The Jersey City news., 1899-09-12
fenses to the Grand jury an indictment

public of the investigation of the conduct
Of the municipal governments in this
county, as well as that Of the county
government, covering such period or time
in the past as that offences which may
have been committed in these respects
do not stand barred by the statute of
limitations
The Court cannot go into any details
in this matter and must reserve more
specific instructions as to the law, untl1
the cases arise from time TO time, ana
until you desire to be further informed.
The matter is one of vast Importance TO
the public There seems to he grave sus-
pieion that corruption, as well as great
extravaganza is rife in the management
of our municipal affairs. thorough
investigation of municipal expenditures;
and the incurTing of municipal CLAIMS ana
obligations. and the manner and mode in
which they are made and incurred, can
do no harm and may result in great
benefit.
You can, with benefit to the public wei
fare, investigate the manner in Wnlcn
municipal contracts have been ana are
being made, and the manner in which
they are being performed, and the man
ner in which payments upon them nave
been or are being made. whether the
contracts are clothed with the formall-
ties required by laws relating to the ex-
pendtures of public moneys. Where
these fornalities have been wilfully dis
regarded indictment should follow, ana
piled with, if the contract should be
found TO be the product of corruption
the same result should ensue. We can
presume that a grossly extravagant ex-
penditure of public money is corrupt
expenditure, SO much as to place the oul-
cials making such expenditure upon the
defence of it under an Indictment, even
though the technical formalltles OF the
law have been complied with. You can
also inquire whether the appropriations,
or limit of expenditures, has been exceed
ed. The act of excess IS indictable, re-
gardless of the intention of the officials
in mourning the obligation in excess of
the limit.
In one or more of the municipalities of
this county, q portion of the public press,
freely and openly charges bribery. and
corruption against public officials, induc-
ing the award of certain contracts, and
perhaps other official action This charge
or accusation. should not be made with
impunity, and without responsibility.
There IS no need of further detail. Many
have knowledge of the reference which
the Court makes An investigation
should be made. If the truth Of the
charge be made to appear, Indictment Of
appear to be false, indictment for libel
should be found.
The Court desires the grand inquest to
keep track of the current municipal ex-
penditures of the county, and the munl-
cipalities therein. in order to check, and
at once punish extravaganza and corrup-
fion and to prevent the limit OF expen-
dltures being exceeded, for if corruptly
extravagant, or if the limit is exceeded,
the Court will. under the legislation now
existing, demand Indictment. warning ing
cannot now exist the slightest excuse Tor
such expenditures. But one OF two con
clusions can be drawn either the limit
has not been large. enough Tor legltlmate
uses or the obligations incurred and ex-
oenditures actually made, are extraya-
CANT or corrupt.
the Court now desires to make reference
and whilst the reference may be but a
brief one. the Court desires to be M
nhatic Whilst at this juncture or affairs
fhe Ccurt NAV not say much about it.
VET the Court is as much in earnest and
as anxious about the matter as 1t could
about any at5sr the o. ai ana Of
the laws The Court in this is expressing
the unanimous voice. of al its members.
and perhaps it Is only repeating Wnat y
has frequently said before 70 the sraha
This county has acquired, not only at
home here, and in this State, but In other
States. a widespread reputation Of con-
Quoting its public elections, general and
lslocal in an unfair, Illegal and fraudulent
manner The Court need not elaborate al
all in order to reach the conclusion that
this reputation. at one time, was justly
acquired and 1t was such bad one, that
no surprise can be expressed that IL mas
continued The punishment then meted
ant for The frauds was such. and the
other results were such, that the Court
had hopes that it would never happen
| that a reference need be made to the ab,
horred subject but one need not traVel
very far abroad to find that the reputa-
tjon remains Intensified, and founded up
on grounds sufficient to MAINTAIN II.
| Charges of fraud are freely made as TO
| the registration of voters, of the Illegal
method of registry by oHlcers QI eiec-
ton. and by private citizens-in the con-
duct of the election, the reception OF tne
votes the illegality of votes, false vOt-
| ing-yoting on false registration, on reg
| istrations Illegally made, of repeaters, or
| stuffing boxes, of a false and Illegal can
| vass of ballots, and illegal or false dec-
laration of results.
It viii not be disputed. perhaps, that
| n1lite large class of our citizens, be-
longing alike to the different polltlcall pl
| a conviction in their minds that all the
popular elections are unfairly, lllegaally
4 and fraudulently conducted, ana tnat
| they are thus deprived of all the influence
\ which they should possess through the
| exercise of the elective franchise. They
| have become deSpondent, and lndlfferent
and this is a grave menace to republican
| INSTITUTIONS and popular government and
| az fhis class inereases-as 1t must under
! existing NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. results
must ensue. Its CONTINUANCE ana increase
| will lead to the partial II not total de-
struction of civil liberty.
! This state Of affairs must be corrected.
The Court desires this Grand jury, SO
/ far as they are able, to investigate elec-
| tions which have been held, and If fraud,
| or wilful violation of law, in any respect,
| even the slightest within the statutory
! limitation for the prosecution of criminal
| Offences can be discovered in the regis
1 tration, conduct of the elections, the vot-
| ing. or the declaration Of the results OF
| the election, you should have no heslta-
ton in indicting the offenders. No power
| of individuals, or of any political party
| should bar the way to this result. 1t may
| be that the Grand Jury may be able IN
/ some of these elections to discover evil
dence of conspiracies to hold fraudulent
| elections, and declare fraudulent results
| or to violate the provisions of the cleo
| ion laws If so it is immaterial whether
hey be officers of elections, or private
Individuals, or both together, If any aci
ITO further such design has been done
! they are indctable for conspiracy to per-
| vert the law relating to elections
| But it is not only so much to the pas
that the Court desires your investigation
but your consideration Is also drawn t
Grand Jurfes are organized In this
| county prior to both local and genera
elections and continue in session during
the progress of the preparation, the regis
tration, the voting ,and the declaration O.
results, and until these events are over
| and the election entirely completed,
| The damage done by a fraudulent elec
ton is practically irreparable. The care
supervision and inquiry which secures al
honest election sets an example, and IS o.
efficacy far above the indignation at, ant
Dunishrnert for a dishonest one, and
therefore, It is to future elections tina
your inquiry and investigation is to D'
invoked and exercised. Let your 1nves
/ tigation be directed to the registration II
the first place, and to every suDsequen
| step until the election Is over, IN orde
! oolo pa n he that fhl