Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-08-21
One Received from Prosecutor
Berdlne and The Reply Mr..
Bloomfield Made.
JUSTICE FORTS REMARK
Has a Third Party Who Is Ready
TO Swear that Prosecutor Is
Quoted Correctly.

Charles A. Bloomfield made q
statement to the NEWS this morning
concerning the denial of Prosecutor
Berdine regarding Justice Forts re-
marks about the Amboy bridge mat
ter Mr.. Bloomfield admits that he
received letter from the prosecutor
asking him to deny the statement and
he replied to the prosecutor agreeing
to publish both letters if the prose-
cutor was willing. Mr. Bloomfield
states that the prosecutor never
agreed to this, but since the matter
has been brought up by Mr.. Berdine
in way to reflect on Mr.. Bloomfield,
the latter now publishes both the
letters and they are given below.
Mr.. Bloomfield states that he made
a speech at the dollar dinner in New
| Brunswick June 2S in which he quot
ed Prosecutor Berdine as saying that
Justice Fort said: Damn the bridge" >"
tJuly 13, two weeks later, Mr.. Bloom
field received the following letter
from Mr.. Berdine:
Charles A. Bloomfield, Esq,
Metuchen, n. j.
Dear Sir
My attention has been directed to
the New Brunswick Home News of
July 8 containing a copy of your let
ter to the editor of the Newark Sun
day Call in which you are quoted as
saying: Previous to that time | had
requested the prosecutor of Middle
sex to obtain from Judge Fort an ex-
aminer for the same purpose. He
came back with the words the judge
had said Damn the bridge -
| Tndoa Fort had uauar s,aiJ or uco,l
to me, or in my hearing, or to my
knowledge, any such expression. or
anything that could be tortured into
such an expression.
You will, of course, correct this
mistake.
Yours very truly,
| GEORGE BERDINE.
To this Mr.. Bloomfield replied as
follows:
Metuchen, n. j., July 16, 1907.
Mr.. George Berdine,
George ST., New Brunswick, n. J.
Dear Sir:-Your favor of the 18th
inst. came to my hand last night and
was read by me with surprise. As
you know, | have called on you sew
eral times to urge you to perform
your duty as public prosecutor in
connection with this great scandal,
and in our discussion on such occa-
sions you have laid the blame on
Judge Fort for your failure to do
your duty, and you have also stated
you could not obtain money; and on
every occasion you have repeated
Judge Forts words, Damn the
! bridge" AS | never was present at
any interview you had with the judge
| cannot, of course, vouch for the
truth of your statement; but in as
much as they have never varied in
this matter, | believe you told the
truth at the time. 1t is only three
weeks ago that you made the state
ment to me, in the presence of a
third party, who is ready to make
affidavit to the truthfulness of my
quotation of your words. | am ready
to publish your letter if you wish it,
but will also publish this, my answer
under it. Do you wish this?
Sincerely yours,
CHARLES A. BLOOMFIELD.
Mr.. Bloomfield says he received a
letter from the prosecutor later along
the same line as the first, but as he
said nothing about publishing it, no
further attention was given the mat
ter.
Regarding Mr. Bloomfeld's speech
in Newark, Monday night, he SAID
this morning: I'm my address Mon
day night. | quoted Mr.. Berdine a:
he stated to me, and l then stated
that Mr.. Berdine had denied thai
remark, but that | had third party
present who will make affidavit"