Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1912-03-29
j. E. STRICkER
STARTS DUTIES
New Assistant Prosecutor
Sworn in Yesterday After
noon-- Court Cases Today.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Says He Accepted Office Be-
cause OF Its Importance,
Not Pecuniary Value.

Many have told me that / have
made a financial mistake in accept
ing, but / wish to impress upon you
and every one that | did not accept
for pecuniary reasons but because Of
the Importance of the Office" de-
clared Assistant Prosecutor Joseph
E. Stricken last night to a NEWS
reporter in his law Offices In the
American Building, where he re-
ceived numerous messages of con-
graduation from his many friends
In this city on his appointment to
the assistant prosecutorship yester-
day afternoon under Prosecutor
George s. Silzer, former senator
from Middlesex.
VIII Not Form Partnership.
Mr.. Stricken emphatically denied
the report that Prosecutor Silzer
and he will form a law partnership
and equally divide the salaries Of
prosecutor and assistant, which are
$4,000 and $4,000 per annum, re-
spectively. He will continue his law
business at the American Building,
Smith and state streets, but will
devote as much time to the county
office as may be required Mr.
oli iChCI Will udnnlG dll uldIlGIS dH
required by the assistant, he states.
such as preparing indictments for
the grand jury, preparing cases, and
trying the same, providing they are
of minor nature. All large cases,
such as murders, etc, will be trieud
by Prosecutor Silzer, Mr.. Stricken
states.
The appointment of an assistant
prosecutor rested entirely with the
new prosecutor. it was learned to-
day, and no "bargain" was made
whereby Senator Silzer accepted the
county office under condition that
the county organization would with
draw its opposition to Mr. Stricken.
1t is further reported that the APP
pointment of the Perth Amhoy at
torney to the assistantship Is dis
pleasing to some county Democrats
who are leaders in their respective
communities This opposition proved
fatal to the desire of Senator Silzer
to recommend his legal friend, Mr..
Stricken, to the office of prosecutor,
Governor Woodrow Wilson needed
the organizations plea and declined
to appoint as the NItddIesex senator
recon mended
= --ssssss " ~ u stSffssss ,4a3z
Assistant Prosecsa s;t'ssss 81 took
his oath or office yesterday after
noon before County Clerk B. Nj
Cannon and was at work last night
in the interests of the county when
seen by the NEWS reporter He re-
ceived his first assignment" as he
termed it, from Prosecutor SiIzer
yesterday afternoon and was deter
mining few points of law when
the reporter arrived The prosecu-
tor was later informed by telephone
of his assistants findings. Mr.. Sill
zer was appointed for term of five
years, but the assistant is named
for term which expires at the
pleasure of the prosecutor Mr..
Stricken can be removed at any
time without cause. Assistant Pros
ecutor Russell E. Watson, who
served under the late Prosecutor
Theodore B. Booraem, presented
his resignation yesterday to the new
prosecutor.
Several cases were tried today by
Mr.. Stricken, representing the eoun-
ty, before Judge Peter F. DAILY, at
New Brunswick. The cases were of
minor Importance, but significant in
the fact that the new assistant Is
already "on the job" Mr.. Stricken
stated last night that he had never
before held q public office, and has
never been nominated to such
position. Several years ago he was
chairman of the Democratic County
Committee, which nominated Sena-
tor George S. Silzer and engineered
his successful campaign.