The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-03-29


said that he would see Senator Shinn and
Senator Martens and see if they would
take that amount. He then left deponent
and said Cohn. and subsequently return
ed and asked deponent if he would be
willing to meet the said Senators. De-
pone.. said yes, and taen Senator Mar
tens came out in the corridor in front of
tie Senate chamber, and was introduced
to said deponent by said Kissam, and
then said Senator Martens asked depon-
ent to &C with him into private room,
and they Went around the corridor to the
rear of the Senate chamber. back of the
desk of the president of the Senate and
into one of the rooms, which room was
back Of the presidents $ desk at the right
as the president sits.
"Deponent and said Senator Martens
went into said room. and Immediately
thereafter Senator Shinn came INTO the
room. Senator Martens closed the door.
Deponent then said, How about these
bilIsg meaning bills 1s4 and 1s5. Sena-
tor Shinn then said. These are pretty
good bills and we intend to pass them;
in fact, We have them pretty nearly pass
ed now but he said. we can stop it
.Deponent then said: How can you
stop it?' Senator Sn.nn then said: Why
money Deponent then said: How much
will it takeg Then Senator Shinn said:
sOne thousand dollars. Deponent then
said that it was very hard for him to
raise that amount of money in this
State, where majority of the pawn
brokers were very poor =
Senator Sllinn then said: Can you
raise S500?' Depenent then said:. No.
Senator Shinn then asked, Can you give
us 5000 apiece? and, deponent then said
that he would see. and the conference
broke up, and Senator Shinn told depon-
ent thar he should come back and send
for him to tell him what could be done
Deponent further says that he did not
return to see Senator Shinn or Senator
Martens again."
Krimke supplemented his affidavit by
a statement in which he said:
Il had no intention whatever to make
any effort to raise the sum of money de-
manded by Shinn and Martens. had
had strong suspicion of the nature of
the game we were confronted with and
it was my purpose to find out how far
it would go.
Il was angry clear through. although
/ concealed my feelings until l left the
two Senators. was Convinced that these
bills were never intended to pass, but
were introduced for strike purposes
solely.
Il made up my mind I would put an
end to the trouble we mad been put to,
and as l do an honest, legitimate busi-
ness | did not see why l and other men
in the. same business should be compelled
to pay money to prevent legislation of
this character. Otherwise there would
be no telling where it would end
City Attorney MacLear, of Newark,
before whom Krimke made his affidavit.
was so astounded by the facts as reveal
ed that he thought it wise to carry the
game to the limit in order to see if the
alleged compact would be carried out.
He advised no action Tuesday morning
and Shinn offered further amendment
to one of the bills, making it more dras-
tic than in its original form.
Yesterday NJ. MacLear came to Tren-
ton. and Shinn agreed to have the bills
laid over until nexs Monday.
Then the alleged attempt at extortion
was made public. If a bombshell had
exploded in the State House it could not
have caused more CONSERVATION among
the Senators and Assemblymen than
Krimke's charges against Senators Shinn
and Martens.
The Senate will probably take action
on the charges next Monday evening
when II meets again.
Before Senator Shinn was aware that
Krimke had made an affidavit implicat-
ing him he was asked by a legislative cor
respondent if it was true that he had
| Informed Kr;mke that S400 was neces-
sary to kill the bills. Mr.. Shinn's first
answer was:-
THAT'S right; how about it?''
AS understand it. Senator the cor
respondent suggested. you asked $500
for yourself and the balance for the man
who prepared the bill. Who is the other
mansv
Why. Martens gave Tile bill to me
and-but what are you driving at? Are
IL, Il.