The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-01
UPHOLD OTTERBEIN
F~REEH0LDERS FIND DRUM
IN THE WRONG.
County Engineer, Who Was in Fistic
Encounter with Supervisor, Ordered
to Garry Out Bridge as Planned.

Meeting at the Kingsley street bridge
in West Orange yesterday afternoon
as a committee of the whole, members
of the County Board of Chosen Free
holders Endorsed the stand taken by
County Supervisor John F. Otterbein
against County Engineer Charles f.
Drum, over the ~latter's action i'll re-
vising plans for the proposed bridge
over the stream at that point. The
action of Drum in revising the plans
for the structure, without a conference
with the committee, brought about a
physical encounter between him and
Otterbein last Saturday at the bridge,
which was ended when Otterbein, after
Stumbling over a pile of bricks. fell to
the ground. following the exchange, of
twice on his superior's head.
Director Barry, of the board, arrived at
late to see the fray. He said today that
there would likely be some trouble for Mr..
Drum If the County Engineer failed care
fully to follow out the plan of consulting
before making alterations and changes In
plans for county work. a practise he is
alleged to- AVE followed in the specih-
cations for the Kingsley street bridge.
The in charge of the bridge
backed up Mr.. Otterbein in his perfectly
proper objections to the County Engineers
alterd in two different ways by Mr.. Drum
without consulting authority. The guard
rails were ordered shortened four feet on
each. end, and there was another change
made. If MIR. Drum is not pretty careful
he Is apt to be up against it.
The meeting yesterday was called as the
result of an iron manufacturers insistence
on a written order before he would go
ahead with certain ironwork for the bridge.
Sonnty a Einsi IN tbs Drum hiId N mad eho ORDERED the the
without authority, 1t was claimed by OF
terbein, and he was directed yesterday to
send the manufactures word that the orig
| tQal plans are TO be carried ont. The aC-
ton of Engineer Drum in changing the
plans for the bridge caused the friction
which resulted in the Saturday fight.
Both Otterbein and Drum were sum-
moned to appear yesterday before the COM
mittee at the scene of the trouble, and
while Mr.. Otterbein showed up at the
meeting his antagonist of Saturday did not
appear. The committee, of which Free
| holder John R. Killing, of West Orange, Is
to the frst-drawn plans and specifications
should not have been made without con-
sulting 1t and sent word to Mr.. Drum to
Mr.. Drum was today asked what he
had to say about the row. He opened
his eyes very wide, and after appearing
tanned publicity. said that he had moth
ing to say. Then he added:
II don't like to say anything. Let the
other fellow do the talking If he wants
to. If the matter could have been avoided
It would have been avoided, but when a
man tries to say to the engineer"
lihtl MT. Drum suddenly remeInDeTeu
that he had nothing to say and abso-
lutely side-stepped.
When Mr.. Otterbein was seen today he
was willing. to tell about the set-to. Ac-
cording to his side of 1t, he was speaking
Of the bridge which they were looking
over in the presence of Mr.. Drum. Adj
dressing County Counsel Elvin w. Crane
he said that one of the wing walls had
been cut short.
Mr.. Drum instantly called Mr.. Otterbeiu
a liar, SO the latter said. and followed
up. the assertion, according to Mr.. Otter
bein. by repeating his words, pre1xed with
an oath. Mr.. Otterbein said that he re-
piled in kind and that Mr.. Drum then
made a pass at him.
Mr.. Otterbein said he lodged the blow
and. returned 1t, but stumbled over a pile
OF bricks. falling to the ground. Then
Mr.. Drum bounced upon him and his
fingers scratched his face.
The Others present separated the two.
No blows landed while the two men were
on, THEN, feet, Mr.. otterbeln declared,
and added further that he regarded the in
cident as a disgraceful affair.
But what won't n man do when he
Is called the names that l was called, :"
he said, II have no feeling against Drum
row took place.