Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-09
PROSECUTOR MOTT
IS TOLD To MIND
HIS OWN AFFAIRS
BelleviIle Official Brands Some
Alleged Statements of
County Officer False.

Township Committeeman Harry NJ.
Fallows, of Belleville. today denied
e%mphatically several statements at
tributed to Prosecutor Wilbur A. Mott
in connection with the investigation
into the fire at the plant of the Ma
tiona1 Fireworks Company of New Jer-
sey last Thursday, in which three per-
SON. were killed. Mr.. Fallows holly
replied to Mr.. Motifs alleged state
ments that the prosecutor may bring
the case to the attention of the grand
jury by declaring that the Be1levills
authorities have held two persons for
the grand jury on charges of manufac-
turning high explosives nearly a year
ago and that So far absolutely moth
ing has been heard from these cases.
In reply to Mr.. Motifs alleged dec
laration that BellevNle authorities may
be charged with negligence for not
enacting proper ordinances regulating
the fireworks industry. Committeeman
Fallows stated that he did not care
a snap for anything he prosecutor
might do in the matter, and he added
that Mott has no right to suggest to
the Belleville Township Committee the
adoption of any ordinance
Says Statement Is Untrue. 80
Prosecutor Mott was quoted as say
ing that he limited to Mr.. Fallows in
a telephone conversation about the line
of investigation he was going to pursue
in the case. Mr.. Fallows branded this
as false, and declared that MI. Mott
said nothing over the telephone only re-
garding the introducing Of an 0rdi-
nance regulating the fireworks indus
try.
AS for Prosecutor Mott indicating to
the committeeman that the township
authorities may be taken to task, Mr..
Fallows laughed at the idea, and said
that Mr.. Mott ought to mind his own
business, and that he should attend
to n case in particular now awaiting
grand jury action on fireworks charges.
instead of ''butting into" and interior
ing with Belleville officials in the pres
emit situation.
TNwo Cases Dropped.
Mr.. Fallows cited one case in particu-
lar where Rocco Zarrillo and his son,
both italians. of the Silver Lake sec
ton of Belleville, were arrested by the
Belleville police upon charges of de-
liberately manufacturing high tx
plosives in Belleville, and both these
men were placed under $500 bail
by Police Justice Richard H. Ashworth
to await the action of the grand jury.
Justice Ashworth took this action on
July II last. Mr.. Fallows and Justice
Ashworth both point out that Belleville
officials nave heard nothing further
from this else. \
Another case of similar character to
the Zarrillo case, Mr.. Fallows pointed
out, was that of a man named Chris
tiano. who was placed under unusually
heavy bail for grand jury action. What
course was taken in this case is not
known, but the Belleville police say
positively that they were never called
in the case and hat it would appear
that the case was "squashed." Chris
tiano, after being held, was subsequent
ly killed in another terrific explosion
along with two others.
Investigation Not Complete.
Mr.. Fallows alluded to an alleged
statement of the prosecutor, that the
latter was in possession of correspond
ence from Captain C. Albert Gasser, of
the Bureau of Combustibles and Fire
Risks. Gasser was in the plant of the
National concern in Belleville about
two months & to make an investiga-
ton. and advised the township officials
that there was nothing of a highly ex-
plosive nature in the place. 1t is re-
called, however, that there was a shack
which Captain Gasser was not per-
mitted to enter.
Mr.. Fallows referred to this and
asked why Captain Gasser did not de-
mand to enter the place and make an
examination. Mr.. Fallows added that
this so-called investigation was not a
complete one, and he said he cannot
understand why Mr.. Gasser did not
openly demand to inspect the shack.