The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-02-14
County Inveatipat1ot,

First blood was drawn, on Saturday, In
the matter of proposed investigation OF
the affairs of Burlington county, and the
blood came from the Lofiand side of the
controversy. When the matter was taken
before Justice Voorhees,, at New Bruins
wick, objection was entered by Messrs.
Rigg and Davis, on the ground that the
petition was irregular The law requires
that there shall be attached to the petition
the names of twenty-five men who are
freeholders and taxpayers.
Instead of getting more than the re-
Quired number and thus having few to
spare, there were but twenty-five signers
and 1t was shown that one of them was not
the owner of real estate, hence the paper
was not in due legal shape. There was
nothing for the Justice to do but to dis
miss the application. Mr.. Lofland's
counsel at once offered another petition
with 35 names attached, which was filed
and the matter was laid over until the
fourth of March, when it will be taken up
before Judge Voorhees,.
In his argument Mr.. Davis commended
that the mere statement. of the signers
of q petition was not conclusive proof
that an investigation was needed, He
said there should be something to show
that the signers had knowledge of the
doings desired to be looked into. Other
wise the assertions in the petition were
nothing more than hearsay evidence. Mr..
Davis called attention to the fact that two
grand juries had looked into the doings
of the Board of Freeholders and had
visited the county institutions, rendering
long reports on the condition of affairs,
but not finding anything to warrant an
indictment. In addition, Mr.. Lofand had
charged certain irregularities at the insane
asylum, some of which constitute a part
of the present movement. and this had
been carefully considered by committee
appointed especially for the purpose and
the result was report that the charges
were baseless.
Mr.. Davis claimed that the granting of
cretionary with the court as the issuing of
rule ordering Investigation. Justice
Voorhees, did not agree with counsel In
this suggestion. He said the granting of
rule to show cause was an ex parte mat
ter and there could not be any objection
to such procedure. But he called atten-
tion to the fact that to order the investi-
cation Of the affairs of q municipality
there must be conclusive evidence to prove
that such course was necessary, and he
told the lawyers that, unless the claim of
those who were contending that there
have been Irregularities was established
beyond doubt there would not be any
investigation.
The fact that the hearing did not come
off on Saturday has given chance to
assert that the matter has been sidetracked
and to insinuate that the Board of Free
holders is afraid to have the subject given
light While the matter has been side
tracked" it is only for a temporary period.
The objection did not come from the
Board of Freeholders, but from the coun-
sci of the keeper Of the insane asylum, who
seemsto be the object of Mr.. Lofiand's per-
sonal animus, possibly because the latter is
trying to benefit the taxpayers. or possibly
because of the family quarrel which is
being used to discredit Mr.. Deacon There
is no intention of fighting to prevent
honest investigation, and if, as the court
has said, it is shown that such a course is
necessary, the books will be opened wide.
But as Mr.. Lofland seems to have such
liking for the courts. and does not seem to
mind certain amount of expense, the
lawyers on the other side have determined
to take advantage of every point that
will allow the Evesham member a chance
to keep in the limelipht