New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-06-28
THE NEW-JERSEY LOOTERS MAY BE SUED
PROBABILITY THAT THEY WILL BE MADE TO
DIsGORGE SOME IIL-GOTTEN WEALTH

PROBABILITY THAT THEY WILL BE MADE TO
DIsGoRGE SOME ILLGoTTEN WEALTH.
Trenton. June q (SpeciaD.-'rhere is a probability
OF Attorney General Stockton, through State Con-
troller Hancock, beginning next week several civil
suits against the many State officials and State
contractors who exposed before the Senate
Investigating Committee. The officials having the
matter in charge had a consultation to-day and. 1t
Is said. decided who shall and who shall not be
called upon TO disgorge All those shown by the
testimony before the Investigating Committee to
have Illegally retained State moneys and those
wrongfully collecting from the State together with
the State officials who Incorporated State funds
and their bonlsmcn. may be caught In the Con-
trollers net. although they have escaped that OF
the Grand Jury and Impeachment. The liability
OF the accused person will be pointed out. that
II he desires he may avoid n costly suit by return
ing to the state the amount wrongfuy taken from
It, There is said to be some question by the At
torney- General TO the propriety OF insttuting
proceedings against secretary OF State Kelsey TO
recover the Prerogative Court fees which have
been retained by him since the State fixed his sal
airy. ana which amount to many thousands
OF dollars Such suit. 1t is believed would In
voivc a judicial Interpretation OF the several stat
utes governing tho Secretarys office
Suits will be brought TO recover from the several
contracting printers who. upon the voucher OF
Colonel John T. Van Cleef. the former secretary
OF the state Board Of Railroad Assessors collected
from $500 to $3.50 annually from the state for
maps which It IL alleged. never furnished.
These printers VIII be made to return the money
SO collected. although they never proncd by the
transaction. except for the 10 per cent commission.
They simply collected the money for Van Clecf. anl
supposed he was supplying the maps for which h"
charged them: Van C!ccf not being a state official
under bonds and never having collected money from
the State personally. the State cannot recover from
him About twenty-five county clerks and ex-
county clerks throughout the State who are largely
indebted to the State for fees collected VIII be
made 10 cash up. The bondsman - barney }.
Ford the fugitive ex superintendent 4 the state
House who is the father OF United ltes Senator
J. smith IT, may be called upon to make good
some Of the money Ford misappropriated. The
bond which Mr.. Smith signed for 5000
In lust what position these civil suits VIII place
Colonel W C. Hcppenhemcr. who approved all the
bills upon which suit Is about be begun. the law de-
pertinent OF the State declines TO discuss II Is "s-
tim aied that the amount involved in the civil suits
Will exceed $4,000.
The state Board OF Education held an interesting
meeting to-day. 1t appointed William Conover. ex-
assistant postmaster OF Trenton. steward OF tho
STATE Normal school. Mr. Cono,er succeeds sam
ueI Dickinson who II IL said. was forced 10 resign
by reason Of the exposures before the VOORHEES,
Investigating Committee. Mr.. Dickinson IS we'll
known druggist Of Trenton. and among other things
SUPPLIED certain state officials and institutions
under the guise OF drugs with cloihcsbaskeis
Champaign etc Mr.. Dickinson Is a Democrat.
and lir Conover IS Republican. The position -
worth 81 100 per aunum Ex-Congressinan J. Hart
Brewer was a candidate for the place.