Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-01-28
Democrats Vote Down Read S
Resolution to Request Res
ignation by II to s.
MORRIS SENATOR MAKES
ELOQUENT PLEA FOR SELF
Denounces One of His Accusers
as "Drunkard," the Other
as Liar"
frrom a stan correspondent

fFrom a staff Correspondent'le
TRENTON, n. J., Jan. 2S.-Richard
Fitzherbert. senator from Morris
county. retains his seat in the upper
3 House of the New Jersey Legisla-
ture
The Democratic members or the
Senate voted as a unit last night
against a resolution introduced py
Senator Read, of Camden county, re-
questing the resignation of Fitzher-
bert, who has been more or less I'M
der a cloud since he was charged last
wear with being offered money TO
kill bills of his own which would have
prevented the use of acetylene gas on
locomotives and railroad cars.
A debate of an hour. during which
Fitzherbert made a heated speech IN
his own defense, preceded the taxing
OF a vote on his dismissal. When the
vote was called for Senator Read s
resolution was lost by IL to 8. Every
Democratic senator. with the excep-
ton Of Fitzherhert himself, who asked
to be excused. voted against the Read
resolution.
Fitzherbert jumped to his feet al
most as soon as Senator Read had
placed his resolution before the
House.
Saws "Dirty Politics Inspired Act"
The charges against him, he de-
clared, had their conception in dirty
politics." Neither of the men who
accused him, he said, was a resident
Of the State, and as for either being
credible, one, he said, was a drunk
ard. the other a "damnable liar" He
charged that the Republican senator's
had entered his county in the fight
against him and there had attempted
to procure perjured evidence. He
said that he could produce the ennis
saries of his political enemies any
time his word was questioned,
As to the charge that he had sought
!, make the Morris canal bill profit
able to himself, he said the evidence
on that accusation was so tlimsy
that it was scarcely even invcsti-
gated.
The galleries of the Senate were
crowded while the debate was going
on. for rumors had been sprinkled
about the State House that the res
senator was TO be submitted.
Senator Read. offering the resolu-
ton, said that he had voted against
Fitzherbert on the testimony of
newspaper reporter who told of adj
missions made by Fitzherbert him
self at the hearing on the acetylene
gas bills.
Democratic Leader Denies Statement.
Senator Davis, Democratic leader.
denied statement in the resolution
of Senator Read that Fitzherbert had
been found guilty a year ago and
that the Democratic minority had
afterward sent a letter to the ac-
cused senator asking him to resign
because ''his usefulness as senator
was at an end.
Mr. Davis said that Fitzherbert had
been given a full and fair trial be-
fore the Senate. Attorney General
Wilson had conducted the case
against him, said Mr.. Davis, and
when vote was taken there was
not the two-thirds majority aeces-
sary to expel Mr. FitZherbert Eleven
Republicans voted guilty and ten
Democrats not guilty. Later, the
speaker said, the matter was sub
mitted to the Mercer county grand
Jury, which failed to find an indict-
ment. He said he saw no reason
why the matter should be brought
up again.
He thought, also, the resolution I'M
fair to the six new Senators, who
knew nothing of last winters testi-
mony. except as to scraps read by
Mr.. Read as to what Mr.. Underhill
had testified to. AS to the letter
written to Mr.. Fitzherbert by his
Democratic colleagues last year ask
ing him TO resign. Mr.. Davis said this
had nothing to do with Senator Fitz-
herbert's guilt. but because he had
gone home after the trial and ap-
parently surrendered his seat. from
that day to this there had not been
any demand from Morris County for
Mr.. Fitzherbert's resignation, and
this Mr. Davis gave as another rea-
son why Mr. Reads resolution should
not be adopted.