The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-04-23
VAN CLEEF'S MAPS.
Another Vlllainous Scandal
Uneartlled by the Voor-
hees Committee.
STATE GAZETTE RIGHT IN IT
Mr.. Murphy Ignores a Subpoena
Work Paid for, Again
and Again.
STATE GAZETTE RIGHT IN IT
Special 10 the Jerseu Cgtp Nears.

TRENTON, April %, 1S95.-The rumors
that the VOORHEES, Committee would de-
velop something of a sensational ma
ture brought a large crowd to the Sem
ate Chamber this morning. The proceed
ings opened tanlely enough. Mr.. Corbin
called attention to certain expenditures
by the State Board of Assessors. He
first took up the printing account and
read extracts from every report of the
board from 1887 down to 1898. in which
the board spoke eplogistically of a
map of the railroads of New Jersey, pre-
pared by Van Cleef and Belts, and said
that the map had been received SO fav
orably that the board had adopted it
as part of the report.
j. Brognard Belts. who has been in
the employ of the State Board of Edu-
cation for the past twenty years, was
then placed upon the stand. He identi>
fed the map and said that he ana Colones
John T. Van Cleef. Secretary of State
Board of Assessors, prepared the map.
Mr. Corbin then offered in evidence the
several maps which accompanied the re-
ports. The witness explained that the
maps We're made only twice-in 1883 and
1892. The last differed from the first
next showed the map to accompany the
report for the years 1894 and 1895. which
had upon it none Of the new lines built
since 1892. Witness has had no interest
in the map since the revision of 1892
He could not remember what the map
originally cost. He and Colonel Van
DREW MORE THAN MAPS.
Mr.. Corbin then read bills to show
far hA 2rnf jy,er in,
struments, paper and tablets, and then
bought from Van Cleef and Betts for
the use of the State s,s officers sixty-nine
then showed that the State had paid for
this map since 1887 l1,Ss646. Durina
that time it has printed $500 copies Of
Y, 800 copies are stiH in the vaults of
the State House undistributed.
Sinnickson Chew OF Camden. who print
His bill was $SO16.16, of which $500 was
for maps, Colonel Van Cleef told him
l what to charge for the maps. Mr.. Chew
by the subpoena. Mr.. Corbin asked him
why, and added TT sent man to Cam
Gen at some expense to serve you with
Yes, broke in Mr.. Chew, "and he gave
me some money and don't want it.
Well you are entitled 10 that by law
and keep it,, said Mr.. Corbin, while
everyone laughed at the old mans sim
II amt SO sure of that solemnly re-
Piled the witness.
oh. yes you are, said Mr. Corbin, "the
if you can walk, that's your luck
The map did not pass through his hands
but went from the lithographer to the
Van clssf for MAPS sT NJ E0icesl eosl
gin M produced the contract between the
showed that there was no mention of the
maps in the contract.
THE VIRTUoUS STATE GAZETTE
taae Gazette a0ay W pdaed bat G Gd not rne
respond Asher Lambert, who served the
subpoena, testified to that effect and the
consideration. Mr.. Murphy sent some
books, but Mr.. Corbin said they were not
what he asked for. Serge eant-at-Arms
returned with the intelligence that he had
gone to Philadelphia.
Howell McQuigley of the firm of Nc
81 500 was for maps. The maps were
ordered by Van Cieef as Secretary OF
the State Board of Assessors and were
copyright at a cost Of S1,350, and receipted
for by Wan Cleef again as Secretary OF
the board. The firm printed the report
Colonel Van Cieef made and arrange
n.ent with him whereby he was to get
10 per cent. of the amount Van Cleef
received for the maps That was an in
ducement to bid low on the job
Benjamin F. Ingram of Elizabeth is
Manager of the Thomas & Wylie Bitho-
graph Company which printed the maps
edition Of SIX thousand COZ copies M IN in 1855.
The cost of that edition was $3.50. sub
seauent edition of six thousand should
cost in witness Judgment between $3.50
The committee then took a recess.