The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-16

connection with the movement has
been ever less. This spring Everett
Colby called me on the phone and
asked if / could stand for Chan fol
Governor. I said 1 could stand for any
man who sincerely stood for the prin-
ciples we are fighting for. I later saw
Mr.. Colby at headquarters and told him
1 would believe Chandler w. Riker
was really converted to the New Idea
if he would stand for two things-the
taxation of trolley and other public
service franchises on the same terms
that you and I pay our taxes. and tha'
he agreed to openly support the Colby
Assemblymen.
MI. Colby went out to lunch with
Mr.. Riker &C. W., and at about 2:Sl
1 saw him again, when he said that
Mr.. Riker was unwilling to stand for
either proposition. Regarding equal
taxation. Mr.. Riker said he had q much
better plan to fix that matter than the
Ford franchise law, passed and ap-
proved when Roosevelt was Governor
of New York and since declared consti-
tutional by the Supreme Court of the
United States.
In connection with my own personal
knowledge of Mr.. Chandler Riker this
seemed very significant and conclusive
TO my mind. The former public prose-
cutor of Essex County was never
either a foe to special privilege nor
likely to take the side of h people in
any contest with corporations. MY
earliest knowledge of him was as the
chief representative for the trolley
companies while they were fastening
their grip upon the highways in the
Oranges. I particularly recall his ac-
tiyity at the time the motive power
on the Orange street line was changed
from horses to electricity, and how the
chairman of the Township Committee
refused to permit a petition from resi-
dents of Main street, in East Orange,
to be read.
But I feel that I made the acquaint-
ance of the real Chandler Riker when
a member of Sheriff Nicoll's first Grand
Jury, the December jury of 1902. on
that terrible 10Th day Of February, 1903,
which Newarkers will never forget. !
was still on duty in the Grand Jury.
Aside from the horror of 1t, which grew
as we examined the crippled victims on
crutches in the jury room or In their
cots at the hospital, my most vivid
recollection was the strenuous effort
on the part of both Chandler Riker and
Chief Justice Gummere to prevent
the bringing in of an indictment.
The iurymen were most unanimous In
favor of separate individual indict-
ments for manslaughter against vari-
o1s officers Of the North Jersey Street
Railway Company and each member
Of the executive committee of the cor
poration, and directed the public prose-
cutor to prepare such indictments.
..For A week we kept asking for the IN
oictments ordered from the prosecutor.
Different members of the jury In mean
time told me hat they were being APP
preached from the outside.
zone man told me he was offered f1fty
81 600 bills by the son of one of the OIL
GERS of the company to use his influence TO
quash the Indictment. The same man told
me OF loans called by financial institutions
of Newark and contracts held up.
After this week OF suspense Mr.. Riker
finally brought In an Indictment of all the
men In a bunch (something like those cor
porations kill their victims. IN bunches) In
stead of in separate, individual indictments
ordered | protested with all the power !
possessed. and was ably supported by some
OF the finest men / have ever mot. but the
weeks delay of the Prosecutor had done
the work, although the trick OF the blanket
Indictment was fully exposed.
mi. Riker was greatly excited. I recall
that hia hands shook an though with palsy,
although his face remained immohlle.
"He made his final effort when he said
the Chief Justice wished ua to 80 before
him and let him advise un. resented
tl, ...aa., - tl.. ata - AL. aaA
Jury, / said that II Mr.. Gummerr had
ANYTHING to say to the Grand Jury, lei
him come before us like any other cltlaen
that the fur ctions OF the Grand Jury amt
those Of the Chief Justice were distinct and
separate ms that he had no right to thu
encroach upon the rights OF the Grand
Jury, which was n eo-onlinate part of oul
judicial system and the only weapon left
in the hands of an outraxcd people witt
which odious tyranny can he assailod.
Chandler Riker's pleadings finally nre.
vailed against me In this Grand Jury, tuSl
as two years later the pleadinSS OF hi,
brother. William. in behalf of the veste,
interests which contrA the state " New
Jersey. prevailed against me IA suppress
ing the Train OF the Serpent circulars II
tire Celhv HEADQUARTERS and a committee,
was appointed to wait upon the Chicf jus
uce. 1t was insisted that 1 should X,
along.
The Chief Justice received us, and W
found Mr.. Guuaunere even more sgitate,
than the public prosecutor. He also ha,
the violent shaking OF the hands This
particularly noted in both mea. The Chie
Justice made Il long argument against IN
dieting. He said we must have REASONABLE
ground to show criminal negligence. W
brought Up the warning 90 Mayor Dore
mus in his message and various warming
q 1 similar nature by citizens and par
t~icui8rly the words Of the president Of tn
Lacsawanna Raiiraaa. samuel Sloan. VIII
told the trolley people before they lat
their rails acroS the railroad tracks tbs
there would Inevitably be aa awfu
slaughter there some day. and that as
mere matter Of business It would be niue
cheaper 10 carry the trolley tracks owe
The railroad On a bridge than to pay TN
damages in civil suits which would folio,
the death Of the victims of parslmony.
cited the testimony Of officers OF the troile
company that there were swenty-ene othc
trolley grade crossings equally danserou
IN Essex County. and finally asked II
EhSef Justice Il knowing Of the collision {
FEBRUARY 1s Il cannot call Il an accident
ard ire buschery Of the High School chit
6reM EuuAd he ythe Chief Justiccl then COT
sa3sr that those trolley oricials had know
edge q TIE danger sufficient to call lt erin
1lsa negligence II twhile We were disnutsnf
nine other school children wcrA hAtns 40,