The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-05-15


of the moneys purporting to be. due upon
such bills. This is said to have been done.
rot only by persons uneonneeted with
ployed to furnish supplies to the States
such as furniture, lumber, coal and the
Ike, but in one instance, at least, by q
State officer.
A PRONOUNCED CHEAT.
1t is hardly necessary for me to say to-
you. gentlemen, that the presentation Of
bills containing charges for supplies
lection of the moneys charged for such
supplies, except where it is done through.
the most pronounced character, and I,a rem
ders the person so doing liable to indict7s
ment. And if the presentation of such
all persons taking part therein may be-
indicted, as well as he who presented the
false bill and collected the money there's
Still another method of obtaining. mon
eys from the State Treasury in violation
of law is said to have been by the pre-
ing, which was advertised to be given to
the lowest bidder-by the payment OF
moneys to intended bidders, thereby I'M
of making an offer and enabling the per-
son to whom the contract was awarded
to charge for. such printing more than It
AS TO. PRINTING BIDS.
viting Of proposals for PUBLIC printing n
crease the competition among persons
disposed to contract, and thereby pro-
cure the performance of the. service up.
on fair, just and reasonable terms. Now
an arrangement which diminishes the
number of competitors, lessons the num-
Der of proposals, or induces any one or
more to abandon his intention of MAX
ing an offer to contract, is most evident
ly in direct contravention of the policy
of the law for it destroys eomPeitttl9n PPid p,
eyitably result from it. 1t operates to
defraud the State; for the premium paid
to prevent competition is always in
tractor 1t is indisputable that, if he can
afford to pay a rival $500 or 81 900 to stang
out of his way, he can-if not compelled
form the service for precisely that sum
less than the .recompense which he. re-
ceives from the State. To the contrae-
tor it is exactly the same whether he re-
duces the sum he demands of the public
$500 or $1,000, or whether he pays that sum
to an intended competitor. If ne can at az
ford to paythat sum to buy off competi- con Il
ton, it is conclusive. evidence that he
has charged the public that sum in ex-
cess of what the work done was reason
ably worth.
A combination to prevent bidding for
public work operates to defraud the peo,'
pie. It is an unlawful conspiracy. and
the parties who have entered into it are
guilty of an indictable offense.
PERJURY INDICATED.
I am informed gentlemen, that it was
fore the Senate Committee, that certain
of the witnesses who were summoned
and examined before that body, testi-
fled falsely, under OATH in relation to
certain of the matters concerning which
they were inquired of. If this be true
5v such fbf false sw W fhis bigb
demeanor, and the person or persons
who have been guilty of it should be
indicted for perjury.
which are now being investigated, and
which will hereafter be examined into
by the Senate Comrmittee; It It.. would be
charge you upon any subject the inves-
tigation of which has not yet been con-
cluded by that committee. It may be.
necessary on a future occasion for me
to ask your attendance at the bar of this
Court for the purpose of receiving i'm
structions with regard to the examine
make into those matters.
THE JURORS RESPONSIBILITY. !.
called your attention are cognizable by
the tribunals of this county; some of
them have been committed elsewhere 10
able where the act was done. Very
mitted in this. county, and the responsi-
you. How serious that responsibility is,
am sure, you cannot but feel. No
higher one has ever rested upon Grand
this State The safety of the govern
ment under which we live depends upon
an honest and upright administration of
the public business; if we have not that,
its very foundations are threatened; and
if the corruption be. not checked, it is
only a question of, time when that
S0NeiGE THE cRIMEs DEFINED.
In examining into these matters,
gentlemen you YOU, are the mere agents of Of
neither by friendship nor hatred nor by
any other motive which will interfere
with the full and fair discharge of your
sworn duty; and while you will see to it
that no one is presented without just
cause; you will on "a the dna other = hand,
duced before you persuades you of the
truth of the charges made, present the
accused for trial.
+ you @ Should aa find nd that s any s state t off, f.
fenses to which ! Jhaye called your at
feasance in office If his offense has
consisted in obtaining moneys from the
State Treasury on false accounts, you
may also indict him for obtaining, money
combined with Others to defraud the
State he may also be indicted Jointly
with those others for a criminal con-
spiracy.
has conspired with others to cheat or
defrand the State. N the manner which
/ have already indicated to you may be
indicted, together with those who were
associated with him, for conspiracy, and
any such person, who, has knowingly
which were not furnished, and has re-
ceived the money for the same, may
also be indicted for obtaining money
under false pretences.