The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-06
JERSEY SENATORS GUILTLESS.
NEVER DEMANDED BRIBES, AS
PAWNBROKER KRIMKE SAID.

Colby wants Frederick Nissan, bob DavfS'e
Friend, Kept Out OF the State House,
but All the Other Senators Vote Against
Hlm-Railroad q Bill Signed.
TRENTON, n. j., April 5.-The select CON-
mittee Of the Senate appointed to inves-
tigate the charges of bribery preferred
against Senator shinn Of Ocean county
and Senator Martens of Hunterdon county
to-day presented its report to the Senate,
clearing the accused Senators of the charge
by finding that the testimony taken before
the committee yesterday did not sustain
the charge that was made by Philip Krimke,
the Newark pawnbroker, in his affidavit
on which the investigation was based.
The report was signed by the three men,
bers OF the committee, Senators Ho llery
Wakelee and Minturn, and was CONQUERED
in by the Senate without a dissenting vote.
The report stated that upon the main
charge that Senators Shinn and Martens
demanded 81 900 to suppress two bills, the
question lay between the veracity of the
two Senators on the one side and Mr..
Krimke on the other.
Senator Colby stirred matters up by in
PRODUCING a resolution calling upon Gov.
Stokes to take such action as might be
necessary to exclude Frederick Nissan OF
Jersey City from the State House during
legislative sessions. Mr.. Nissan is the rep
rensentative Of Robert Davis, and the reso-
luton referred to him as the lobbyist who
figured In the Shinn- Martens investigation
The reading Of the resolution brought a
protest from many Senators. Mr.. Colby
declined to discuss the matter further than
by saying that the general reputation Of
Nissan was such as to make it undesirable
for him to be brought in contact with the
Senators.
Senator Wakelee Of Bergen said he did
not know Mr.. Nissan personally but as
serted that the Senate had no right to hold
him up to ridicule nj SEQ m without a
hearing and without any explanation from
the ~introduoer of the resolution.
Senator Hillery, the Republican leader,
asked Senator Colby what charges he had
to make. Mr.. Colby said be made no
charges. and Mr.. Hillery continued:
To ask this Senate TO vote to exclude
from the State House a man against whom
there are no charges and without a hearing
Is beyond the realm of decency or reason
I don't know Nissan but l nave seen him
about the State House. 1 have also seen
men from Essex county about the State
House How would the Senator from Essex
like to have his friends excluded from the
State House In this way? Are we afraid Of
the influence of this man Nissan? That is
not fair to us We are men; we nave reason.
If there ara men here who can influence us
against our will and reason then it is
time our constituents knew it and kept us
at home.'
Senator Minturn said This man Nissan
comes from Hudson county, and have
known him for many years and know moth
ing Objectionable about him. He has been
coming to Trenton for years to look after
the interests Of the Hudson county Board
Of Freeholders in bills that are introduced.
He has familiarized himself with legislation
and has become valuable to the Board of
Freeholders0 and to persons la Hudson county
who frequently call Upon him to help them
in matters of legislation.
in a literal sense that is lobbying, and
In that sense every Senator does some
lobbying. 1t is the prerogative Of every
citizen to come to Trenton and speak to
his representative about such matters, and
neither the Governor nor any one else has
a right to exclude them from the State
House"
Senator Mckee made a vigorous attack
on the resolution. He said; The resolu-
Won OF Jne senator from Essex Ii prepoS-
ferrous. He attempts to assume a position
which nobody has a right to enforce. He
puts in a resolution which virtually con-
tradicts the report of the investigating
committee. Just because Kissam's evil
dence did not coincide with the other testi-
mony must he be excluded from the State
House? This resolution asks us to brand
the mau as a criminal. 1t seems to me
that the Senator from Essex is asking more
than a reasonable and sane man could
expect"
The resolution was lost, Senator Colby
alone voting in the Affirmative.
Gov. Stokes signed to-day ~Assemblyman
Perkine's railroad tax bill, which is ex-
pected to raise the taxes OF railroads from
81 900, 900 to about 81 100000 annually.
Senator Frelinghuysen's bill prohibiting
the use Of automatic magazine guns in
shooting game in this State was passed in
the Senate. Senator Frelin ghuysen made
a speech In support of the bill, calling upon
all the true sportsmen Of the Senate to
vote for 1t as a measure to prevent the
slaughter Of game.
Senator Wakelee opposed the bill as being
poor legislation to esta blish the precedent
of excluding by legislative enactment any
particular article from use in the State.
The bill was passed by a vote Of 16 to 4.
DncT H. lErnpn yFTcUlD