The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-11
EVENING JOURNAL CHARGES.
Aiderman Heavey Asks the Corpcr-
tfen Counsel 40 Make Inquiry.

Inc B0aru OF Aldermen, last HiSNtt
on Alderman Heavey's motion, passed
this. without comment
whereas. | has been currently stated
in the public prints that the proprietors
of the Evening Journal have over
charged the late Board of Aldermen for
printing the notices for Applications for
licenses for the year ending May |, 1875,
about the sum of 500 over and above the
fees for such services as fixed by Chap
ter II, of the laws of 1895.
Resolved. That the Corporation Coun.
sci be requested to advise this Board OF
the legality of the charges made by the
Evening Journal for such services from
and after the 18th day of February, 1888,
lating such charges. and the amount
of such o~vercharges to the end that
suit may be instituted in the name OF
the city for the recovery OF such illegal
charges, and that the Board may ascer-
tain the arrangement under which they
were drawn from The city treasury.
When Alderman Heavey made the
above charge, he either did not know
what he was asserting. or he knew he
was lying. In any case, he is a reck-
less slanderer.-Ed. Journal.
The journal must feel very conscious
of the weakness of its position when it
can only reply by calling names to a
vital blow such as the Board of Alder
men-not Mr.. Heavey a~lone-inficted
upon 1t in the resolutions quoted. If it
had any defense, it would assuFeday
have offered it. If there were any argu-
ment of law or morals to uphold its
position, it would have had sufficient re-
gard for it's good name to lay It before
the public and thus avert the unfavorable
opinions which members of the com
munSty must inevitably base Upon an
undefended charge.
The Journals" position is, however,
indefensible. There is no law, and in the
absence of law there is no moral right 20
Justify the charges which the Journal
has made during the last twelve months
to the city for publishing the liquor
license notices. 1t has, through the con-
nivance or negligence of the ex-City
Clerk, E. W. Woolley, framed its bills
on an Illegal and unwarranted method of
reckoning, and as a result it has drawn
a considerable sum of money, from 800.
to $500, we should estimate, from the
Municipal Treasury without right or
title under an existing law.
The course of the Journal in calling
Alderman Heavey foul names will not
bring it any sympathy. If Mr.. Heavey
so wishes, he can. no doubt. recover
damages for the libellous expressions
used; but he may not think it worth his
while to bring suit. for assuredly no
one will think worse of him on account
of a persecution growing out of the per-
formance of his duty. Mr.. Heavey's
tone. There is not a sign either of
recklessness or of SANDER about them.
They recite an allegation which has been
given wide newspaper publicity and they
refer it to the Corporation Counsel for
investigation, in order that the cbty's
rights may be s~afe-guarded. Is this reck-
lessness? Is this SANDER? Certainly,
the taxpayers win not SO regard it. 1t
is a case where only the CALLED jade
winces.
And now, 1t would be interesting to
know who is responsible for this black
guardly method of meeting an open ac-
cusation-a method comparable to that Of
the thief who uses a sand bag on the
officer who arrests him. The screea
which We reproduce above is aligned
e journal" Who, on the presen. oc-
casion. turks behind .hese cabal;stic LETT
sers7 IL cann3t be %l. Plsins. because
Dir. Phelps K the son Of bis father nh q
gentleman. If Mr.. Phelpa' attention
had ever kcen directed 10 this natter, his
reply would have been to draw his check
for the amount In dispute and send it to
the Corporation Attorney with a cordial
endorsement Of the Aldermantc demand
the Journals charges were found to
be illegal or erroneous, the check should
be at once turned In to the city treasury
in settlement We do not hin ED.
Journal can be Mr.. Rappelye either, for
he, too, Is a gentleman n a journalist
with a character to lose. Mr.. Benson
has his hands full collecting the news Of
the city In his inimi&able way, and
the r,de ~vnlgarity Of the expressions used
IS not in the style of Freddy Pangborn,
the gentle author of the "~Pen-and-Inkl-
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