in all parts
of the State House, from the library
in the roof to the cellar. was sold, even
the safe. 1t cost to replace this prop
erty thus sold about s125o0O, and yet the
only records of the sales were those rs-
ferred to above.
Mr. Voorhees, asked if Ford had any
mn -oII
Corbin said he could not ind any
Edward Fox, Chief Clerk in the Gov
ernor's office. was recalled and testified
Governors office and Stenographer's, all
paid for by the State.
BILLS FOR POSTAGE AND EX-
PENSEs
Mr. Corbin then read a statement COM
pairing the expense of the Governors
Office during the administration of Gov
ernors Green. Albeit and Werts. In
Governor Green's term Robert Green,
Jr., Private Secretary, there was paid
for postage in s7. s2s5; in 'SS. 4c5; q
$S15. There was no charge for inciden-
tai expenses.
In Governor Abbett's term, Leon ABB
bett, Jr., Private Secretary, the state
ment was:-In so postage, $692; inciden-
tails. s5l5; '91, postage, $3.50; incidentais,
s1,0o9; '92, postage, $780,; incidentals, ST.
eS7.
In Governor Werts' term John 8. Nc
Master. Private Secretary:-'9 postage,
$3.50; incidentals. s1S5; 94 postage, s40i;
incidentals, $50; all of Mr.. McMaster's
bills are carefully itemized.
SECRETARY ABBET1vS EXPENSES.
( These sums were paid Secretary Abb
bett Jr, while he was in office:-'91, sad
ary and ineidentals as Private Secretary.
s., 729; second year, besides salary of ST.
Geo, incidentals s1,009; counsel in new AS
sembly building matter, $50; counsel to
Dairy Commission, 1,515; third year, in
cidentals, $2,6S7; Assembly Chamber mat
ter. sT5; work for Sinking Fund Com
mission, $23S; work for Dairy Commits
sion, S1,205.
Mr.. Corbin then read, showing that
from 1889 to 1894, IS, 100 was spent for fiow-
ers and seeds for the State House
grounds.
Hugh Killard of Newark, who painted
almost the entire interior of the old Cap
itol at a cost of SIS, 1920, and the Senate
Chamber, S2,916, was the ,next witness. Ee
produced his books, checks and papers
and said that he was engaged by Ford
to do the painting. He first made an
estimate and took the contract, but his
men were continually taken away from
the work and given jobs in other parts
of the building, and his contract was
changed to days work. Most of the
bills to the State were made out by
man named Martin, who was his part-
Qer at the TINA