The Penn's Grove record., 1913-05-16
F|SCH CHARGES
OFFER OF BRIBE
Revenue Officer, UNFOLDING Jury
Reform, Challenges Accusation
DENIES He OFFERED JOB
Joseph C%avanaugh Admits He Is Fed
eral Official Mentioned and Demands
Written Statement-James r.
Nugent Sails for Europe.
Especial Trenton Correspondence. }

NOPSOAoA 4AOALOA lOoPoA0CACCsJ
Assemblyman S. L. Fsch's charge
that an attempt was made to bride him
to vote for President Wilson's jury re-
form bill failed to excite Newark. Je-
seph Cavanaugh, a deputy internal
revenue collector, frankly admitted
that he was the person alleged to have
made the offer, and challenged F1sch
to put his charges in writing.
Cavanaugh demanded that Fisch,
who was elected as a Progressive Dem
ocrat, explain what led him to go over
to the Smith-Nugent faction when the
jury reform bill became an issue. AS
semblyman Ftsch is a young lawyer.
So fatty did the charges fall that
James r. Nugent reconsidered his de-
cision to postpone his trip to Europe,
and left Newark for New York.
The alleged attempt to bride AS
semblyman Fisch was made at New
ark. He said q stranger came into his
Office and talked about the jury re-
form bill, then dropped the intimation
that there might be substantial rea-
sons for changing his vote.
Fisch told the story of the visit of
the person" who, he said, offered the
bride. He said: Il found a man wait
ing for me when l reached my office
Thursday afternoon. l later learned
that he had waited a half hour for me.
l did not know my caller, and as
came in he rose and said: I guess
you don't remember me-
Il said l did not, and he followed me
into my Office and closed the door. He
told mi what he had to talk about was
Of a confidential nature, then said to
me-: 4 am in a position to do some
thing for you and myself If you will
change your vote or stay away from
the session."
Mr.. Cayanaugh first laughed, then
grew indignant when asked about Mr..
F1sch's story.
Il defy Fisch to write out any
charge against me, and put his name
to it," he said. What is all this mys-
terry about? l was the man who went
to sse Fisch, and 1 also saw Assembly
man Louis Lewis. l appealed to both
to stand by the pledges of the party.
/ said that only twice in twenty years
had Essex County elected Democratic
Assemblymen, and that 1t would be a
disgrace if they betrayed the people.
What under heaven could l offer these
men?
"Fisch processes not to know me.
That alone Is sufficient to show how
thin this whole business is. Why, 1
have known him since he was a boy,
and my son and l worked hard on cleo
ton day to help him win"
Cavanaugh has been prominent in
Democratic politics in Newark for
years. His reward was appointment
to the position of deputy in the Inter
nal Revenue office. He admits that he
has no influence with the appointing
power and has had no conversation
with the President, Secretary Joseph
P. Tumulty, Governor Fielder or any
body else who could make promises of
political reward
81 am a Federal oficeholder," said
Cavanaugh, "but that does not deny
me the right to tell an Assemblyman
hat he ought to keep his pledges.
When l called on Fisch l had just re-
turned from Trenton, where, l visited
the Federal building, and 1 told AS
semblymen at the Capitol what 1 told
Fisch and Lewis, and l stand by all
said"
Prosecutor Hood, an a%ppointee of
Governor Wilson, said that If charges
Of bribery were made in writing he
would see that they were investigated.
But the statement Assemblyman
Fisch makes is intangible and very in
definite" the prosecutor added.
Assemblyman Lewis declined to be
drawn into the affair. He said that
the party promises. Mr.. Lewis assist
ant was present at this interview and
confirms what Cavanaugh said. AS
semblyman Mcguire kept out Of the
city.
The Bureau of Statistics, of which
George c. Low is chief, has nearly
completed its annual v of the
factories and workshops of the State,
which will, when finished, and the
data t%abulated, show existing condi-
tons and the general trend of industry
for the year 1912. Up to the present
time approximately 80 per cent. of the
manufacturing establishments have
filed their reports, and all are required
to be in not later than June 1.
With something less than 10 per
cent. of the total number of manufac-
turers in the State still to hear from,