The Jersey City news., 1899-12-12
FREEHOLDERs
REPLY.
Say the Indictments Against
Them Will Never Come
to Trial.
MALICIOUS STATEMENTS
The Grand Jury Had Some
Personal or Political Pur-
pose, Heating Says.
MALICIOUS STATEMENTS"


Freeholders Riordan, Scott and Keating'
at the meeting of the Board yesterday
evening vigorously resented the lmpu-
tations cast upon the Board of Freehold
ers in the indictments, and presentments
handed nn to the CURT yesterday by the
Grand Jury before their official existence
terminated. The 1'reeholders character
lied the charges as unwarranted. false
and malicious. None. of the members
seemed at all alarmed. It is such a COM
mon thing for reform Grand Juries to in
dict or present, or both, the Board OF
Freeholders as an evidence of good faltn
that it creates very little surprise. The
principal theory, that bothers the mem
bers is the expense and fuss resulting
from an Indictment. They have no fear
of conviction and doubt if the indictments
will ever be brought to trial The con-
census Of opinih was that the recent
Grand Jury putlup a big bluff. One
scholarly gentleman said that it was
case of "Parturhnt montes, naseotur
ridiculus mus,
Freeholder Riorihn. said:--"I see by the
newspapers this afternoon that a lengthy
presentment againA this Board was made
INV fhe Grand Jury and indictments were
found. AS one rhnas5er of this Board
who considers thatlasgreat injustice has
been done by the MISREPRESENTATION of the
Grand Jury. l desik to make a few re-
marks and refute the lunWarranted and
malicious statements made in the pre-
sentiment. I will mike my remarks brief,
as l intend to say samething further later
ssThe Grand JurylsayS that the system
of county management in vogue is bad.
They say that no system of bookkeep-
ing exists / desire to contradict that
statement. The cbunty has a system of
bookkeeping. a facl of which anyone who
desires to visit TIKI office can satisfy him
self. AS a further illustration of the
manner in which this document tries to
mislead the publis it says that the appro-
nriation for saIsties of officers and en-
pioves have ben largely increased this
veaf In 1se6-97 he salaries of officers and
employees were 81, 500, while this year they
are s3GfO0. On TIE face of the figures this
statement you'd seem to be true and the
increase would bas considered unwarrant-
ted, but the fActsAof the matter are that
heretofore the Salaries have been paid out
of the appropriation for the several in
stitutions to which te employees were at
tached While thii year the amount has
been increased by paying all the salaries
out of the appropriation for that purpose.
1T is charged thai this Board has ex-
ceeded its appropriations That also
wish to deny and would state further
more that this is tie first time in years
that the Board offFreeholders has had
balance to be transferred TO the Sink
ing Fund at the close of the fiscal year.
AOther matters referred in this pre-
sentiment will lcbk into and make prop
er reply in the dear future. I consider
it only right and just to repudiate such
untruthful and malicious reports as have
been circulated through the medium of
this presentment.
Freeholder Frank Scott followed in a
similar strain 81 have read in tonights
papers" he said. reports of indictments
having been found against the members
of this Board by that august body, and
consider it the sheerest folly to offer any
denial of these ridiculous charges. While
1 have been member of this Board for
only one short year my experience is that
the members here have been more than
careful in their conduct of the county
business. and have taken every precau-
ton to protect the taxpayers. feel safe
in saying that the members of the Grand
Jury. If they had been in our places,
would not have done any better. I dis
agree slightly with what Freeholder
Riordan has said about the county's s
Bookkeeping. A more direct system
should be adopted, not that think better
results would ensue, but rather that there
was room for a slight improvement in
this particular.
the members of this Board I feel safely
and honestly assured that they can every
one be reported. We should not be in
duced by these charges to start any So
called reform. Such attempts are always
attended by bad results. Let US continue
as we have In the past year and / have
no doubt whatever but that our actions
will be sustained by any sensible body Of
men"
Freeholder Heating remarked that he
had a few words. to say on the subject.
He said
in view Of the indictments said to
have been found against the members
of this board I feel constrained to make
reply to the charges thus publicly made.
have not yet read the charges fully
and I desire to weigh them thoroughly
before making an extended answer. AS
to the charge of members of this board
conspiring with certain contractors 1t is
certainly most ridiculous. 20 sensible
man would believe that any member of
this board would imperil his position in
the community by such action.
1.-THE charge of malfeasanee in general
Is a broad one. with which every minor
detail may be covered. AS to the charge
that we have exceeded our appropriations.
I challenge any member Of the Grand
Jury who has indicted US for this to
prove his assertion. This IS the first
board in twenty years that has lived with
in its appropriations. For some reason,
personal or political. this Grand Jury has
seen fit to make hog killing of this
board. The effort Is probably to win pub
lie appreciation and createsa good impress
sion Of the members Of the Grand Inquest
in the minds OF the ptsblie at large. The
result may react. and the bad opinion Of