Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-05-09
S 8 5 D D 0 ITEM.
.|SMENT|ONEDBY
STATE ATTORNEY
No Names Brought Into Case,
HoWever-AIonzo Nc
DoWelI on Stand
"CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL"
Declares That $35, 900 Given
Was for Other Favors
Done for Company
"CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL"

Another attempt was made by
Judge William Newcorn, appearing
for the State Highway Commission
In the Donnell Lumber Company
land condemnation proceedings,
which are underway at the city hall
today, to bring in some of the facts
in connection with the former hear
ing of the Donnell conn rany. which
resulted in the land being turned
back to the company and the money
received being given back to the
state as the result of the purchase
of the land by the ousted highway
commission.
Although no names were mention
ed in the testimony Judge Newcorn
referred to a certain Individual, in
his cross-examination of Alonzo Nc
Dowell. who had received $4,000
from the Donnell interests after the
state had purchased the land for
$230,000. Mr.. Mcdowell in spite of
many questions asked by Judge
Newcorn, maintained that although
certain individual did receive the
sum of $4,000 soon after this
amount was received from the state,
declared that it was for other favors
rendered, such as getting shipments
of lumber, and not for efforts put
forth in getting the state to pur-
chase the Donnell land.
Under continued questioning Mr..
Mcdowell declared that although the
company valuer the land at 100000
they sold it to the state for the
$230,000 rather than go through
condemnation proceedings. He con-
tended that it was the intention of
the company, when the tract along
the river was purchased, to sell the
Jefferson street property and do all
the business on the other tract. The
reason this had not been done, he
said, was because the state wanted
the land for the bridge. Answering
Judge Newcorn's question, Mr.. Nc
Dowell stated the profits of the firm
for 1918 were $45,O00; 1919. they
were $4,000. He could not give
the profits for 1920.
Schenck S. Thompson, a contrac-
tor of Red Bank, who is employed in
dock work, bridge and road building
was placed on the stand by the state.
Mr.. Thompson testified that the cost
of rebuilding the present dock on
the Donnell property would be ST.
500, and estimated the worth of the
present dock to be $4,000. He main
tanned that 1t needs considerable re-
pairs. He said he Is willing to sign
a contract for the rebuilding of the
dock for $500 at the present time.
w. J. Donne1l was the first witness
at this mornings session. He was
questioned as to the use of the land,
the building of a dock, bulkheads
and roads. The testimony was the
continuation of one taken at the
previous hearing.
Alonzo P. Mcdowell, president of
the Donnell Lumber Company, was
the next witness. He told of incor-
porating the company its operation
FOR. the last few years and the pur-
chase of the land under litigation.
Questioned by Attorney English as
to the possibility VI placing
switch on the property for railroad
purposes, Mcdowell said that the
company had paid already $1,682
for a switch and that Larson & Fox,
architects have surveyed the land
and prepared maps for sidings. the
maps and engineers documents were
presented for evidence.
The witness told the Investigators
that the company has made every
effort to purchase a piece of land
from the c. Pardee Company, but
the latter had refu.sd to entertain
Continued on page A.