The Jersey City news., 1906-04-05
Investigation Of the Bribery
Charges Results IA What
the Accused Deem . Vim
dication
KRiMKE's STORY NOT PROVEN
DEFENDANTS NOW SAY THEY
WILL SUE THE PAWNBRoKER
AND A NEWARK NEWSPAPER
FOR LIBEL
Special to .The Jersey cisy Nsws.'9


be expected the Senate Judiciary Com
mittee this morning presented report
which practically exonerated Senator's
Shinn, of Ocean, and Martens, of Hun
terdon, of the charge of having attempt
ed to extort $500 from Philip Krimke,
President of the New Jersey Pawnbrok-
ers' Association, to hold-up two bills af-
fecting the pawnbrokers' interests.
While the committee made no rerommen-
dation in its report to the Senate. it in
timated that Krimke's charge of attempt
ed extortion was not well founded and
that his contradictory evidence on the
witness stand before the committee yes
terday had left the impression that he
was not telling the entire truth regard
ing the circumstances which led to the
alleged demand by the two accused Sem
ators for money TO holp up thes pawn
brokers bills.
The report went on to show that
krimke had reiterated the statement he
made in his affidavit that Senator Shinn
in Senator Martens presence had de-
manded 81 900 to hold up the bills and
finally compromised upon the payment Of
$500 to each senatRr. The fact that
| Krimke contradicted himself in several
particulars in giving his testimony, the
report stated, influenced the committee
not to give it much weight He had de-
MED that the New Jersey Pawnbrokers'
Association had been Organized after the
alleged two strike bills had been In
troduced, for the purpose of lobbying
or working for their defeat, whereas 9th
er witnesses testified that such was the
object of the organization's existence.
| As Senators Shinn and Martens both
emphatically denied that they had de-
manded or asked for any money from
Krinke, as alleged, or had consented TO
accept any to hold UP the two pawn
brokers' bills, the Judiciary Committee
reported that it considered it BILE
| to give the two accused Senators the ben
eft of the doubt. as Krimkes testimony
was uncorroborated by any other wit
nesses.
The Senate adopted the commuters
report. The two accused Senators. hav-
| ing practically been exonerated of the
charge against them, viii now. it is said.
| institute suit for damag ges against Krim-
ke for slander and Newark newspaper
for libel. Whether they can recover
damages in such actions .Slnains to he
! seen. They have engaged ex7sehatoH
Robert s. Hudspeth TO bring such suits
without delay.
Counsellor William H. Corbin, ap-
peared as counsel for the committee,
while ex-senator Robert s. Hudspeth
looked after the interests of the accused
Senators at yesterdays Investigation.
Krimke, when placed on the witness
stand, reiterated the charge contained in
hi saffidavit that Senator Shinn had de
manded S400 to hold up Senate bills Nos
1854 and 1856. This,s he explained, was
5000 each for Senator Shinn and Senator
Martens, the minority members OF the
committee which had the bills ii charge
He gave detailed version OF how he
was introduced to both Senators by
/ Fred Nissan, well-known lobbyist, Of
Jersey City. He said Senator Shinn had
/ told him in Senator Martens presence
that the two bills could be held UP fol
money and finally agreed to accept $500
He did not pay the money but agreed tc
return the next day. He then engaged
| City Attorney MacLear, Of Newark, AZ
counsel fors the Pawnbrokers' Assoeia,
tien With the result Of ms afi1daylt a 3ea'
posure. ess ssasa'
i Krimke denied thats the association
was formed to defsa Afhe pawnbrokers
bills, but Daniel Cohen, Of Hobpkeri, and
4 4iSimon Mayer, of ersey City, contradicted
him and said that il avs formed to takt
steps nto prevent the introduction o.
astrike bllls' against the pawnbrokers il
the future.
| Both Senators shinn and Martens ad
mitted that they had met Krimke in th'
Rsenate's committee room to discuss th'
pawnbrokers' bill, but denied that thes
lshad asked for any money or that they
had primised to hold up their bills. Sev
era1 other witnesses were called to show
how the story q the attemptsd extorti0l