Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-06-16
GRAFT STORIES
IN BRUNSWICK
ARE EXPLAINED
speoial to tAs EVENING NEWS.

New Brunswick, June 16:-An in
vestigation of the graft charges
made in common council some days
ago by Alderman James Kinney,
was made by the special committee
consisting of Alderman Joseph
Ridgeway, William Goodwin and
William Miller. at public hearing
held last night in the common coun-
Gil chamber. Mayor John ]. Nor
rison, whose name was connected
with the story that he had received
5000 as one of the fire committee
Which purchased two engines and
hose wagon three years ago, APP
peared as a witness with several of
the aldermen and others interested,
the investigation ending in Chair
man Ridgeway OF the committee
stating that the evidence showed
that the stories had been started by
scandal mongers and loiterers about
saloons and cigar stores with no
other vocation in life and it was we'll
that the Investigation had been held
that the members of the Board of
Aldermen and former members of
the board whose names had been
connected with the alleged graft
might be exonerated. The commit
tee will make its report to common
council later.
Last April Mr.. Turner, he said,
came to his house and he asked him
what kind of job it was he had
framed up after he had been asked
to come here, and he had been told
that II he did the right thing by
the city and agreed that there was to
be no settling, he would be looked
after in the paying of Easton avenue,
where the residents had petitioned
for bitulithic. Mr.. Turner did not
seem to understand what he was
! talking about and he (Kinney) ask
ed him how 1t was his bid was $2.44
square yard, when 7. H. Eddie, of
this city, bid $2.43 and the bitulithic
people furnished the material The
explanation was not very satisfac-
tory.
He also asked Mr.. Turner how 1t
was four years ago their bid was but
$2.11 for bitulithic and they paid
eleven cents a yard graft. He de-
MED paying graft, but admitted pay
ing Adrian Chamberlain five cents
square yard, claiming this was
wages as would be paid any one for
work Mr.. Turner further declared
Chamberlain was a sneak, having
ducked and gone over to the brick
people and Turner'S company lost
the job. Chamberlain, Turner told
him, had demanded $500 and the re-
publican campaign committee had
asked for a contribution and got it
with the understanding that If the
republicans won out the bitulithic
people would be cared for. Kinney
said he put 1t up to Turner that he
said he could have saved the city
$4,000, and Turner had not denied
it.
In a conversation recently with
Alderman Holman he had spoken
about the fire engine purchase in
1907, and said he had heard the en-
gines cost the city $4,000 and there
was $500 for the committee. Hol-
man had then said he never got a
dollar.
That's strange Kinney said he
told Holman, "as the mayor (mean-
} ing Morrison) got his"
II don't think So" replied Hol-
man.
"You tell him for me-" said Kin
/. ney, that Charles Oliver (another
alderman) told 1t in front of wit
nesses."
Andrew Jersey, of the American
Fire Engine Company, testified to
selling these two engines to the city
for $4,000 each, and said he had
never offered to pay, nor was he
asked by any members of the COM
mittee to pay any bonus to them.
He never got cent for any infiu-
ence that might be brought to bear
in favor of his company or any 9TH
er consideration. He had heard 9TH
er agents had offered 5000.
P. j. Fitzgibbons, of the Fitzgib-
bons and Crisp Company, of Tren-
ton, sold hose wagon at this time
and denied paying any graft.
Aldermen Holman and Feaster
and Mayor Morrison, members of the
fire committee at the time this ap-
paratus was purchased, all testified
to never receiving or. expecting to re-
ceive a cent. Mayor Morrison was
much provoked about the story that
he had received 5000 and closely
questioned Alderman Kinney about
1t. Alderman Oliver declared he had
made such remark, but had said
at the time that he had heard it said
that the mayor had received 5000
and only made the statement to
show how ridiculous some OF the sto-
ries afioat were. He never believed
the mayor or any other member of
the board at any time had received
any graft.
Alderman Kinney declared that he
had heard that the mayor had been
offered $200 and had said, 'if, that's
the usual thing, I'll take It." He all
so referred to the police selling tick
cts on gold piece to get furniture
for lounging room and that this
money had been paid to Newton
Blue, a former alderman, for his
campaign expenses. Alderman Oh
iver, of the police committee, stated
that they had investigated this story
and found there was nothing in It,
Mr.. Turner, president of the btu
lithic company, was absent. but sent
a letter denying any of the state
! ments alleged to have been made by
him as to settling for former con-
tract and declaring that he did not
believe any one in New Brunswick
believed what Alderman Kinney had
said. Mr.. Kinney said he was sorry
Turner was not present so he could
talk to him.
Adrain Chamberlain testified to
being promised ten cents a square
yard on about 1900 yards OF btu
lithic laid by the latter company in
1905 for securing signers of prop