The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-09-24
PETITION FRAUD
CASE DISMISSED
BY GRAND JURY
Probe Into Alleged Irregularities
in Documents Falls
Flat.
CITY CLERK AND
COUNSEL WITNESSES
Suspicion Was Aroused by
Violation of Minor Tech
nical Points.

The grand jury probe into alleged ir-
regularities in several petitions filed
with City Clerk James F. Connolly in
connection with the primary elections
has fallen fiat.
City Clerk Connolly. City Counsel
James r. Nugent and Assistant City
Counsel Charles M. Myers, together
win six others whose names are kept
secret by the grand jury officials, were
subpoenaed by the jury yesterday aft
ernoon, but only the three men named
were examined
When the three city officials had told
the grand jury of the cases under In
vestigation the other persons sum-
moned were dismissed and the inquiry
dropped. =
The fact that the next session Of the
grand jury will be held next Tuesday,
which is also primary day led the
jurymen to believe no good would come
of any investigation, even If there had
been irregularities existing as alleged.
Although none of the grand jurymeh
would talk 1t leaked out that suspicion
was aroused by violations of minor
l6CIlIiCdl pOliltS III Tie law BONciIiu6
the filing of petitions.
City Clerk Connolly threw out one
petition yesterday 1t was filed In the
interest of Dr. James c.. Corlies in the
first district of the Fourth ward. DR..
Corlies was the selection of the Pro-
gressive Republicans of that district
to make the contest for member of the
county committee against County
Chairman Alfred Dalrympls. Ten
names were on 4e petition, one of
them being that 6f Harry C. Madara,
whose residence was given as ia North
Canal street. which is in the second
and not tbs first district of the ward.
Mr.. sMad2ra formerly lived in the first
district, and 1t is said he signed the
petition In error, thinking he still lived
in the district.
Four petitions filed by the Harrigan
faction in the Seventh ward were also
investigated. They were sworn to be-
fore Justice of the Peace Jacob Kanen-
geiser, but were signed by his son, A.
Sgmund Kanengeiser. Inquiry devel-
oped the fact that Justice Kanengeiser
had taken the acknowledgements of the
signers and authorized his son, in their
presence. to sign the official petitions.
City Clerk Connolly was disposed at
first to throw them out. but acting on
legal advice decided they were regular
and admitted them.
Another matter under fire yesterday
was a petition filed from the Eleventh
district of the Fourteenth ward. Joseph
A. F. Bauderman appeared as a signer
but it is alleged Baudermann knew
nothing of .the petition in question. 1t
appeared that a female relative had
signed his name to the petition In his
absence from home. City Clerk Connel-
ly went to the Court House today to
show, it is said where the objection
brought by the jury was wrong.
The contention, it is said, was based
or the old general election act, passed
in, 1902. A section of the act allows
ret,ffHRers, on whose petition an irreg-
nIarity has been found, to fiie correct
- retition, provided such petition Is
eIed Ave days before the primaries. The
section is 235.
Tn 1903 the present primary law
which was amended in 1908, was passed
All the sections Of the old act which were
to be included were naqed' by num-
her. and 235 was not among them 1t is
understood that Mr.. Connolly, CITY
Counsel James r. Nugent and Assistant
Attorney Charles Myers brought that to
The attention of the grand jury, with
the result that the case is closed.
"I have made 1t an invariable rule,
said Mr.. Connolly. ''in going over PEE
titions which require judicial decision
10 consult with the chief Justice
While it is not known just what
opinion the chief justice gave, MT.
Connolly generally admits petitions
where no, vital or criminal mistake is
apparent.