New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-13
THE PILLAGE OF A STATE.
FURTHER EXPOSURES DY THE VOORHEES,
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.

| THE OLD ARBITRATION BOARD-MOfSh NhbDhS
THAT COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED-"DENNY'
| MLAUGHLTN MADE TO DIsGoRGE STATE
MoNEYs-TRAvEL OF MILITIA PASSES.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUNEl
! Trenton, April 12-At 10 o'clock this morning
/ the Voorhees, Investigating Committee began
business. and, except for al hours adjournment
| for luncheon. the inqu!sitors were in continuous
session until ; o'clock. Reckless extravaganza
was shown to have been common under the old
| Democratic regime. while strong evidence WAS
advanced going to prove that public offices were
/ sold by former Democratic State Senators for
| stipulated price or for "divvy' Of the pro-
/ cceds Another book-one that would tell just how
| several thousands Of dollars were received from
! the State under circumstances regarded as sus-
! pcious-when produced proved to be va.ueiess
| to the committee. because over the state House
! account had been pasted newspaper pictures OF
! su, h statesmen as United States Senator James
Smith. jr. Ex-Governor Leon Albeit Colonel W.
| c. Heppenheimer and a host Of lesser lights ot
| the fallen Democracy Denny" Mclaughlin. the
lawbreaker. now under sentence, but once the
proud municipal boss at the north end OF the
Democratic machine. was made to walk up to the
| Treasurers office to-day and dsgOrg". He has
been short in his accounts with the State since
|
son It was shown, too. that the old Democratic
| ring had not only been robbinS the state, but
| the railroad companies OF the state as well, by
| its assessing politicians whose friends botn male
| and female cerried from Ncw-York city to
Philadelphia In the winter and to the seashorc in
the summer upon militia passes issued at the
States expense
HOW THE ARBlTRATORS MADE 1T PAY.
Chairman voorhees, and Senator'S Skirm and
| Ketcham were In their seats in the Senate Cham-
ber when the counsel. Mr.. Corbn opened the
days work by referring again to the old state
/ Board Of Arbitration. Of which j. L. Mcdonnell.
! Of Paterson. was president and L. D. Robertson
o: Frenchtown. by grace of ex-senator Martin.
| Of Huntcrion County. was the tail end. when
the members Of the board were in the witness
chair few days ago. President Mcdonnell said
tho visits made by the board 10 Trenton every
| Monday night during tho sess n of the Legis-
Iaturc were T. attend to business OF the state.
! These visits cost the state about $3.50 a nignt
under tho per diem system. by which the arbi-
traitors were compensated. To-day Mr.. Corbin
read a resolution adopted by the board declaring
that a supplement to the law creating their oi'lce
should be- rassed. and agreeing that the mem
bers should go t. Trenton Monday night and
l,boy The law through the Legislature. and tho
counsel showed that while lobbying IN the legis-
latiyc halls the arbitrators We're charging the
state $3.50 night for services lie also showed
that Admtant General S;yker had supplied the
board with a telegraph frank and that Hotwth-
standing this President Mcdonnell had rem
dcred bills FOR telegraphng. and that the long
distance telephone placed IN President McDon-
nclls home on the outskirts Of Paterson was paid
/ for by tho state.
/ MORE CHECKS THAT WE'RE NOT EX-
Planned
Er-Arbi,rator Robertson was called to the wit
moss chair. and after being asked II the Demo
c-a,,. ex-senator Of Hudson County. William II.
/ Martin. was a relative 4 his. and II h. hni ever
! had any business relations win Martin to which
h. replied IN the negative. Mr ROBBERS n was eX-
clu lcI from the senate Chamber. while ex-Scna-
tor Martin took the chair Mr.. Martin is prosi-
den, ~ the Frcnchtown National Bank and
served I'm the Scuat. Tor three years, up To Jan
nary ~ this yclr lie had secured the appoint
| mont II Robertson ou tho Board - Arbitration.
| ~. was asked II hc had eyer received any money
FOR securing ROBBERS ln'- appointment. or II he hal
received any checks from Robertson. The cN-Sena-
,ur replied that me- hal n't received either lie re-
fused 10 admit tAtt he had received any - Rpner-
SONS ch, ks although Mr. C'ton a.IseI nm
! that he m.gEt be- mistakes. Then Mr Corh.n
4 pr,ducri several of Rohcr~on's ch" Ks. lni'rsrl
hy Martin Instantly Martins memory became
.lluIDd and hr Iui .lt.l'r unthinE ''''''d 81
/ chcrta Robertson had received from the Sttt' Hat
/ fallen into Martins hands. bur the latter c'uld
not explain how. II was shown. too. that these
checks had not been cashed at Marun' uu""'
but thar a couple - weeks after their dates Mar
! tin hal taken them % merchants IN Ilrn'pn'
Philadelphia and other cities and had ta'mc She J.
eighteen checks passing through Martin i,indS'
! agsrcCating 5000. tn" only rNpllniu"h Il ,o,r-
son could give for the checks being cash"d by
Martin was that n frequently borrowed $40 and
| 500 of the Senator-bankcr.
STATE MONEY KEPT BACK BY COUNTY
CLERKS.
Dropping the old Arbitration Board. Mr.. Cor
| bin announced 10 the committee that he proposed
branching out for the time into an entirely new
| line and suhpocnled many Of the present clerks
/ of the various counties of the State ana many of
the x-clcrks Of the counties t. try and ma out
| why they did not settle their accounts with the
state lie said thousands Of dollars was due from
the county clerks. in some counties no settlement
having been made with the stat" Tor d3|eh
| wears The money was due the state from fees
| Dennis McIaughlin. cx-Clcrk OF Hudson county,
Mr. C0rbin said. nearly S6,OOV III arrears So.he
time ago. but recently paid about S9ooo ana To-
! day after receiving "A subpoena, had visited tne
Trcasurcr's office and paid $500 more oi the Sla,e
| money. which he had retained Wheh re'lt,iiS
| from the Office He Is not Yet square on the
books. Mr. Corbin said but the balance was "A
| small matter and Mclaughlin had PROMISED 70
send check for the amount soon )enhy es-
capped the witness chair by paying s''VVV -" az
| count.
A dozen or more county clerks were placed IN
| the chair. A shortage of several thousands OF
| dollars was shown ana Mr. Corbin significantly
remarked that he had their bonds before MN ana
| advised speedy settlement and close attention 10
the States share OF their fees hereafter IL WIS
| developed during the hearing OF the county cie.hS
that General Leon Albeit son 81 eX-'ioVeihor W
| lett, had also received a fee from the Sta'e iol
| writing to the dcnqucnts and ADVISING th'II oi
! the law during the incumbcncy OF ConlroHei Iicp-
| penhcimcr. hut what this. one "i ms ""hoi ouS
| state foes, amounted t.. was not Drought ou'
| There are large sums due the state from f.SNcA
County's present and former CLERKS anu "'a Iii ii
| Monmouth IIudson and other counties. as WelI
| as from dead men. Mr. CorDin adviser C"h'io,ict
| Hancock that he had the right 10 can upon ''c
! Attorney tencral 10 prosecute the d"hnquehtS or
| their bondgmen and to inform the county clerks