The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1897-10-19

had just left was halted and a search
made but without result and it is thought
the purse was stolen. They returned to
Burlington and made a fresh start the
next day.
The bazaar of Union M. E. Church, In
the old rink, was the principal attraction
last week, and it proved to be the most
largely attended and most successful affair
of the kind ever held here. 1t began on
Thursday and continued until Saturday
night. Besides the booths for the sale of
refreshments, fancy articles, &c, there
were special exhibitions by merchants and
corps of Hecker's men dispensed hot
cakes to the multitude. Phillips band
furnished the music, and a crescent drill
was rendered by number of young girls,
the intricate movements being performed
with great nicely. The managers of the
affair are to be congratulated upon the
success of their efforts
The finance committee of council met
in the council chamber on Thursday af-
ternoon and heard counsel on the school
money dispute. Judge c. E. Hendrick-
son, OF Mount Holly, appeared for the
board of school trustees, and Howard
Flanders. Esq, of this city. represented
the board of island managers. The argu-
ment was devoted mainly to the question
of who was the proper custodian of the
funds, Mr. Fry, the city collector, Mr..
Kimble. city treasurer, or Mr.. Schuyler,
treasurer of Union school district. An
act of the legislature, passed in 1s4S,
merged the board of island managers and
the board of school trustees into one cor
poration as Trustees of Union School
District" Another act passed in 1852, it
is claimed, repealed the act of lS4S, tax
ing away the right of the island managers
to act with the school board. This is dis
puted, however. Then the act of 1894,
separating the city and township and
giving the city new charter, placed con-
troll of the money with the city collector,
but this is also disputed. Judge Hen
Erickson held that 80 far as it related to
jurisdiction of schools the act of 1894 was
unconstitutional, being special legislation,
it being a fundamental requirement that
all laws applying to schools shall be gem
eral in their application. He also gave
notice that unless some immediate pro-
vision was made for paying the outstand-
ing warrants or orders for teachers sala-
ries and other legitimate expenses of the
schools, mandamus proceedings would be
commenced at once Mr.. Flanders held
that all money for school purposes was
specially designated as such, and special
provision was made for what it should be
disbursed for. Hence warrants drawn for
fuel books, ETC., could not be paid with
funds appropriated for salaries, jsnItor,
fees, etc. He also claimed there was no
money in the city treasurer's hands spe-
cially designated as school money,
and money appropriated for other purpo-
SEES could not be turned over for school
expenses. Mr.. Hendrickson insisted tlat
the school board was a legitimate body
with legal standing and stands unchal-
lenged and that Mr.. Fry as collector had
the same powers as a township Collector
and should be so recognized. He also
said that Mr.. Schuyler. the Treasurer of
the joint Board, was paying orders until
stopped by notice from Mr.. Flanders.
This statement Mr.. Flanders denied en-
phatically. He said his notice to Mr..
Schuyler was not mandatory. 1t merely
warned him that his course might
ljeopardize the city's interest in
the distribution or apportionment of
State and County funds for school funds
and make trouble for himself and bis
bondsmen. His notice or warning was
based upon information received from
isI II Of
public instruction. As the last years
fund aggregated over $4,000 and less
than 10 per cent of it was from the Island
Fund, it could readily be established
how serious would be the loss of the city's
portion Of the County and state appor-
tlonment.
Common Council met the same evening
and the finance committee recommended
the return of $1,000, being balance of
Il 81, 200 the city treasurer has paid to school
district Treasurer Schuyler to City TTea-
surer Kimble and that he be directed to
deal with and consider it as special school
tax. Further developments are awaited
with interest.
At the solicitation of the father of Stacy
Lowden, the young man who was killed
by train recently at Woodland crossing
near Edgewater Park, Coroner Fisher
held an inquest on Saturday afternoon at
the city hall, for the purpose of ascertain
ing, if possible, who was to blame for the
accident. The following we're summoned
as Jurors: Oliver VanWagner, John $.
Parker, Abram Gardner, Alfred Inglin,
Nathan Smith and w. F. Miller. Howard
Flanders, Esq, of this city, represented
the family and materially assisted the
Coroner in conducting the investigation.
The Coroner, the Jury and others interest
ed went to the scene of the accident and
viewed the surroundings after which they
repaired to the city hall and listened to
the evidence. The engineer, fireman and
other members of the train crew were
present and testified to seeing the wagon
In which the young man was riding struck
by the engine. The train was too close
upon the wagon to prevent the collision,
but the engineer put on the brakes, blew
the sharp danger signals and also gave
the usual signal for the crossing before
realizing it or noticing the wagon sp-
preaching the track The fireman said
he was ringing the engine bell which he
always does at that crossing when he
saw the wagon the driver was whipping
his horse which had just stepped upon
the track. He judged the engine was
then about forty yards distant and trav-
cling at the rate of about As miles an
hour He was sure that all regulations
required in such emergencies we're car
ried out. He considered the crossing as
did all other railroad men, a very danger
GUS one, its location and surroundings
being such as to prevent a person or
wagon being seen until train is almost
upon it. The station agent witnessed The
collision, heard the crossing signal and
! the danger signal and saw deceased strike
his horse as it stepped upon the track. He
considered the accident unavoidable.
} Men working in field near by and per-
soma living in the immediate vicinity les
titled to hearing the whistle blow the
danger signal, which attracted their at
D tention to the crossing and made them
3 witnesses of the accident. Passengers on
the train also testified to hearing the M
usually sharp blowing of the whistle, indi-
eating something wrong. The hearing
, was brief and the jury soon rendered a
verdict generating the employees of The
railroad company from any blame for the
accident, but recommending the better
protection OF the crossing.
8 1t was understood that the father IN
sisted upon the inquest being held with q