Perth Amboy evening news., 1918-10-29
COUNCIL PLANS
DISASTER PROBE
Special Committee Tells of Ef-
fort Made to Block Its Work
of Investigation

Continued from page II
] Lyon explained. but he used words o.
similar import. He said the commit
tee was unpstriotic and was hamper
ing the government, etc. No one wa
exempted and his ann of express
ing himself. Judge Lyon declared, wa
insulting to the committee.
He went beyond all bounds" Judg
Lyon continued, "and only the cour'
tesy OF the members who a there
and took the abuse prevented NOR
strenuous measures in making q re
ply. After over and over again telint
us what a mistake we had made anc
what he thought of our patriotism, M
left the meeting"
Judge Lyon then called upon tbs
mayor, Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Griswold 70
pear out what he had reported.
Perfectly correct" was h com
ment of the mayor.
"It is q very moderate statement
was Mr.. Cox's opinion.
"T would like to add" said Mr.
GriswoId. that the resolution as read
at the Board of Trade meeting was
read to Mr.. Ramsay and he offered no
objection at hat time"
East Jersey Club Session.
Continuing the history of the SEES
sions Of the special committee. Judge
Lyon called upon Mr.. Cox to tell about
the session held at the East Jersey
Club last Wednesday. Mr.. o said
that at about ten minutes past ;
o'clock that afternoon he was called
on the telephone by Mr.. Ramsay and
asked to attend a meeting at 2:3C
o'clock at which representatives of the
government and the Gillespie concern
would be present as would also the
mayors of Perth and South Amboy
and other citizens.
Knowing that the committee had
been severely condemned by Mr..
Ramsay, 1 couldn't quite understand
this sudden call by the man who was
the exponent of m who was moro
interested in the Gillespie company
than he was about ourselves" said
Mr.. Cox. But when l found that the
mayor and others had likewise been
hastily summoned and were going to
attend, / also attended"
Mr.. Cox then told of the meeting at
which Col. Ralph Cruise, of the Ord
nance Department, and 7. A. Gillespie
himself were present, an account of
which mas already been published In
the EVENING NEWS.
THE impression gained by most of
U.S. said Mr.. Cox, was that this
meeting was intended either to gloss
this thing over; to learn what infor-
nation we had. or by some improper
ann not to carry out the Feelings
of the people of Perth Amboy."
When Mr.. Cox had finished Mr..
Griswold said that Mr.. Cox had x
pressed his sentiments ey2c.S, and
Judge Lyon augmented Nj. Cox's
statement with a few remarks show
ing hat his impression was similar
to that of Mr.. Cox and Mr.. Griswold.
Special Meeting of Trade Boa
Albert Leon was nex called upon
to tell about a special meeting OF the
Board of Directors of the Board Of
Trade that had been called and at
which an effort apparently was made
to rescind the action taken at the
meeting held at the East Jersey Club
when the resolutions adopted by the
Council of Defense were endorsed.
Mr.. Leon said the question was first
at the East Jersey Club a legal or
not; whether the roll was called and
whether the action taken had any ac-
tual standing. 1t W a finally agreed
that the meeting was duly called at
President Madsen's request and that
the action had been properly taken.
Mr.. Madsen asked for a copy of
the resolution n Mr. Ramsay pro-
duced one. referring to 1t as a classic,
according to Mr.. Leon. Mr.. Leon
went on to say that at the meeting
Mr.. Dubois raised some questions as
to the action the directors were taxi
ing and the effort to rescind the prev
ious action of the board was referred
t as high-handed.
According to Mr.. Leon, and he was
backed by Mr. Dubois in his conten-
ton. it was plainly the purpose of the
special meeting of the Board of Traae
sey Club. but that SO many of the
directors stood by the resolutions as
already adopted that the purpose die
not succeed.
Following tshis report Judge Igor
stated that be, together with the
mayor, had been in communication
with Senator Frelinghuysens who de-
clared hat his resolution for an in
vestigation had passed the senate anC
a committee had been named; tina
the a committee woul request {
survey by some insurance agency as tt
the amount of h explosives in thi!
entire vicinity. The committee worls
then call witnesses. after which II wa,
proposed to go over the whole matter
with a fine tooth comb.
Judge Lyon then read a statemen
that he had prepared as an outline o
some of the things to be brought I,
the attention of the investigators.
Mayor Urges Thorough Probe.
Followin the reading of Judg.
Lyons statement Mayor TenBroecl
addressed the council urging the pros
ecution of the Investigation with the
utmost vigor. mot only Is the live:
and the property loss to be consid-
ered." he said. but the shock to the
women n children has been mos
severe. A recurrence of the affair
would be a great loss to this section
/ place the shock to h women and
children next to the lives lost. The
government can reimburse the people
for property loss. but the loss of lives
and the serious condition of the peo-
pie due to shock cannot be settled fol-
In dollars and cents.
"I might add" continued the mayor
that Prosecutor Stricken and myself
have been in consultation with Mayor