The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-01-31
RECORDS BREAK
Indignation Over the Brib-
cry Confession Of the
Corporation Counsel.
LAWYERS DEEPLY HURT
Mayor Fagan Has Nothing to
Say and Prosecutor Err
win Is E,vasive.

The nsational confession made by
Corporation Counsel George L. Record on
Wednesday night at the dinner of the
Bar Association, in New York in which
he admitted bribing a Baybi1ne Council
man to vote for a water contract in
which he was interested, has caused the
greatest stir throughout the city. It IS
the choicest piece of gossip that has
come to hand in years and it is being
discussed with avtdity. ms the City Hali
the matter has caused a state of excite
ment that has hardy ever been equaied.
Everybody employed in the municipal
building has always had an amount of
respect, for the Law Department that is
unequalled in any other branch of the
city government. This was especially so
when Congressman Allan l.. McDermott
was in the office of Corporation Counsel.
Now the law department has BEEN robbed
of every shred of virtue. The feeling is
shown in an expression of feeling this
morning by a prominent official.
s.If Record takes chances bribing Coun-
cilmen, who can b,ame Ingram for pad
ding payrolls and getting rakeoffs /
wonder if the goody- -goody Corporation
Counsel doesn't feel sorry for the petty
larceny grating of Ingram
1t is amusing to note the various
groups about the building talking over
the s'break" The Democrats speak out,
while the Republicans talk in undertones
and at the approach of stranger stop
talking altogether.
There was an absolute absence of dis
cussion in the Mayors office-when out
Il ,1p npa
had heard anything about it." Mayor
Fagan was asked;
did you hear of Corporation Counsel
tion dinner?''
air of innocence
''Mr. Record told the Bar Association
dinners that he had bribed a Bayonne
Councilman to vote for a water contract
in which he was interested. Here is the
story" The reporter handed the Mayor
a copy of 'The News of yesterday in
which Mr. Records story was printed.
81 haven't time to read 1t now, and I
have nothing to say
At the very outside the story could
have been read in two minutes, but the
Mayor did not have time. The awful
pressure of business was shown when
he walked from his private office to the
outside office and talked small talk for
ten minutes. The snow was the chief OBJ
ject of discussion.
Lawyers generally find the story any
thing but amusing. They consider them
selves the chief conservators of the law
and confession by one of their number
that he violated both the law of man and
the moral law wounds their professional
pride
They generally condemn the speaker,
both for his action and his cynical reve-
Iatfon of it.
Prosecutor Erwin, when asked this
morning if he would take official notice
of the charge of bribery made by Cor
poration Counsel Record. replied evasive-
ly:-
Il was not present and did not hear the
charge made by Mr. Record
But now that the matter has been
called to your attention will you not take
official cognizanee of it?' asked the re-
porter.
81 suppose if it comes before me in the
usual way will present it to the Grand
Jury the States representative replied
But on the information of what was
charged now in your possession, do you
not feel warranted in calling the Grand
Jury's attention to the matter?"
II certainly would not be warranted in
presenting to that body all the wild ru-
mors l hear"
But the public press has fully reported
the nature of Mr.. Records charges?"
My impression from what I heard of
-.
in the nature of joke"
THE published reports however show
that the alleged joke amounted to a
substantial confession of attempted
bribery"
''Well, all l can say is If the matter
comes to my office in the proper way l
WI lnvestigate 1t It ana ana + there appears to
the matter before the Grand Jury" col-
cluded the States representative.