Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-09-01
OWEN COHL0N, ON
STAND, EXPLAINS
ROSEv|LLE DEAL
Tells Senate School Probing
Committee $500 Profit
Was Legitimate.
PROMINENT NEWARKERS
MENTIONED IN SESSION
Matter of Large Balance in
Hands of Education Board
Also Inquired Into. l1

Following the testimony of Vice.
President George w. Tompkins, of the
Board of Education, before the meeting
of the Senate School Investigation
Committee in the City Hall here today.
in which Mr. Tompkins told how the
School Board had paid what is held
to be an exorbitant price for the Rose
vile Avenue School site, Owen f. Con-
Ion, real estate man and candidate for
the Democratic nomination for county
register, was subpoenaed and when he
arrived Immediately called to the wit
ness stand.
Testimony was offered that on Feb
ruary 10, 1909, the Phoenix Land Com
pany, said to be represented by Mr..
Conlon, bought the Roseville avenue
school site for $4,000 and that on the
same day the site was turned over to
the city for $29,500, an advance of $500
In single day.
Mr. Conlon was called to the stand
at 2:30 o'clock this afternoon. He ex-
planned that he was in a hurry. as he
had an important engagement, and
added that what little he knew of the
sale of the Roseville avenue school site
to the Board of Education he could
tell in very few moments
Everything in that deal was all
right" said Mr.. Conlon.
well see about that as we go
along" said Mr.. Murray.
Mr.. ConIon's Testimony.
Being sworn. Mr.. Conlon testified as
follows:
II have oeen in the real estate busi-
ness in Newark for twenty years. 1
acted as broker in the sale of the prop
e.. Al
in 1907 and renewed it in 1909. The
first option was for $4,000. The prop-
erty then belonged to the Roseville
Land and Improvement Company." ~
What is the Phoenix Land CONE
pany?" inquired Mr.. Murray
"Mre Kinds was the president" III,
Mr.. Conlon then explained that I IT
100000 figure included more land III
was sold to the school board He t =
/ told that the Phoenix Company was
corporated only few days before AZ
/ school board bought the land. vi,
| "The entire tract" said Mr.. Conloh
consisted of about twelve acres on
land. Eight of them went to the school
| board, two acres went to the laying
out of streets and there were two left.
The Phoenix Company paid the Rose
vile Company $4,000 for the property
and received $4,000 from the school
board. The two remaining acres were
recently sold. so that there was net
profit of about $6,000."
THAT is exclusive of the $500 profit
on the sale to the board?'
"Yes. that's it,
Then the total profit you or the
Phoenix company made is 81, ,500?'' sug-
gested Mr.. Murray.
That's right" explained Mr.. Conlon.
But you must remember that it was
all swamp land and l worked for three
years to get the property in shape to
put it upon the market. The transac-
ton was as straight as a string.''
Mr.. Conlon was then asked who
shared in the profits, and he replied:
Mr.. Hands, Mr.. Millerick and Mr..
| Gray"
These three men are ineorporators
of the Phoenix Company. Mr.. Conlon
was then excused
Senator Frelinghuysen was the only
representative of the Senate present
when the session was called to order at
11:30 o'clock in the Board of Education
rooms at the City Hall. The State
Board of Education was represented
by st. John McCutcheon and John b.
Belts. The committee had subpoenaed
more than fifty witnesses, but only
eight were on hand when the session
opened. Their names are 9. w. Tom
kins, vice e-president of the local board;
Commissioners John Breunig, DIR.
Thomas S. McCabe and Charles P.
Taylor. George w. Knight. engineer;
e. F. Guilbert, architect: R. d. Argue,
secretary, and Samuel Gaiser. assistant
secretary.
The first witness called was Robert
D. Argue, secretary of the board. He
explained that his salary was $4,000
year, that Architect Guilbert received
salary of $500, Engineer Knight $4,000.
He then told the names of all the clerks
and the salaries they received. Each
of the various departments We're re-
ferred to and the payroll of each was
spread upon the minutes of the COM
mittee The construction department,
which includes the engineer and archi-
tectural department, employs about
forty persons, and their aggregate sal
ary is $4,000.
The Roseville Avenue School site
matter came out when President
George w Tomkins was sworn. He
said:
"The site was picked out and we
negotiated with the people"
What people?" asked Mr. Murray
"Why, the land people"
1.-THE Roseville land people or the
Phoenix land people?'
81 don't know which. except that our
transactions were with Owen F. Con-
Ion"
"Who is Mr.. Conlon?"
"He lives here in Newark. and hac
an option on the land"
do you know anything about the
Phoenix people, Mr.. Tomkins?" asked
Mr.. Murray.
Nothing more than that Mr.. Conlon
was representing the Phoenix COM
pany."
Don't you know any of the officers
of the Phoenix company"
81 do not, replied Mr.. Tomldns
Where can Mr. Conlon be found? 2"
"IIe is a real estate and Insurance.
IL D.. 4 81. .rf