Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-05-23
LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATION
Dolng one State Treasury was Easy

LLulULiIliHL HIFLUttutHl Ufs
Doing the state Treasury was Easy.
Evidence, which, il substantiated, may
result in some state officials landing behind
prison bars, characterized the second day g
sitting Of the special committee appointed
undera house resolution at the recent legis-
lative session TO investigate into alleged ex-
trayaganoes in the state departments under
Republican rule, which was conducted at
the state house last Wednesday.
Warden Herbert E. Dane charged that
Percy ] johnson, member Of the fish and
game commission, had oonnived with him
self and two other wardens so that johnson
might get a .'rake Off to which he was not
entitled. The wardens had agreed to prao-
tically bride the commissioners by Offering
him $500 if be would not press his alleged
claim.
1t was shown that $1,000 had been APP
propriated for the establishment Of trout
hatchery. That the commissioners and
other witnesses examined knew Of no such
hatchery, yet could not tell what had be-
come of the states money
Commissioner johnson charged the fish
and game commission is dominated and
controlled by one man-BeDjamin T Nor
ris-who besides being commissioner, is
president, acting secretary and treasury Of
the board.
The clerical work Of the board is done by
Mr.. Morris private stenographer in bis
private Office. She gives about half Of hel
time TO the commission and half to Mr.
Morris. The state pays her $40 week
along with extras, while Mr.. Morris, fol
the same amounts of time, pays her 50
week.
sTENoGRAPHIC GRAFT.
These allegations were also made and
some of them proven to be true. Although
regular stenographer is employed, mem
bers Of the board, including Mr.. Morris, al
most monthly turn in bills for stenographit
work. These bills usually amount to SIT
a month for each member. One OF the
stenographers thus employed is the wife o.
Commissioner johnson, by his own ad
mission.
Fifty dollars collected from separate fine'
for violation of the fish and game laws
could not be accoun ted for.
Commissioner Morris, while in po
sition supposedly to protect the fishing
interests of the state, has among his clients
fishermen whom the commission has char
acterized in their reports as being menace
TO the fishing industry.
At least one Of the game wardens, sup
posed to-deyote all his time to the state,
runs a boarding house, which be superin-
tends personally, during the entire sum
mer, at Belmar, and his services are prac-
tically not required during the winter.
The commissioners do not have to swear
to their expense accounts, and the appro-
priation for this purpose is invariably total
ly consumed.
One Of the commissioners regularly
turned in an expense account during an en-
tire year, although he was too ill to attend
single meeting during that time.
The funds of the commission are kept
in the Citizens bank at Long Branch, Of
which Commissioner Morris isa stockholdel
and director, and do not draw penny
interest from the state. The balances are
sometimes large.
There is discrepancy Of 1906 in tbs
moneys collected in fines and those report
ed. This is not accounted for.
The stenographer employed By the board,
on one occasion received double her month
II salary, and this could not be accounted
for.
OTHER CRAFTS.
It was also shown that the board Of arbi.
tration has cost the state $74, 600 in salaries
and during It's existance has not accom-
plisbed thing. The commissioners do moi