Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-01-14
$4,000
SHORTAGE ST|RS
FIRST REGIMENT
Legislature May Be Asked to
Probe Supposed Depletion
OF Treasury.

.
/ The Legislature may be called upon
To appoint committee to investigate
the financial affairs of the First Regi-
! ment National Guard. OF NewsJersey
Allegations are made that there has
been discovered shortage of more
than $1,000 in the regimental treasury,
in other words that the treasury has
been depleted and that that amount
has been unaceounted for Nobody can
be found who will venture to charge
that the amount of the alleged shortage
| involves criminality or whether it is
| simply the result of bad bookkeeping
! methods.
A committee consisting of Colone.
John j. Fraser Lieutenant Colonel
George N. Buttle. Major Rowland d.
crocker. CAPTAIN Garrish Newell and
Lieutenant William H. Englehart is
said to be investigating the alleged
irregularities and will submit Il detailed
report at the next meeting of the off,
| GERS association, which will be held on
the night of February T. The original
purpose OF the committee was to audit
the reailnental accounts and to devise
ways and means of raising moneys to
conduct the affairs of the regiment 1t
is understood that when the present Off
| GERS assumed the regimental reins the
funds were depleted to q degree border
ing upon bankruptcy
Colonel Henry w. Freeman. former
conlmsndant of the regiment, when
asked today by STAR reporter for a
statement concerning the alleged short
age said:
II know absolutely nothing about the
alleged shortage. / do not care to en-
ter into any controversy with anybody
and | certainly do not intend to pay
any attention whatever to these ridicu-
lous and irresponsible statements" >"
The colonel who is now out of the
regiment, refused to go into details
other than to say:
when l left my command of the
First Regiment my books and accounts
We're examined and approved by Col
onel Hine. Beyond that do not care
to say anything
Colonel Freeman, ii is alleged that
when Colonel Brientnall turned the
regimental affairs over to you there
was about $4,000 in the treasury and
that when you left command there was
not s32 on hand for your successor to
work with" explained the STAR re-
reporter
IT'S all bosh, and I do not care to
discuss any of these irresponsible alle-
gations," Indignantly replied the for
mer commandant.
Further. it is said, the State appro-
priation was overdrawn 10 the extent
of $2.500 under the freeman regime,
and 1t is also alleged that many rifles
were stolen from the armory. Refer
ring to the latter allegation it was ex-
planned by one of the officers that
young man was apprelended for steal
ing rifles and was sent to the peniten-
tiary for eighteen months.
There has for a long time been ru-
nors of irregularities in the finances
of the regiment.
Major Roland .. Crocker refused to
deny that the alleged shortage had been
discovered. He explained that officers
were sworn to secrecy and no matter
how serious the affair might be he
would not discuss H. He did say how
ever, that there were some of the books
missing, and that the real object of the
appointment of the committee, of which
he Is member, was to devise finan-
cial plan for the regient. Major Crock
er, ii IS known. was never upon very
friendly terms with Colonel Freeman.
The city has for five years prior to
1909 paid to the regiment $1,000 annu-
ally for the use of the arinory for no.
lice drills and for exercises held there
by the pupils of the public schools.
Major Crocker and Colonel Fraser, it
is alleged, called at the City Hall two
years ago and told Auditor George
Forman that the regiment would get
along nicely without that money. Col
onel Fresman's friends alleged that
this, as well as other things, were
being done to handicap the then COM
mandant. The colonel did receive this
money. however, and recently, when
Colonel Fraser and Major CroclSer tried
to get the customary allowance they
We're reminded by Mr. Forman that
they once said the money was not
needed. So far they have not received
it. either.
Concerning the charge that loans
We're made from the regimental funds
and that they had never been repaid
an.ofilcer in the regiment today said
THE regiment has never made any
loans as body. There is no au-
thority for such use of the moneys. If
there were loans made they We're per-
scnal transactions made by individuals
who had the handling of the moneys"