Perth Amboy evening news., 1907-09-06
JUSTICE FORT
IS WILLING TO
SERVE PARTY.
Says He Will Accept the NOmin-
alton for Governor II He Is
Choice Of Convention.
JUST BACK FROM EUROPE
Arrived at His Home in East
Orange Last Might. Answer
Charges II Nominated.

NEWARK, Sept. 6:-Any uncer-
tainty as, to whether Supreme Court
Justice John Franklin Fort would
become the regular republican CUB
ernatorial nominee, should the state
convention make him it's choice. dis
appeared when the jurist, upon his
return from Europe yesterday, de-
clared that he would accept the nom
ination if it be the will of the party's
delegates. The nomination, though,
he made it patent, must come to him;
he would not, Mahomet-like, go to it.,
or rather, after it. If it came he
would resign from the bench and
enter with keenness upon post-con-
vention campaign.
Then, and not until then, would he
make reply to attacks upon his record
such as Alden Freeman launched in
the Justices absence abroad. One
statement by the independents coun-
ty chairman only did the jurist COM
ment upon. 1t, he affirmed, was alb
surd.
Justice Fort reached his home at
81 Arlington avenue, north, East
| Orange, shortly after 8 o'clock last
night, having come directly from Bos-
ton, where he landed in the forenoon
from the White Star liner Romanie.
| He was accompanied by his daughter,
Miss Margaret A. Fort, and Miss
Florence Osborne, of 55 Arlington
avenue, north, who formed the re-
turning party, and by his son, Re
corder Franklin w. Fort, and Mrs.
Fort, who met the justice ON the pier.
The journey from the Hub was not
an easy one and the newspaper
reporters found the justice not little
fatigued and ready to retire as early
as an informal reception from friends
and neighbors would permit.
you must excuse me-" said the
justice, from another interview.
said all that | now can say to the
newspapermen who met me upon
landing. There is absolutely nothing
| can add to that"
1t was small phalanx of reporters
who greeted Justice Fort as he
stepped from the gangway yesterday
morning, while cordial welcome was
extended by former Judge Edward c.
Harris, of this city, who was on the
dock to meet his daughter, Miss
Edith A. Harris, one of a party OF
Boston folk who had been touring the
continent.
Hello, governor, called one oi
the newspaper contingent as the JUS
tice came ashore, and received this
characteristic retort:
There will have to be an election
first, my boy" and then the justice
shook hands around the Gordon o.
besiegers.
1t took only few minutes to dis
:, pose of the baggage arrangements
, and then the justice learned from the
reporters of the Freeman invectives
and other developments in the pol
itical situation in New Jersey AL
was brand-new to the returning trav
! eler, and the recital was wholly sur
prising; the justice, by his own ad
juring, had been kept in Ignorance
of things political.
+. Following my policy pursued a
the time when jurists were candidates
for election to the office OF governo
I will refrain from taking any part II
: a political campaign while | am OF
the BENCH" said Justice Fort. st
far as Mr.. Freeman's personal attack
you mention are concerned. ! Will sa
nothing at this time, but if am nom
: mated for governor will immediate
: ly resign, and in public will answe
-, any attacks
= Justice Fort promptly spoiled tn
| rumor that he would decline to stan
> for the nomination, and assured tn
reporters if nominated he would re
= sign as justice at once.
q q "Mr. Freeman in public intervie'
u stated that you had given him pal
ticulars of the attempt to dlsba
Major Lentz, and that you told Free
man he was up against dangeror
man, who would stop at nothing, an
was capable. of putting him out
the way" said the newspapt
representative
el "The statement is absurd" replie
e Justice Fort. 81 have no recollectiC
n at any time of even speaking vii
} Mr.. Freeman on the subject
l. Justice Fort was at first disinclint
e to say anything about the polite
If situation, but after some urging co
sented to formal interview.
81 cannot talk to you about po
TICS" Justice Fort said. "For t.
- years, ever since / first went upon Il
: bench of the Court of Common Pie
u of Essex county, have absolutely d
N sisted from doing anything politics
In that time have not even attend'
politicar meeting. My ideas of j
:; dicial propriety on that subject a
ID ID quite pronounced.
II have not been kept inform'