Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-07-30
EX-SENATOR RUE
IS ACCUSED IN
TRENTON PROBE
Purchases of Fertilizer and
Groceries at State Home for
Girls to Be Investigated.
Especial to the Newark Star !

TRENTON, July 30.-When the board
of managers for the State Home for
Girls meets here August to consider
the report of State Auditor William
E. Drake, who has been investigating
the methods under which supplies have
been purchased. it is predicted that the
institution is due to come into the
limelight once more. The charges, 1t
is understood, will involve former
Senator John D. Rue, of the board of
managers; superintendent Mrs. Eliza
beth v. Mansen and a local wholesale
grocery firm.
The charge against former Senator
Rue is understood to be that he has
sold to theN home for its farm many
tons of fertilizer from the Trenton
Bone Fertilizer Company. of which he
is president. Mr.. Rue, besides being u
trustee of the home, is superintendent
of the farm. Thus, If this charge
against him be true. he has violated the
State law, which prohibits State off,
cials or members of State boards from
selling to the State supplies from COM
panies in which they are interested,
Sold Fertilizer to Home.
1t is understood that the fertilizer
deal was worked through a third party,
who is said to + ave been a minor en-
ployee ri the y rtilizer company, and
that tlies0oe : he institution, there
fore. dorsns oy-s any purchases from
Mr. crefmpany direct. II is said
"a. !. so,a atner charge against Mr.. Rue
ca F" 80 he has been selling supplies
lrom the farm and turning the proceeds
directly into the office of the State
comptroller instead of paying them to
the board of trustees of the home.
1t is claimed, also, that Mr. Rue en-
deavored to usurp much of the au-
thority of Mrs. Mansell as superin-
tendent of the institution. and that
this divided authority interfered with
the government and discipline of the
home. This is similar to the situation
which caused much of the trouble at
the hospital for the insane here, which
was uncovered by the Assembly inves-
tlgating committee three years ago.
As the result of thees latter charges.
the hoard of trustees had adopted new
regulations, making the superinten-
dent, Mrs. Mansell. supreme in au-
thority and making the Job held by
Rue as superintendent of the farm q
subordinate one.
Grocery Firm Involved.
The charges to be probed with refer
ence to the purchase of groceries re-
late to canned goods sold under con-
tract by the local firm. 1t is said this
has covered the past year or two and
may be found to reach into other State
institutions. These charges involve
an alleged manipulation of figures by
which the firm appeared to be the low
est bidder and got the contract, where
as the auditing of the books by State
Auditor Drake shows that really the
firm was the highest bidder, and is now
selling the canned goods and similar
articles at higher price than was
quoted by the other bidders when the
bids were opened
The alleged scheme is said to have
been as follows: In the item of canned
corn the firm in question bid SO much
per case for the quantity specified in
the advertisement for proposal. This
was a very low figure, and had no ref
erence to the number of dozen cans in
a case State auditor Drake, 1t is un-
derstood, has discovered that, in billing
the canned goods to the home, the
firms charges by the dozen cans, and
the base rate per dozen is such as to
make the aggregate price for the entire
lot purchased much higher than that OF
any of the other bidders.