Perth Amboy evening news., 1923-05-29
TRY TO SHOW BURTON GOT
CANNON BOND COUPONS
CONTINUED from page y

ney general this SoU,OUN
bond matter up before the investi'
gators would indicate that he wa:
trying to show that that amount
also had been paid out by the Don
nell people for Influence or some
other which made the alb
sence of clear records of the trans
actions with reference to these bonds
very desirable.
The absence of George l.. Bur
ton, of South River, chairman of the
ousted highway commission, from
yesterdays hearing was pointed out
by McCran, who reiterated his state
ment that the ousted head of the
commission would be given ar
opportunity to be heard and thai
the attorney general would BIZ
pleased to have Mr.. Burton take the
stand tomorrow" Whether or not
Burton will appear voluntarily to-
day is problematical. He made the
assertion last week that we would
appear at the hearing, whether sub
poenaed or not, and testify, explain
ing his actions. He was generally
expected yesterday but failed to ap-
pear, although all of the other ex-
commissioners who had not testified
were on hand and willing to take
Lii0 StdlAo IoaA ~ lAN91 a. 49,
take the stand and testified volun-
tarily without being subpoenaed.
The former commissioners, in tes-
! tifying, declared they were guided
by Burton's suggestion that the land
be bought for $230,000 as they had
| the greatest confidence in his rec
concentrations in that he was the
resident commission in this case and
was we'll acquainted with all of the
details in it. John Ferris, of Jer-
sey City, commissioner at the time
the property was bought, but who
resigned later, declared in his tes-
ltimony that the always had and still
has full confidence in Mr.. Burton"
This statement stirred the attorney
general, who made his assertions
that Burton had tricked the other
| commissioners by failing to tel
them the truth and misrepresenting
matters.
ut appears as though we were
misled," Ferris declared after the
attorney general had read from the
minutes and produced letters and
papers in proof of his charges.
"Can you still say you have full
confidence in Burton after knowing
all of these things?" McCran asked.
| NO, was LL0 Ieplys
The practice of having each oil
the eight highway commissioners act
as a resident commissioner and be
responsible for work done in his
particular section of the state was
declared by the attorney general to
! be illegal. 1.-THE highway commits
sioners are appointed to represen,
the entire state and not n parrl.
cular sectiony' McCran said, land
all are liable for the acts of Dh an
dividual in recommending that a
certain work be done"
In reply to questions asked by
the attorney general the former
commissioners testified that it had
always been the practice of having
the right of way engineer secure
~appraisals of land which the board
considered buying. They we're I'M
able to recall having heard Engin-
eer Meeker make his report showing
the land to be worth $4,000 ar
acre, or a total OF 100000.
Following the purchase of the
Donnell tract, McCran said, a reso-
luton was adopted making it pos
sible for the resident commissioner
to secure these appraisements in
stead of the right of way engineer.
~ JOA hhOW why ILLS CSOldllOi
was passed." McCran asked Ferris
The attorney general then answered
his own question, saying:
Because Mr.. Burton did not like
having the right of way department
securing these appraisals." He then
pointed out that the right of way
departments appraisals on the DON
nell property were $140,0 900 less than
those secured by the Donnell Com
pany and turned over to Burton to
present to the board.
Charles V. Duffy, OF Paterson, one
of the ousted commissioners, was
the first commissioner to voluntarily
take the stand at yesterday after
moons session. He said that he voted
in favor of the purchase of the
property as he had been told by
Burton and he belived, together with
the other commissioners, that il
would be good usiness as it would
mean a saving to the state of $780,
600 If the land was acquired.
The land not actually used for
the approach could have been rent
ed for $4,000 a year for three years
to the contractor doing the work
Duffy said, according to his under
standing and the land not needed
for the bridge could later be sold
at a good price. Duffy said he re-
membered voting to condemn the
property but did not know why this
was never done. He said he did moi
know that either Boynton Brother:
e. Company or Charles Steuerwal6
had appraised the land at 100000
Nothing was said about the value
of the property al the meeting wher
it was decided to purchase, the
/ -vSN1.a-- -~sl zyI H. Ala Tnf ITa nv
what the Donnell concern wanted fol
the property.
Asked whether he had seen either
the Perth Amboy Trust Company
or Fraser Brothers a~ppraisals, Duff
fly answered: NO"
did you know these statement
were falsely reported to you by Mr.
Burton?" The witness again replied
in the negative, adding that Burton
had told the board that he (Burton.
had secured the two appraisals. Thu
witness said he did not know they
had been secured by the Donnel
| concern.
Duffy said he did not know thai
any political influence had been used
to have the state pay $230,00O for
the land. He denied that anyone
had approached him along these
lines.
HIVE you seen the property sine!
its purchase ?" he was asked.
No, and I don't want to-" was the
quick reply.
On the day the commission met
at the, New Packer House in Perth
Amboy prior to inspecting the land
Duffy said he was too late for tn.
dinner and meeting in the hotel. but
met the others outside the building
and accompanied them to the site OF
l thu hridnn annnnnnh