Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-02-10
CONF Err ON VOTE
At ROOSEVELT
AssembIyman Peterson Issues
Statement in Case, Follow
ing Hearing of Delegation
SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION
Hints That Matter Will be
Taken Up With Legislators
Several Instances Cited

Assemblyman Edward J. Peter
son was waited upon last night by
delegation from Roosevelt with
the request that steps be taken to
carry on an investigation by the
state legislative committee in to the
school election held in that borough
on Tuesday. 1t is the claim of
these dissatisfied voters that one of
the men elected Tuesday is not elig-
ible to serve on the board because
he has not been a resident in Roose-
welt sufficiently long and another
claim is to the effect that a second
member cannot serve on the board.
he now being a resident in Detroit.
The following statement regard
ing the case was given out by AS
semblymaf. Peterson today:
"At a conference of the support
ers of the candidates defeated by
the administration forces in the an
nual school election at Roosevelt
Tuesday and Assemblyman Edward
J. Peterson held in this city last
night. plans of contesting the results
by court action were discussed in
an effort to seat at least two MEM
bers of the opposition ticket unless
the entire election is declared void.
as the result of court decision. 1t
was also arranged to call the atten-
tion of the manner in which the
election was conducted to the atten-
tion of the joint legislative investi-
eating committee appointed on
Tuesday by Senator Collins B. Allen
of Salem county, president of the
senate, and Assemblyman George 5.
Hobart of Essex county. speaker of
the House. 1t was planned to take
L los In that the
| Roosevelt matter may be listed for
attention as soon as the work of
probing conditions in Hudson
county has been completed.
THE. nti-administration forces
made it plain that the game will be
played openly and with all of the
cards on the table. The chairman
of the Roosevelt board will. through
its secretary be notified in regard
to every move made by the hackers
of the defeated candidates. The
latter forces contend that Charles A.
Phillips. who received but 246 votes.
or 354 less than his opponent. Har-
ry Morecraft. is legally elected, In
asmuch as the law states that a
member shall have been a resident
of the school district for at least
three years Immediately preceding
his or her election to the school
board and claim that in June. 1918.
Mr.. Morecraft sold his residence in
the borough and moved to Railway,
where he resided until the latter
part of the said year. when he re-
turned to the borough after an alb
sence of about six months during
which time he resided on Jacques
avenue. in Railway. and would have
been ineligible to vote in the Dor
ough of Roosevelt had he so desired.
1.-The administration opponents
also claim that William H. Wailing
who received 244 votes in the con
est is duly elected to fill the vacancy
of Sam Shapiro. whom the admins
| tration forces still regard as men,
ber in spite of the fact that he il
| located in business in Detroit Tor the
past seven months md has stated
! in writing that il is not his inten-
| fion to again return to the borough.
His statement is in the hands of he
"antis" and was used by Assem- bly,
man Peterson in his effort to have
Assistant State Commissioner OF I'd
| ncation Enright declare the Office
/ vacant which proved unsuccessful
| for the reason that offices must be
/ declared vacant by the board and
owing to the short time between the
filing OF Peterson's complaint and
| the date set by law for election 1t
would have been impossible to prop-
erly advertise the vacancy"
When questioned as TO the extent
of his interest in the affairs of the
recent election at Roosevelt, Assem-
blynlan Peterson said;
For a number of years l have
heard of the manner in which school
| elections have been conducted in the
Borough of Roosevelt. | had always
been of the opinion that it was i'm
possible to play politics in connec-
ton with such matters but when a
committee of citizens from the bor-
ough, most of whom were unknown
to me. requested a meeting with the
Middlesex county assemblymen sew
eral weeks ago and stated the con-
ditions and practices in connection
with the annual election . felt.
owing to the fact that / resided
nearer to Roosevelt than the other
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