The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-08-10

WARRANTS Held UP
Board of Freebooters' Of
flee Denounced as
Notorious
TRADEsMEN HINT AT CORRUPTION
Petition to Be Sent Asking the
Senate Committee to
Investigate.
'RADEsMEN HINT AT CORRUPTION

1.-THE Freeholders' Office of Hudson
county is notorious for the manner in
which they hang up claims,' were the
words uttered by a member of the Board
of Chosen Freebooters to a News" rep
Iesentatiye yesterday, who had called on
him to learn the reason why tradesmen
and contractors all over the county were
complaining that they could not get their
money for work done, although their
claims had been passed and warrants had
been actually drawn.
s'Who is to blame for such a state Of
things?" he was asked.
.tAt present 1 am not in a position to
state. but before very long the public will
know and l am going to see that light is
thrown into the dark ways of that Office"
replied the Freeholder.
AS THE News a few days ago stated
the conduct of the Freebooters of this
county is simply scandalous- The large
sums of money at their control are dissi-
pated in a manner at once disgracefui and
criminal. and honest people. who supply
the county institutions with merchandise,
have to wait months, aye years. for
their money until the Honorable ~
Board of Chosen Freebooters thinks fit to
pay them.
Two cases are enough to show that this
hold-up of warrants is not the result OF
neglect but is done for some ulterior pur-
pose, called by plain speaking people by
very ugly word, and these are:-
In March last Hoboken civil engineer.
C. T. Whittemore. was engaged as an ex-
pert by the county in suit against the
Hudson County Contracting Company.
Whittemore's fee was $50. A warrant was
drawn for that amount; but was 1t sent
to Mr.. Whittemore as any properly con-
Quoted business institution would do?
Not bit of it. 1t was slowed away in
the office of the Freebooters. Four
months elapsed and Mr.. Whittemore
asked a friend If he wouldn't try to have
that warrant sent and that friend used
his influence and dug out that warrant
from the office and sent it to Mr.. White
more.
Again, one C. B. Brush had a claim
against the county for s176. 1t was passed
by the Board and warrant ordered
drawn for It, That was the last MT.
Brush could learn of his warrant and. for
four months he cooled his. heels, wasted
his time and exhausted his patience in
the corridor of the Freebooters' Office
trying to find out where his warrant was
He enlisted the services of a friend. a
member of the Board, who unearthed 1t
hidden away and handed it to Mr.. Brush.
If the force in the Office of the Board
was small and inadequate to the work
some excuse might be offered; but the
fact is that Essex county, with nearly
double the amount of business. gets along
comfortably with one clerk and Hudson
has three.
Not only are warrants hung up in the
Office until some one can be seen or
creased or whatever term you please
fits the practice in the Board. but claims
are delayed for a similar reason. Take
the claim of the New York and New Jer-
sey Telephone Company. which furnishes
telephone communication in the offices
of the Sheriff County Clerk, Freeboot-
ers, Board of Health, Prosecutor, jail,
and the institutions at Snake Hill. That
company has bill for service from Janu-
ary /, 1886, to the present date, and 1t
amounts to 81 15O.76 and not cent has
been paid on 1t and the claim itself has
not been passed. Why?
Jarvis Underhill, a Jersey City mer-
chant, furnished goods on contract to the
county and his claim was sSo6. year
passed by and no claim passed and ne
warrant of course. He was obliged TO
see a friend and have that claim dug out
and a warrant drawn for the amount.
Why?
Abiel Brothers, who furnished paints,
etc.. to the county. had similar :irri-
tating experience before they could COLI
lect their claim. Why?
Downes Brothers, of Newark avenue,
have contract to supply the Almshouse
children with shoes. They have furnished
the goods, their claim was passed, war
rant drawn, but 1t has been held up In the
office for months. Why?
And so on the cases could be multiphe0
over and over again and they tell the
same story of crookedneSS somewhere:
TO find this out those who have suffered
at the hands of these Freebooters are
preparing a petition to Governor Griggs
invoking his aid and have the Senate
Investigating Committee come down TO
the Board of Chosen Freebooters and sub-
ject that Honorable Board to an x-ray
treatment.
s'this sort of thing has been going on SO
long that 1t is a stencil in the nostrilS OF
any decent community. l am in COM
munication with a Senator, member of
the Investigating Committee, and | hope
in a few days to be able to tell that
seoundrelly Board that the handwriting
is on the wall of their Office"