The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-09-24
NO CONSPIRACY.
Looks AS If Kuser and the
Men Indicted With Him
Would Be Cleared.
FACTS pLAUsIBLY EXPLAINED
A Trial in Court Very Different
from a Political Inquisition
1t Seems.

tt w tItC Ssp
TRENTON, Sept. "a. 1s95.-The trial o.
John L. Kuser and others. printers. in
dieted for conspiracy to defraua the
State, was resu.ned yesterday. and Brig
General William C. Heppenheimer o.
Jersey City was called to the stand. VINO
as State Comptroller. advertised for pro
posals to do the German printing OF
November s. A number OF bids were
received. Robinson was notified that ne
was the lowest bidder. Witness received
a letter from him begging off. and then
conferred with the Governor. was al
vised to have a talk with Robinson; olo
so; asked Robinson why he couldn't 90
the work, who replied that he had MADE
a mistake; he could print the Factofles
and Workshop report. but could not the
report of the State Board of Education.
Robinson said he had but one compost
tor; witness told him he was trihing
with the State; Robinson wanted to
get out of the contract; witness told
him he would confer with the Governor,
and if he did not hear from him he
could consider the matter dropped; wit
ness found he could do no better, and
the contract was awarded the "Freie
Zeitung'; witness read the correspon-
dence between himself and Robinson
liz lQC1AllilC0 LAX "a VITA eN
..Freie Zeitung," bearing date January 9.
C-ross-examined by Mr.. Lindabury, he
said Robinson couldn't sublet his con-
tract; he said he didn't want to be per-
secuted, but would do the work if it
was necessary; witness thought Robin
son had acted honorably, but foolishly.
On redirect examination the ex-Comp-
troller said Robinson twice before had
printed the Factory and Workshop. re-
port at ~forty-five cents and forty cents
respectively. Witness had never heard
of his having lost none on them.
On re-cross-examination by Mr.
Buchanan, he said this report was
awarded in 1890, and the bids then Were
eighty. eighty-five and eighty-one
cents.
ROBINSON'S CLAIM.
Benedict Prieth, the present manager
of the Newark "Freie Zeitung.' who sue
ceeds kuser in that capacity, testified that
Robinson came to Newark and claimed
500 due on the contract with Kuser. He
was finally paid by check, dated October
signed by kuser, which Robinson said
he had better throw away. There Were
showing payments. November so pay
job. S4l5.' Mr.. Kuser had explained in
the latter part of March that this money
had been paid to Robinson, krauetler and
Heinz, but he had. not explained what
the sums We're paid for further than to
say that they We're for services.
He then read the agreements between
given to the witness when the 500 pay
menr was made. The first agreement was
10 pay Robinson $500 as soon as Kuser
wa awarded the contract for printing
the report OF the State Board of Educa-
tfon, and if It was in two parts, as it
was the year before, he was TO pay Rob
jnS0n S3N 900itiOnal The other 9qrpe--
ment was to give TO Robinson the work
Of printing the report of the Factory and
STATE RESTS.
All the States were then adj
mitted as evidence, and the State rested.
part of the defense to put no witness on
the stand. Mr.. Lindabury asked the
Court to direct the jury to give a verdict
of not guilty. He said it seemed to him
that there was nothing that the defend
ants We're IN law called upon 20 answer.
own witness, General Heppenheimer, had
testified that seventy-six cents was a fair
price.
Mr.. Holt answered that the State had
proven that Robinson had to put in a bid
vious years. On the 18th of December an
influence was brought to bear on Robin
sons mind he had never felt before.
Here was $500 offered if he would find a
change of heart, and he wrote the fol
owing day that he would be embarrassed
if he were compelled to perform his con-
tract.
Mr.. Lindabury said it was time for adj
journment, and said he thought he could
there was nothing to put the defendant
on his defense. He will argue to that
effect this morsing.
The trial was resumed today before
Judge Conoyer. Counsellor Lindabury
supplemented with a strong argument
that made by Counsellor Kalison yester-
day asking the Court to direct the jury
to acquit the defendants. He commended
that if there was a. conspiracy between
I(rr-~ NJ ~ +1o o+a+a Io1 f..1-
utterly to prove it; What it did prove
Is not charged in the indictment and NJ
conviction could be asked for on a
inquired of counsel what the $500 were
paid for by Kuser to Robinson. The
latter replied that the evidence did not
show. But from such facts as had been
adduced it would not be even fair in
ference that fraud had been committed.
Judge Conoyer decided that the case
Charles S. Robinson. one of the.defend-
ants, was then put upon the stand. He
is q. job printer at Princeton and pub
Usher of the princeton Press" He de-
scribed the dilemma he found himself
in when he was awarded contracts which
he could not perform. and explained the
SIC incident by stating that he begged
consideration at Kuser's hands, who
bad gone to much trouble to get it and
1hen had to give it up. Kuser agreed
40 give him a small commission, and
put his agreement into writing at the
request Of witness. The latter printed
one of the volumes. a small one, which
he had facilities to print. 4kuser allow
ing him generously ito do itsfor the rea-
son that he lKuserl. cared nothing about
the small volume. Kuser turned over to
Robinson the money paid by the State
for the printing of that volume. The
witness told his story ir detail, and in
such o straightforward, honest way that
it created q very favorable impression
in his behalf.
Under cross-examination the witness
said that the $500 was a pure gratuity to
him from Kuser.
Kuser's permission to him to print the
small volume alluded to. was also gratu-
itous. Kuser evidently sy~npathised with
him in his trouble. In reply to Judge Con-
ever. the witness said he made $3.50 or
$500 out of the small volume.
Prof John T. Duffield of Princeton.
Leroy H. Anderson. Secretary and Treas
7lrer of the United Railroads of New
Jersey, and james L. Briner. Mayor of
Princeton, testified to Robfnson's good
character.
Robert Anderson. President of the Ger
man Typographical Union testified re-
garding union rates for printing and
said the price of German composition in
Newark was ~fifty-ive cents. Captain e.
c.. Stahl also testified regarding German
printing.
OLD GUARDS TO HAVE A PICNIC
The Old Guards met at the Avenue
House last evening and made definite ar
rpngements for the Guards' eleventh am