Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-28
FORMER COLLECTOR
STILL LOCKED UP
Bail for A. Howard Osborne, oil
BeIIeviIIe, Fixed at
$4,000.

Up to noon today no effort had been
made to get bail for A. Howard Os-
borne. former tax collector of Belle
vile. who was arrested late yester-
dav afternoon by County Detective
Sergeant Walter Godfrey >on a war
rant charging him with the theft of
81. 1850 while acting as tax collector
of Belleville.
Osborne went to jail last night
when bail of $4,000. fixed by Justice
of the Peace Michael J. Trescy, be-
fore whom the complaint was sworn
out by Chief of County Detectives
Frederick Weimer, was. not forthcom-
ing. This amount of bail was today
officially named by the prosecutors
office.
The arrest of Osborne follows long
investigation of an alleged shortage
in his office that crept out shortly
after January 2, 1912. when George
w. Staniar took possession of the Of
flee that Osborne had held for almost
twenty-five years. The matter was
a subject OF part of Chief Justice
Gummere's charge to the incoming
grand jury today and will be one of
the first matters to be considered by
that body
When the alleged shorta ge was dis
covered lIOWn LOUIS
table was put at work on the books.
After several months he reported to
the Town Council a shortage in the
sidewalk assessment account of about
$1,000. This sum was made good by
Mr.. Osborne under protest.
When the auditor took up-the books
in the general account he went back
about eighteen years and at the con-
clusion of his labors reported an al
legged shortage of approximately
$4,000. Town Attorney John De Graw
was instructed to take steps to re-
cover the money. Negotiations were
opened with the former collector s
bondsmen. When the matter was laid
before Prosecutor Hood he suggested
another audit.
One firm was engaged, but after
working only few days gave 1t up.
Another firm took it up. These ex-
perts went back only five years, only
three and a half of which were in Mr..
Osborne's term of office. This was
necessary, Mr.. De Graw explained to-
day, because in a criminal action they
would not be allowed to go any
further. When the town auditor went
over the books, he said, he covered
eighteen years, because the officials
hoped to recover the money by civil
process.
Mr.. Osbornes friends claim that the
alleged shortage was due to faulty
bookkeeping and carelessness in Of
flee methods. Mr.. Osborne had been
collector for about twenty-five years.
His father had held the Office before
him During Mr.. Osborne's incum-
bency his place of business in Main
street was visited by two floods and
a fire. He said that some of his books
were destroyed at these times.
Mr. Osborne has always borne a
good reputation. He was the Demo-
cratic leader of the town for many
years and enjoys the friendship of
many well-known men. Former
Judge Alfred f. Skinner, John H.
Eastwood, millionaire head of the
Eastwood factories in Belleville;
Percy Jackson, of New York; former
school commissioners in Belleville,
and director of the Firemen's Insur-
ance Company, this city, have been
friends of Mr.. Osborne since boyhood,
are still loyal to him and have every
confidence in his honesty He resides
at 211 Main street with his wife.