The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-08-10
City Counsel Tells of
Common Gossip InVOl-
wing Alderman.
THINKS HE VIOLATED
HIS OFFICE AND HIS OATH
Saws Talk of "Crookedness"
Was Continuous Performance
and Became Very Tiresome.

The veil covering the official life Of
Alderman James A Bray was partly
torn aside by City Counsel James P.
Nugent last night at the investigation
into the incident that occurred on Nav
4 last in the Broad Hotel. where it is
alleged that Bray had gone in response
to promise OF 800 for his vote, as a
member Of the committee on printing
and stationery. to override an opinion
by Mr. Nugent that the bids for the
years stationery supply were unbai-
anced.
Rumors that had been banded about
the City Hall concerning Mr.. Bray and
his honesty had led Mr. Nugent to be.
lieve that the alderman had violated
his office and his oath. These rumors
were that there was a reason for Bray's
sudden change in front on the hlock
light franchise; that all was not square
on his part in connection with the pur-
chase of fireworks for the city celebra-
ton on July 4, when Bray was chair
man of the committee in charge, and
that he asked as the price for his vote
for Alderman Ryan for president Of
the Common Council last year that he
be promised the. chairmanship of the
committee on construction and altera-
tons of buildings, a proposal that was
Indignantly spurned
At this point Mr. Nugent remarked,
with an air of fnality:
1T was continuous performance xnd
1t became very tiresome"
For the first time the commit-
tee had counsel former Assistant Pros
ecutor Louis Hood assuming the duties
as the legal guide of the probers. He
was formally retained over week ago
and has been at work. reading the tes-
timony taken at two other sessions and
investigating clues
1t was established. through Mr..
Hoods questioning, that Mr.. Nugent
had dictated his opinion that the bids
for stationery should be thrown out
because unbalanced. in the presence
of Alderman Joseph A Wright but
that its purport was not known to
many until ii was read in committee.
The city cousel testified that rumor
had reached him that Mr.. Bray, in ac-
cordance with a defiant statement
made at the April meeting of the COM
mittee, proposed to vote TO override any
opinion that might be given, and it
was on that proposition that he had
proceeded in making the alleged en-
gagement through Alderman Wright to
get Bray to the Hotel Broad on the
supposition that some one awaited him
there with $10O TO be paid for his vote.
Three Hours Session.
The more than three hours session
was enlivened from time to time with
fiareups that told of feelings kept il
leash with difficulty. Louis ] Be rs,
counsel for Bray, cross-examined the
witnesses after they had been ques-
toned by Mr.. Hood. Chairman Charles
H. Gaffeney and all the members OF
the committee were present. but none
took any part in the proceedings. After
the city counsel's long session on the
stand former School Commissioner
William E. Tuite. Alderman James
Shape, Richard ]. Franz ard Alderman
Wright were called in the order named.
Adjournment was taken at midnight
with the conclusion of Alderman
Wright's testimony
The next meeting will be Thursday
night. and Alderman Elmer E. N9unt,
who spent some time with Bray on
Nay 4. will probably be the first wit
ness called. Meanwhile the expenses OF
the committee are mounting by hun
dreds of dollars. The cost ol counsel
and stenographer will hardly be met
out of the $1,000 made available if tbs
terrific pace for volume of r-r~ds spoke
en- set so far is kept up.
Alderman Michael ;. MCGOWAN, ir..
voiced the desire of the COMMITTEES
members when he proposed that the
session continue, despite the fact that
it was midnight. Mr.. Hood objected
So Important did he consider the reve-
lations which Mr.. Nugent made while
on the stand that he asked adjourn-
ment to give him time to prepare to
work along the new lines suggested. He
said that he was unprepared to go on.
and would subpoena many new wlt-
nesses for Thursdays meeting. AT first
he wanted until next Monday night.
but finally agreed to day after tomor-
low.
Prosecutors Detective Teed sat