New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-25

vansnso WI" cher lo wa for 81 500 another for 81 400
on occasion the bills summed up 'i''-''' ""' '"'
Emrene Murphy. Mnliinss former clerk. testified
that Mullins once tod him to roUi up TIC
House bills and that he then r ,,i
Barney is clamoring for his diVVy'
HOW SOME ESCAPED INDICTMENT
For the seven years ending in 1891 fuel for the
State House had cost on an average sl,seo year.
Ford then turned the coal job over to MAJOR Nicae
Hurley In 1892 the bills ran up to S.es4 % Inc
next year they mad increased to Si2 TO- ana IN 1911
the grand total was 5000 90 Hurleys clerk testi-
fed that the load slips showing the weight oi ea.h
CorbIn cot at the books however; and showed tnat
Of the bills had been raised "ra per P Straight
and that he had never Pa o limitations operated 10
rSe state paid Hugh Knnard. Newark painter
$1,000 for work aone on the o sls'f have Been we'll
paid at half the sum. When payments WEI a ruus
a. chsf Rpa aqr a. and the words Deduction State
House job entered his books knnard tes.cned d
not vouch for his missing wicked parrtner who hsS ds
appeared shortly before the ba matter prompted
Mayor Lebkicher OF Newark to demand ms ns res
ignaton Fire Commissioner; hratu vas FOUND
in 1894 the Legislature ordered flagstaff 10 be
On the advice of Ford. gave out the JOB at slSoo:
sbared in this petty swndle The work cost sob
and This after exorbtant prices had been PAID Tor
the ore that his profit was s5 for putting up
the staff The parties to TINS prec:ous tbe mater
came into the Mercer Court and the JUDGE re-
marked after hea5ns the dsde maj hs 'S
what precpltated the Senate investigation.
MONEY ON FALSE BILLS.
For wears the State Treasurer annually oelore
the Legislature met used to buy supply oi
soap. brushes brooms and knck-knacKs lot the
use of members and for keeping the legislative
halls clean. The cost was about 500 per year.
After 1889 Ford. having superseded the state
Treasurer in control of the State House ,sLppheea
the and o s5ushe sa In 1850 81 ea and in 1891
sl.sle Inquiry showed that Alexander l. Reilly ny
had furnished the goods signed an 1 pay to me
Ss 4ae agent assn living in newark nephew
OF Ford. He acknowledged before the Committee tee
as he but ha Sad made ont the b Ford
quest drawn the money S and Pad rn 1t to a GGfq
f from Wholesale houses in NeyYork and made
out false bills to the State n Reys name Werd ra ans
pears have bought four dozen ostrich r teather
clusters for @ and Se doadn whsk brooms cost
ST. billed to the state at four DOZEN, az $50; tWo
State at SO. etc.
SOME CAUGHT. BUT ESCAPED.
After these facts had been brought out before
Senator Voorhees, committee the Mercer County
Grand Jury took the matter up. and on June ~.
1885, indictments were found against FORD ana
against the following other persons In connection
with various jobs: Colonel John T. Van Cleef ex-
Secretary OF the State Board OF Assessors; Jonn
Mullins Newark and Jersey City furniture
dealer John J. Kuser. of Trenton. ex-manager
of the "New-Jersey Freie Zeung. Newark;
Mrs. Preth. OF the "Freie Zeltung'; Emil
Kraeutler business manager OF the "Deutchc
Zeitung" of Newark; Otto Heinz. Newark job
printer. and Charles S. Robinson. publisher OF
"The Princeton Press"
All faced the music except Ford ard succeeded
In getting off free in spite OF the facts.
Ford disappeared a week two before the
Grand Jury took final action He was reported
at intervals to be in Ireland California, Newark
and New-York.
The revelations relating to Ford astonlshed his
most intimate personal friends and came Ike
thunderclap on his wife and family The evidence
given before the Committee indicated that he had
collected about $4,000 in "divvies.'
Where had the money gone?
Ford did not squander II save 1t. He was
a temperate liver and never spent dollar on
personal Injuries The conclusion that most
people came TO was that he had merely collected
the cash for the politicians" higher up. II Is
known that they sent him away and were in
regular communication with him. II he would tell
all the facts in the ii is probable that many
scared geese would be running to cover.