Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-04
CONNELLY FAIR
IN. HIS DEALINGS,
SAYS SFETT|NGER
Handling of Election Petition
Was Impartial, Commission
Rule Leader Admits.
7RRoR IN NOT CONSULTING
CITY CLERK is CONCEDED
Ninety Out of 2ee Signatures
Inspected Yesterday Re-
! ceive Endorsement.
2RRoR IN NOT CONSULTING
CITY CLERK is CONCEDED

II the course of statement today
by Theodore s. Fettinger, secretary
Of the Commission Government
League he admits that City Clerk
James F. Connolly has acted impair
tally in, the proceedings incident to
the Offering of the leagues petition
for special election.
The Fettinger declaratio was made
Ia reply to Mr.. Connelly's charge that
the Commission Leagues leaders act
ed in an uniformed manner in pre-
pairing the election petition for filing
at the city clerks office.
Mr.. Fettinger declared the league
was guided by the acts of other COM
mission government leagues through
out New Jersey, and proceeded as
any such organization would have
done under the circumstances.
City Clerk Connelly's criticism of
the leagues work was made before
members of the finance committee of
the Common Council in presenting a
bilI of SAT- as part of the expenses
l1Hurred through the work of inves-
ngating the petition Before present
7 ing the bill City Clerk Connolly said:
This expense has largely been in
CURED as a result of inefficiency and
those connected with the preparation
of the petition"
Mr.. Fettinger said to-day the plan
adopted by the league in preparing
the petition was the one that would
have been used by any organization
under the circumstances.
I'VE could not verify signatures
that came into us with signatures on
the poll-books. for the reason that
we did not have access to the poll
books. They were in the hands of
the city clerk. He says now he would
have guided us had we consulted him
about it. and thus saved the city ad-
ditional expense.
ut certainly has not been our de-
sire to cause any more expense than
is entirely necessary. But we be-
lieyed, and had reason for believing,
that the city clerk was opposed to
commission government.
Under those circumstances we
could no. . him for advice. We
know nov, course, that it is his
desire to ,be i.lirs But we didn't know
1t then" Mr.. Fettinger concluded
The temporary clerks at work on
the petition yesterday considered 266
names. or this number ninety were
approved and 176 set aside for de-
cision by the signature experts who
have been at work on the comparisons
this week. Just how many of the 176
names will be rejected by the sigma
ture men is problematical.
Taking for a basis the percentage
of "doubtfur' signatures that were re-
iected by the signature experts at for
mer sessions, there is reason in some
quarters for the belief that the final
result of the investigation will be that
no election will be called because of
the insufficiency of the petition.
On the other hand, representatives
of the Commission Government
League declare in positive tones that
there is no doubt about the result of
the investigation. They insist that
they have sufficient names, and de-
clare time will prove 1T.
Just wait and see," said one of
them today in a manner that indi-
Gated he was cock-sure of his ground.
The signature experts did not con-
slider at their session last night any
signatures set aside during the day
by the temporary clerks. Their work
consisted principally in looking over
the original petitions with a view of
noting similarity in handwriting.
They are said to have found several
petitions containing signatures, all Of
which were in the handwriting of
one person, they believe. 1t could
not be learned today whether or not
any legal action concerning such al
legged forgeries would be taken.