Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1912-03-07
POLITICS AND COMMENT FROM
THE STATE CAPITOL.


Trenton. March 6.-The trial of
Senator Richard Fitzherbert, of Nor
sris county, upon the sensational
charges of attempted extortion in con-
nection with the two acetylene gas
bills, was begun by the Senate yester-
day. The Senator was formally charg-
ed with misconduct in Office and the
trial took place on the question of his
expulsion from the Senate. 1t was
claimed that Senator Fitzherbert was
involved in an attempt to extort $4,000,
from the Commercial Acetylene Co,
of New York, to put out of the way
the two gas bills.
President Prince presided over the
Senatorial court. The State was rep
resented by Attorney Edmund Wilson
and Assistant Attorney-General Gas
kill. Senator Fitzherbert was pres
ent and was represented by his coun-s
sci, former Senator William D. Ed
wards, of Jersey City.
AS the proceedings began, Lawyer
Edwards asked to have the charges
read, and Secretary Davis read the re-
port of the Judiciary Committee made
last week after its probe, in which
Prince asked Senator. Fitzherbert to
plead He calmly rose and said: Il
plead not guilty to the charges The
witnesses examined yesterday were
Oscar F. Ostby, an officer of the
Acetylene Co, Murray d. Cramer,
stenographer for the company, Edwin
T. Sawyer and Charles A. McKune,
two other officers of the concern and
A. K. Wisehart. a reporter of the
New York Evening Sun.
The testimony of these witnesses
was practically the same as that laid
before the Judiciary Committee last
week 1t was claimed that DR.. G. s.
Ridner had negotiated with the Gas
Company to have the bills killed. fir
ally naming 81 500 as the sum which
would be required, he to receive $500
and the other 81 900 to go where it
would do the most good. 1t was
claimed that later Senator Fitzherb-
ert, who introduced the two bills,
agreed to have the bills withdrawn
for $4,000. There was no evidence
that he was to receive any of the
money, but the testimony was to the
effect that if this sum were given for
the hackers of the bills the Senator
would see that the bills were with
drawn.
State Treasurer Daniel S. Voorhees,
was drawn into the case, Wisehart
having gone to see the Treasurer in
Morristown after a visit to Senator
Fitzherberts home in Dover. Wise
hart said that Treasurer voorhees,
name had been given to him through
Ostby, DIR. Ridner having mentioned
the State Treasurer and former United
States Senator James Smith, Jr., to
Ostby as reference.
The hearing yesterday afternoon de-
veloped several sensational tits with
Counsel Edwards for his sarcastic and
strenuous methods in his cross-exam-
nation of the witnesses. President
Prince raped him to order several
times and Senator Read, of Camden,
criticised him for his brow beating,
dirty tactics of jury trial which is
making of such a serious thing as
trial before the Senate laughing
stock for spectators.
The leaders of the Woodrow Wilson
movement in this State are pleased
at the showing made by a canvass OF
the State conducted through the var
ious --airmen OF the party.
The canvass showed that every county
will be solid for the Governor for the
Presidency, except Essex, where form
er United States Senator Smith and
his friends may succeed in electing
some delegates who will be opposed
to the Governor New Jersey will be
entitled to 20 delegates in the National
Convention at Baltimore, provided the
Republicans pass the new Congress
ional districting bill Of these, Essex
county will have the election OF only
four: so that if the county chairmen
have correctly outlined the situation,
"a of the delegates at least will be for
Governor Wilson.
= y
Another event which pleased the
Wilson boomers was the luncheon
served at Camden last Saturday by
James Nugent, Chief Lieutenant OF
former Senator Smith. to about 80
South Jersey Democrats. Mr.. Mug
emf said the meeung had been called
to extend the sentiment of the South
Jersey vote on the Presidential situ-
alton. He referred to Governor Will
son as a demagogue and lauded Champ
clark. as a Presidential candidate.
The sentiment was not at all against
Wilson, however, and the result was
that the meeting did not put such
damper on the Wilson boom as Mug
emit supposed. The fact that some OF
those presc4.l were found to be for
Wilson prevented endorsement being
given to any candidate for the nomln-
alton for President.
4 = ~
Politics is playing lively part IN
the selection of a successor to the
late Theodore B. Booraem, prosecutor
If Niddlesex county, who died recent
" Senator Silzer, of sIiddlesex, has
recommended to Governor Wilson the
appointment of Joseph E. Stricken, Of
Perth Anaboy, but this does not suit
some of the other county leaders, who
favor the appointment of City Treas