Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-02-05
I'VE Will Investigate Trust Our
selves if Mott Is Too Busy"
He Says.
NOTHING NEW" IS REMARK
OF PEOPLES PROTECTOR
This Utterance, When Interpre-
ted, Is Taken to Mean
''l'm Still Busy

pespllc the Olt-repedleu dSSSTliOH VI
Prosecutor Wilbur A. Mott, of Essex
county. that he is too busy to under
take an investigation of the causes Of
the eXorbitant prices of foodstuffs in
this county, such an investigation is to
be begun in the immediate future by
the grand jury, according to the state
ment of a member of that body today.
The grand jury would like to work with
the prosecutor, according to this man,
but, If that is impossible, it will go
right ahead without him.
"The members of the grand jury
have decided to allow the prosecutor
two or three days more in which to
voluntarily take up an investigation
into the causes of the high prices OF
foodstuffs," said grand juryman to a
representative of the STAR today.
eve are tired of the prosecutors
dilatory tactics" he continued, land
will so right ahead on our own account
We are up to our eyes in business also.
but this is a matter of prime import
ance and one which will brook no de-
lay. It is difficult to understand why
the prosecutor has chosen the course
ne has. but if he won't help us in this
matter we will help ourselves. Our
course of action has been decided upon
and his allowance of time in which to
be busy.is limited to a few days"
When asked today about his attitude
toward d possible local inquiry into
I.
tor Mott said s"Nothing new" Which
means that he continues to be too
busy as that has been his invariabl
excuse from the time such an invests
cation was put up to him.
CONCERNING the remarkable investiga-
tion which is being conducted by Prose-
cutor Garven and the grand jury in
hudson -county--ai1 Investigation which
had focused the eager attention of the
country--Prosecuto Mott, when asked
for an opinion today. contented himself
with the negative statement: Moth
ing to say
Moved by the desire for a local in
vestigation Of conditions believed to
have grown intolerable, members of the
Common Council last night passed a
motion providing that President Will
manic committee for the investigation
OF local cold storage conditions.
II Shall appoint the committee dur
ing the coming week." said President
Pennington today.
Alderman James A. Bray, who intro
duced the motion calling for the ap-
pointment OF an investigating commit
tee, said today:
IT came to the conclusion that the
prosecutor would take no action, and
believing tnat such action was impera-
tive, determined to go ahead so Iar
as the poard of Aldermen could and
YOU'D go. The aidermanic bodies of
Chicago, New York and other cities are
conducting such an investigation. In
my opinion there will be found to exist
among the local cord storage houses an
agreement on the subject of prices,
Nn,ch makes them practically a COM
blhe II suen d condition Is SHOWN an
oruniance, II pioperiy framed, could do
much 10 remeuy IL iiere III newark"
There is stored IN Jersey City today,
according to Information given to the
Hudson county grand jury by officials
OF four vi the largest coid storage
plants in the country about 1,OOO, 200
pounds of beef, 5,5U0UJ0 pounds of poul-
of liver, trlpe, but.erne, lard, sausage
meat, lamb, mutton. pork and hearts
discovered yesterday III Swift & Co.'S
six-story building at Ninth and Pro-
Nost streets.
The grand jury was in session
for almost five hours, and in that
time examined four witnesses. p. ID.
Manchee, auditor for Swift & Co.; c.
NJ Smith, manager of the Eastern
States Refrigerating Company; Frank
a. Horn, assistant secretary OF the
Merchants Refrigerating Company and
Robert A. Adams, assistant secretary
and treasurer of the Union Terminal
Cold Storage Company. The latter is
q brother of T. A. Adams, president of
the Union Terminal Cold Storage Com
pany. Auditor Manchee was before the
Jury for two sold hours, and breathed
q sigh of relief when he walked into
the corridor of the Hudson County Hall
of Records. adjoining the Grand Jury
room. He was the first witness called
He seemed much disturbed at news
paper reports concerning the amount
of beef, etc, stored in his companys
plant and spent considerable time ex-
plaining and making contradictions.
His ilnal deductions were that last
night in Swift's plant there was stored
13S, 600 pounds of beef and 27,000 pounds
of poultry. He said the capacity Of
the plant, for beef and poultry. is only
'300, 900 pounds.
Assistant Secretary Horn, of the
Merchants Refrigerating Company.
was called after Mr.. Smith. He was
the most evasive witness of all. He
displayed a knowledge of know moth
ing" He said, though, but not until
rivited with questions by Prosecutor
Pierre P. Garven. who is conducting
the inqulsition, that there was stored
in lis company's plant last night TO-
100000 eggs and 5,50o,000 pounds of
poultry.
Robert Adams the last witness, who
is assistant secretary and treasurer of
the Union Terminal Cold Storage Com
psny, said his company releases about