The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1903-01-05
FAKE BOARD
ORGANIZED
John G. Payne Elected Presi-
dent and Mayors Secre-
tary 0'Connor
Made Clerk.
RECORD WANTS HELP
Commissioners Authorize
the Employment Of Law
yers to Assist Him to
Fight ia the Courts.
RECORD WANTS HELP

Mayor Fagan's fake Board of Street
I'D Water Commissioners organized this
morning in the conference room adjoin-
ing the Mayors private Office at the
City Hall.
It had been expected that the Com
m;ssioRers'' would make their initial pub
lie appearance in the Assembly Chamber,
but they elected to hide themselves away
where they would not be seen.
Commissioner John c. Payne, james
c. Lindsay. Thomas p Connolly, John
Doseher and Stephen Cornell had pleas
ant Good mornings fer His Honor be-
fore they got down to business.
Mr. Payne who is secretary of the
Board of Riparian Commissioners. was
elected president and Mayors Secretary
Joseph 0'Connor acting clerk without sal
airy.
Resolutions were adopted authorizing
the law department to make ;l-formal
demand upon the Street and Water
Board to surrender its Office and give up
possession of its books and records.
The law department was also in
structed to retain additional counsel to
assist it in the litigation before the Su-
prene Court to contest the4egalty of the
act of 1894 under which the present
Board is operating, if it feels that it re-
qnires other legal aid
tits understood that Corporation Coun-
sci George L. Record realizes that he has
= big JOB on his hands and will employ
the firm Of Corbin & Corbin to help him
out.
Bob CAREY ASSISTS.
eFResse ses 4 ttoraey Robert Carey is
sued another statement this morning to
the effect that the administration has
never contemplated any plan of attempt
ing to take forcible possess of the Street
ana Water Board office
The old Board, however, knows what
promises from the administration are
worth and doesn't intend to take any
chances. The doors leading to the Street
and Water Board Office are kept locked
night and day and no one can getfin un-
less the clerks open them. The vaults
are locked and books and records not in
use are tucked away where they cannot
be spirited off by emissaries Of the Fake
Board
No clerks were placed on guard at the
Office Saturday or last night.
An official list of the bondsmen of the
fake Commissioners could not be secured
today. although the Mayor approved the
bonds last Saturday.
It was said that some of the bondsmen
were as follows
David w. Lawrence and George Kin
kead for John c. Payne: john Macarthur
and Horace ii. Farrier for John Doscher:
Philip e. Martin and John Dougherty for
Thomas Connolly: Harry Louderbough
and John S. Menagh for james G. Lind
say and Anthony Keller for Stephen Cor
nell
Much surprise was expressed over the
action of the Mayor in approving the
bonds. Many thought that this duty
rested with the Board Of Finance His
Honor claimed that he had the power un-
der the law Of 1871.
Rumor that Mayors Secretary O'Con-
nor had officially approved the bonds
were currently circulated. He once made
n. contract with the North jersey Street
Railway Company for the removal of
saow from the streets. If he had the
right to make contracts for the city it
was agreed that he had the power TO
officially determine the acceptance or re-
ieetien Ct official bondsmen The rumor
was found to be without foundation.
Tie Mayor and Mr.. Record were in
conference for several hours today. They
talked over the Street aud Water Board
fight and made each other believe that
everything was rosy.