New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-02
"BiPVEY" FORD AND "JERSEY JUSTICE.

! Il
Barney" Ford is expected to appear Tor sen
fence some day this week in the Mercer count!
Quarter Sessions Court NJ Trenton. Less IMAM
Two years ago Ford was otlst"i from the Oh
flee of State House Superintendent. during
his reign Ford was supreme in the capitol
Every bin for furniture, material ana supplies
had 70 be approved by him. An investigation
SET ofoot bv the Senate demonstrated concu
sivclv that the State had been systcmailcaly
robbed for four or five years. By testimony
taken under oath il WAS proved that desks
choirs tables. carpets. etc, had been billed 10
tho State M an advance varying from - to loo
ner cent on the usual cost The furniture dealer
from whom the bulk If those articles hld been
purchased appeared before the Senate com
mittcc rs an unwilling witness and with books
INITIATED The facts which the committee
sought for were asccrtained nevertheless. !"
the skilfl probing and dclving of William IL
Corbn counsel to the committee" Goods hii
been paid for which could not be found III the
State House. and on the dealers books Were
articles which had been sent 10 the homes AMI
offices Of individuals ana charged against the
state 4 former rmployc 81 this dealer gave
testimony to HE effect that Ford received a lu
per cent 'divvy" on all bills. and This was al'
norently corrohoraicd 10y checks drawn about
the. time each bill WAS plid for amounts equal
to the percentage named. The dealer WAS iri"l
ON tho charge If having cor>plrcd with Ford 10
rob the State. but the presiding judge refused
TO admit the books in evidence. and acquit' al
followed as a matter If course.
Right and left the state had been plund'r'd
ON Ford's go X" it had paid for coal which in
ian hNlt "a.
cevcd. but absolute proof WI, lacking because
mice had eaten the books Ford himself
boueht toilet articles NJ wholesale AMI hil 4
relative Of his hill them to the STAT" ~ nearly
double the original cost Ford il WAS. Too. who
sold the massive and elegant furniture AMI al
most new carpets which were pulled ont -
make room for the cheap and tawdry articles
bought bv the State M rdculousy high prices.
The dealers who were in the conspiracy with
Ford. ana whose cases had not been ou'lawcd
BY the statute Of limitations. wcr" tried before
a sympathetic court and jury. and all w"r" ne
quilted Ford WAS the only one of the l1i VINO
had fed After the Mercer County JurirS put
the seal Of innocence upon his accomplic's, be
returned Immediately the men who were con
ccrnod in keeping Ford's mouth shut began
comprehensive campaign 10 secure cl"mency
for him He had 80 far kept his bargain IL pro-
,cct them by silence and they have been trying
10 live up 10 their part OF the contract by en-
dcayoring 10 save him from State Prison They
are actuatcd by more than IS implied in the old
motto Of honor among thieves. for they do not
know what Ford might be- tempted 10 do If put
behind the bars lie could, II he would. drive
ont Of public life and into Jail men who now
hold high their heads. He was merely tribute
catherer for an organized banditi. II was cSti-
mated by members Of the investigating commit
tee that he must have collected between $4,000
and $4,000 That he did not keep this. nor
even 10 per cent Of It, IS reasonably certain.
Now the people Of New,Jersey want to know
where that money wept-to whom Ford paid il.
Until Ford answers that Interrogation fully AMI
frankly he deserves 40 mercy whatever He IL
dcfying Justice and those who urge uncondi-
tional clcmency are aiding him in doing SO. Let
him tell the whole truth Let him explain how
he came to enter upon his blackmalling course
Let him tell whence came the orders
Confession and contiiton must prccedc par
| don, and II Ford shall 20 free or escape with IA
nominal punishment another black mark will
| be stamped lndelibly on the page Of history de-
voted to Jersey Justice"