The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-20

ing power from d man elected Dy the
people and placing that power in the
hands of GIudge appointed by a Gov
ernor. I believe in leaving this as it
is"
on a poll only nine men voted to
have the present jury system changed,
while all others who voted were
against the jury reform plank. Mr..
Freeman said he was glad to meet OPP
position and know the men present
were thinking.
Continuing his review of the things
advocated by the Peoples Lobby, the
chairman said:
Everybody who wants the party
lever taken off the voting machines
and, If the machines are kept at all,
have them so that you press the but
ton for the man you want, signify it"
The crowd wanted the machine with
out the lever. James B. Banister aid
he didn't want the machine at all, and
there was a burst of applause.
After disproving of the question that
he averred should be considered in the
framing of a platform this fall. Mr..
Freeman entered into a discussion of
placing a ticket in the field.
He said there were three courses open to
the Independents finally, to attempt to
vote IN the Republican primary boxes, the
Democratic boxes, or put up their W
tickets. The subject was dropped after
hearing discussion covering nearly an
hour. until late in the meeting when the
Munroe resolution was presented as the
solution of the primary problem.
Mr.. Mclean delivered a brief address.
Mr.. Bloomfield was then introduced. He
went into his attack on Judge Fort with
out preamble and ELECTED cheers and APP
plause. He said;
have come from my home in Middlesex
County tonight to sound a note of warning
to the voters of Essex County. If disloyal
to public interests while a judge, how much
more dangerous may such a man become
in the larger field of the Governorship?
l desire to state certain facts, but in so
doing 1 wish to state that what l say
comes from no malice or personal 1eeiing
on my part, but simply from a sense or
public duty.
Before speaking at the dollar dinner in
New Brunswick, 1 thought over the mat
ter well, and the more L pondered, the
more convinced 1 became that It was a
duty I owed to the public to let them
know why our acton pertaining to the
Perth Amboy bridge had miscarried. 1
have criticised no acts of Judge Fort while
on the bench. His acts outside cf that are
matters for public criticism If deserving
1t. and so far as / am concerned | shall
not hesitate to speak ms | know end feel
1t is not true, said Mr.. Bloomfield, that ]
was in constant communication with Judge
Fort, having held but one conversation
with him on the subject, and that was the
occasion when l got him to grant us an
examiner, with authority to investigate
books. papers. etc. that we might fasten
upon certain circumstances such MS alleged
crimes, and on that occasion ] stated to
Judge Fort matters which mad been
brought to my attention, the source from
which they came being to me conclusive
evidence of rascallty and graft. Previous
to hat time l had requested the prosecu-
tor of Middlesex County to obtain from
Judge Fort al mine for the same pur-
pose, and he came back with the word
that the judge had said:
Damn the bridget"
1 also requested it of our counsel, VIII
lard p VOORHEES,. end his reply was that
had applied for written authority to re-
view the acts of the Board of Freeholders
and had been guaranteed an order to AXE
testimony, and we have some 1000 or more
pages taken under that order. In the nat
ural order of evidence this testimony was
to be taken to Judge Fort for his decision.
Then came the Introduction of the bill
Senate 262) by Senator Jackson in the last
days of the Legislature, and my appeal
and the appeal Of my attorney and sew
eral others to the Governor not to sign
that bill, as it would tend to encourage
crime In PUBLIC officials and rob the people
of Middlesix County Of some tens of thou,
sands of dollars. as that bill legaliged
every act of the Board of Freeholders and
every payment made by them TO the con-
tractors.
The bill was signed. and to that bill was
attached a memorandum practically throw.
ing the blame for 1t on Justice Fort, ant
l also received two letters from. the Gov
ernor, sent by him, in which he stated t.
me that he had signed such a bill at tn
request of Judge Fort.
These are the circumstances OF the case
and / submit to the people of EsseS
County and the State that 1t IS a cast
that fully warrants criticism and. in ny
opinion. more than that, 1T J~ustifies a legis-
lative investigation.
What was the motive that prompted
Judge Fort to have the bill become a law
/ ..l,A .rA A1Ra xFNKsxy. raanHfnr xnf1tal Af nNrnr
up was before him for decision.
I fully realize that this is a serious
charge. but I win stand behind 1t.
Mr.. Freeman followed Mr.. BLOOMFIELD
with a typewriter address.
For years, he said, | have been telling
various of Chandler Riker's friends thai
/ should do just exactly what l did at my
home on Thursday night, If he ever ap.
pealed to the SURFACES of the people, for
believe that he was guilty of malfeaSanct
in office, and felt it my duty to reveal &c
the voters what / myself had seen an6
heard of his actions while he was public
prosecutor of this county. If those friends
of Mr.. Riker's did not tell him what was
in store for hin 1t only shows that they
did not regard his best interests and his
reputation. l want, 5ust here, to state thai
1 sincerely respect Mr.. Riker for his worn
on the Taxation Commission and for his
honesty in not accepting planks In the
Colby platform that he doesn't mean to
stand for.
There is one of the ironies of fate con-
nected with the extracts from the files of a
Newark newspaper, which / am about 10
read. In the fall of 1902, at the time Major
Lentz was running for Sheriff. and | was
. looking up his record. / was told to call on
Judge Fort. / did so and he gave me me
particulars of the attempt TO disbar Major
Ientz from the practise of his profession
as a lawyer which so largely contributed
to the majors defeat.
In this connection it is interesting to re-
call that during the campaign Judge Forts
son. Franklin w. Fort. now police recorder
Of East Orange, spoke in behalf or MAJOR
Lentz from the same platform as the
Major. but on election day busted himself
distributing pastors for the Majors Demo
cratic opponent for the Sheriffs. Office,
William c. Nicol. This | know, because
when l ran short I secured some OF young
Forts pasters myself -
At the time OF my interview with justice
against a desperate man. Lentz VIII stop
at nothing. He is capable Of having you
put out of the way"
I thanked the Judge for his apparent in,
terest In my health. and told him | would
alarmed for myself. Indeed, l have. since
formed a much better opinion of Major
Lentz than the character given him Ply
Judge Fort, but I was troubled about the
ballots OF the Citizens Union of East
Orange. The ballots were delivered to me
by the county clerk very late on Hal
lowe'en. l had a big coach, which, con-
tanned big Jim Beldon, a prominent clergy
man OF Newark, and my faithful friend,
John DAILY. All We're armed to the teeth,
as they say in the novels. was an IN