Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-04-11
CLAIMS CLIFFORD
SOUGHT FAVOR AS
GRAND JURY HEAD
Charge Made in Affidavit of
Phone Talk Regarding Lease
of Docks.
ALLEGED CONVERSATION
DENIED BY ACCUSED
Rival Ice Companies Renew
Notwithstanding of Eject
Rival Ice Companies Renew
Fight-Restraining of Eject
ment Suit Wanted.

That the Union Ice Company, of
this city, is not going to give up the
fight at present being waged between
it and the American Ice Company over
possession of the Centre street docks.
without doing bit of damage, is evf-
denced by the interesting facts brought
out in afffdavits attached to the bill
filed In a suit Coult and Smith,
its lawyers, have started in the
Chancery Court. The bill asks that
William J. Clark, formerly of Yonkers.
but now Of Forest Hill, who is the al
legged representative Of the trust In
this city, and Arthur Haslam and his
wife, owners of the docks, appear be-
fore vice-Chancellor Howell tomorrow
morning to show cause why their eject
ment suit started In the Orange Dis
trict Court and removed to the Circuit
Court should not be restrained. and
also to show cause why the lease OF the
Centre street docks, which terminated
April 1, should not be renewed.
John S. Bell vice-president and gen.
eral manager of the Union Ice Com
pany in an affidavit swears that John
j. Clifford, who is a retail Ice dealer
and who is also mixed up in the pres
ent fight, tried to get his (BelPs)
promise to turn over the docks to him,
If the lease of the Union Ice Company
was not renewed while Clifford was
foreman of the Essex county grand
jury that investigated the legality OF
the Union company's business last
summer Furthermore, that the con-
versation took place over the telephone
at night, clifford calming that he was
at the Continental Hotel.
To quote the affidavit: "On Novem-
ber %. 1909, John ]. Clifford. at that
time foreman of the grand jury. called
up deponent and when asked. said he
was at the Continental Hotel. He said
he understood incidentally that the
Union Ice Company's lease with the
American Ice Company ran out on jan
uary l, 1910 and its lease with Haslam
for the Centre street docks on April
l. 1909. That 1t had an option on the
docks for three years more. and asked
that If it did not renew the contract
with the American Ice Company, would
it turn the dock over to him.
"Deponent said he was mistaken and
that no matter IL the lease was not re-
newed he would not let him have the
docks
"That Charles N Bell, the son OF
this deponent. was In this deponents
home in Roseville avenue at the time
of telephone conversation, being more
particularly interested at that time in
deponent's ice business because de-
ponent was subpoenaed to appear be-
fore the grand jury of Essex county,
which. 1t was rumored, was going to
investigate the ice business in the city
of Newark, particularly in reference to
the question as to whether or not the
business was being conducted in VIOLA
ton of law.
Says He Was Surprised.
.'Deponent says that when he stated
to his son that 1t was John j. Clifford.
with whom he had been talking. and
stated what said Clifford wanted, de-
ponents son was surprised to think
that Clifford would ask favor like
that from deponent, especially because
he was foreman of the grand jury. and
this deponent believed it was through
him that he was subpoenaed to testify
before the grand jury was issued"
Bell then goes on to say that he
Immediately called up Haslam, the
owner of the dock, and told him Of the
conversation with Clifford, and Haslam
said he had given Clifford Just the right
answer, and he was glad. He later
reiterated this view at meeting. This,
Bell claims, with the added statement
. that he made to Haslam, that the
Union Ice Company wanted the docks
for itself, constituted a notice of de-
sire for the renewal of the lease.
The first he knew of any change on
Haslam's part, he claims, was on
March 3, when Haslam and Clark came
into his office. The latter announced
his intention to start in the ice busi-
ness and then Haslam said he had
leased his docks to Clark
1t has already been told how the
fight over the possession of the docks
came up when Clark tried to install
ice, and how the ejectment suit came
to be instituted.
At the hearing tomorrow the uues-
tion as to whether or not a written
notice of a desire to renew the lease
was necessary, will come up for con-
struction by the court, and without
doubt affidavits denying the statements
alleged above will be introduced
John J. Clifford, when seen today, de-
MED all the accusations. In speaking of
the alleged conversation which John s.
Bell stated took place ever the tele-
phone while Mr.. Bell was at his home
in Roseville avenue and Mr. Clifford at
the Continental Hotel, Mr.. Clifford said:
EVERY call that is sent from the
Continental is registered. and it is the
privilege of anyone to look over the lists
and see IL there is call from me.
positively deny that ever asked any
favor of Mr. Bell in regard to any ice
question. It is absurd to think that I,
as foreman of the grand Jury, would ask
q favor of company whose business
Z we were Investigating. 1t seems to me
that the company has been cornered
and they are trying to get up some
novel method of regaining the lease,
which they have practically lost. 1t is
unfortunate that Mr. Bell should make
such statement and ct the same time
bring the rest OF his family into the con-
versat tjoy,