The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-04-06

brother of the Mayor did practically
nothing for the city. He was constantly
engaged in making the searches for Wool
ley. Every search fee went deep into
Woolley's pocket, and Wanser, who did
not get anything for doing, the work,
kicked and refused to do it any longer.
While Clerk Wanser was devoting his
time to helping Noolley enrich himself
the city was paying him $1.5Oo for doing
it, When the title searching business
was brisk. Deputy Clerk Thomas Hal
stead was also enlisoed in Woolley,,s $ private
work The city pays Halstead $1,500 a
year for doing something besides making
searches for the City Clerks financial
benefit James Clark also draws $l20o a
year from the city, but he frequently ne
elected his duties at the request OF his
superior to assist in turning UP 50 a
search for him as fast as possible.
The whole office has practically been
converted into a force of Woolley work.
men, and the taxpayers are paying dear
ly for it. With an assured income of
$1,000 year. it is not surprising that
Woolley is moving heaven and earth to
hang On to it by electing Aldermen who,
pledge themselves to vote for him before
they are given a nomination
But the $500 a year is not all yet by
any means. Last year, a funny little
naturalization law was passed. OF course
Woolley had nothing to do with its in
PRODUCTION, but strangely enough it gives
the City Clerk another chance for a fee.
The law passed and Woolley is deriving
the benefit of it. The Jaw in question
hot IN 1izaf f017
certificate issued from his office, Woolley
set fifty cents. Since he has been in
power about 600 have been issued. This
has given him $500 more and business is
likely to be brisk now that election is COM
ing on. This gives his income another
jump, and brings it up to the snug sum
of $1,000 a year. There is still another
source of revenue. 1t is a custom with
many liquor dealers. in applying for Ii
censes, to make their affidavits in the
City Clerks office. That privilege costs
them 25 cents each. Woolley gets share
of that revenue with the other clerks. In
the distribution of the quarters he is
quite liberal Other fees never find their
way in part or whole to the subordinates.
Woolley gobbles them all, so that on the
surface the bumptious City Clerk enjoys
an income of about $4,000 a year. OF
course, it is alleged that there are other
sources of revenue. but these are only
spoken of in whispers.
A prominent member of Woolley's own
party, or at least that part of it which
he now owns, said:-"What Republican
who lives on politics wouldn't disfran-
chise Democrats or do anything else to
hang on to such snap as the City Clerk
ship?'
The retention of Woolley in office by
the election of a Republican Board Of AL
dermen means that voters may expect
constant repetitions of his attempt Oh
Saturday to prevent Democratic candi-
dates from having their names printed
on the official ballots. While ne declared
publicly that the time for candidates 70
file their certificates expired Saturday at
noon, John Mulvaney, Secretary of the
Democratic City Committee, has letter
written early last week to the effect that
the time did not expire until noon today
His sudden decision therefore on Satur-
day is regarded as one of his partisan
schemes to shut out Democratic candidates
and deprive people of their right to vote
for whom they will.