Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-12-28
OFFICIAL
DENIES RUM0R OF
RECEIVING GRAFT
Clerk F~itzsimmons Upheld by
South Orange Trustees in Ii
cense Transfer Matter.

Aroused to indignation bt stories
which he said are being circulated
connecting his name with graft, Village
Clerk Michael A. Fitzsimmons, of South
Orange, made an open challenge at a
meeting of the Village Board of Trus-
tees last night in which he asked for
proof of a single act with which his
name had ever been dishonorably con
nectcd, and added that If such could
be brought forth he would at once re-
sign his position.
Stories have reached my ears to-
night said he, ito the effect that
am interested in having the Village
Board of Trustees grant a transfer
of the saloon license now held by
Charles J. O'Brien at 16S South Orange
avenue, to a site of q proposed hotel
for Gottfried Kruger, at First street.
l am charged with having an offer of
81, 900 for using my Influence with the
members of-the board toward having
the transfer granted"
Continuing, the clerk said: II wish to
state publicly that | have no desire
whatever to have the transfer mad
and If | could ascertain the name of
the man who made the statement l
would prosecute him, and If he was a
man of financial standing would bring
suit against him for libel
Asked by Village Trustee Charles n.
Burke, who brought the story to him,
Fitzsimmons declared:
Louis P. Taylor is the mar who
told me. He came to me as a friend.
/ told him that If he was a man he
would give me the name of the person
who so informed him.. He would not
do SO.
For a number Of years back" the
clerk continued, there has been a GER
tain number of ~detractors in the village
who have associated my name with
d~ishonorable deeds. They do not mako
the assertions to my face, and there is
no way for me to get back at them.
II any one can prove that I have been
d~ishonorable, however, or that I have
been connected with a single act of a
d~ishonorable nature I'll resign my po-
sition this moment. I want any mar
who made such charges against me to
substantiate them"
In conclusion the clerk asked the
trustees If he had endeavored in any
way to influence their voting on the
proposition, or in any way mentioned
the transfer, and each In order arose
and emphatically declared that he had
not.
The meeting was called for the pur3
pose of acting on the request OF John
H. Whalen, of this city, for the trans
fer, and it was probably the largest
attended of the year. Mayor Arthur
B. Seymour. of Orange, representing
William b.. Newman, owner of the pres
ent site of the saloon, presented a Pc
tition containing many names of citih
zens who were against the grant.
lawyer stated that he could find
warrant for the board to grant
transfer, and in view of the stater
made by President Ira A. Kip. jri
the last meeting in which the execu
said that Mr.. Whalen formerly
Quoted a fine and up-to-date hotel
Morristown, the mayor presented a
egram from the chief of police of MI
ristown which showed that the Whal
who conducted a hotel in that town
not the applicant for the South Orana
license.
Mr.. Seymour contended that the bishY
ops law prevents the granting of 4
hotel license to a man who has MOI
been a resident of the community in
which it is granted for at least a year
previous.
President Kip then announced that
action on the transfer would be de-
ferred until January 16.
Of the petitions presented the name
of Stephen Loughran, Of Third street.
appeared on n as in favor of the
grant, and also on two other docu-
ments against the transfer.