The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-05-19
INVESTIGATION
OF ICE PRICES
) IS CALLED OFF.
No Money for Stenograpiier
Cause Of Hating Of
Inquiry.
NO PROVISION MADE
FOR CLERICAL WORK
Senators Gaunt and PIummer
Discover Oversight and Have
Hearing Put Off.


The State investigation into the
high prices of ice and the possibility
of a combine to raise prices, which was
to have started today in this city by
the special committee appointed by the
Senate at its last session, will not be
held.
It was found out today when the three
members of thes committee met in the
: Court House that no money had been
appropriated for the expense of the in
vestigation. When the resolution calling
for the probe was passed by the Senate
it was provided that 81 900 be put in the
appropriation for the expenses o. a
stenographer to take the testimony. It
was discovered today, however, that no
amount wahtever had been put in the
appropriation bill.
This error was found out by Senators
Plummer and Gaunt of the special
committee, while on their way to this
city today. and after a conference with
Senator Osborne, the other member of
the committee, and with Attorney Cen
eral Wilson, held behind closed doors
at the Court House, it was decided to
drop the whole investigation.
Osborne Wants 1t Anyway.
Senator Osborne, who introduced the
resolution in the Senate calling for
the probe, said today after it had been
decided to call off the investigation,
that he, personally, was in favor Of
having it golon despite the lack Of an
appropriation, trusting to next years
Legislature to defray the expenses.
The following statement regarding
the collapse of the investigation was
issued by the committee today, 1t being
understood that the statement reflected
the opinion of the majority Of the COM
mittee:
The Senate OF. New Jersey on the
II 4tIl day. of April. 1909, adopted res-
olution which provided for the appoint-
0f for sS Is she price
I ice. and also to ascertain whether
there exists combination or unlaw-
mfttee should consist of three mem-'
bers of the Senate. In accordance with
this resolution, Honorable William
Honorabe ssn5os Georss Won W cannt tm Of Gioy
cester county. and Honorable Harry ".
Osborne. of Essex county were ap-.
pointed as members of said committee.
The work contemplated by the resolQ-.
tion was taken up in an orderly way.
and meeting was arranged for
Wednesday, May 10, at the. Court House
in Newark. Witnesses were subpoe-
naed and all preliminary details were
perfected. An intelligent prosecution
of the inquiry involved the employment
of stenographer and the mourning of
other expenses naturally incident to the
work in hand including the subpoe-
naing of witnesses
The resolution just referred to, provided
that the expense Of the committee (exclue
sye G H. sam o % Fs sh9ua %oln T e
committee ascertained that the Legisla-
ture failed to appropriate thes Thousand
dollars contemplated by this resolution,
While the attorney general has ex-
pressed no opinion as. to the expediency
OF procesalng unaer o 1ne So circHMissancSs duis e
commitete that no legal duty devolves
upon IT to prosecute the work contem-
pense' paasa Unless s the s state has g crowded
method by which these expenses shall
be met and betrayed. In this posture of
afairs 5;,,, majority Of ,i1 the COMMITTEES is
ton. for the reason that the committee
is left without the means and resources
Of n pursuing the Investigation in any in
The only alternative, Of course, would be
for the copmittee to pledge the faith and
credit Of the State by holding out the
hope that some subsequent Legislature
might defray the expenses incurred. This
course the committee deems indecorous and
unwise and of questionable legality. The
danger of such proceeding has been em- !
phasized by the recent experience of other
legislative committeesl who have taken
this course by pledging the. faith and
credit Of the State. The committee regrets
that it has been obliged to reach this |
conclusion. 1t has been deemed proper to |
make this formal and definite statement in |
order that the determination OF the COM
mfttee and the reasons which prompted 1t |
should be clearly understood.
Some of Those subpoenaed.
There were eighty-five names on the |
list compiled by Senator Osborne to be |
called during the investigation hd'e.
Those who were directed to appear today
we're: Samuel Alboum, 70 Hayes street;
Theodore Perry, president of the Perry,
Bates & Benbrook Co., 100 East Kinney
street; John Voigt, 206 Livingston
street; Charles Lang, 80 Mercer street: /
Carl Merkele, 2s5 Grove street; Joseph
Metzler, Is Magnolia street; William
McEwan, president of the Ice Consum-
srs' and Supply Company, SS. william
street; julius G. Spingle, 63 Chadwick
avenue; Edward Theurich 16 Broom
street: A. c. Chapman. ITS Sherman
avenue; Arnold Huber, 205 Avon ave.
lue; Samuel Kiel, corner of Clover and
Jackson streets; James I. Bennett, 1859 L
oliver street; Theodore Gaddis, 379[
Plane street, and Thomas Loef1ier, s6
3owery street. Other subpoenaes will be I.
ssued, as witnesses are needed. Jacob
Booker served the papers on those who
uare "a 11ad TODAY "