The Monmouth inquirer., 1925-06-04
New Jersey Investigator Explains
to Bright Committee Work of
Operatives in Two Capacities.
COURTS CHANGE TERM PLAN
Federal Department Of Commerce
Announces Gratifying Increase in
New Jersey Manufactures-sIl
Endorses jefferson Campaign.

Trenton.--After hearing from Will
liam c. Mullins, of Paterson, chief in
vestigator for the State Department
Of Institutions and Agencies, of his
activities in obtaining information
wanted by Commissioner Burdette G.
Lewis, the Bright Investigating Com
mittee sent for Mr.. Lewis. Word came
back, however, that he was in Chica-
go. Then the committee sent for his
private secretary, Miss Agnes Mulrey,
but word came back that she was on
weeks vacation.
Mullins testified that Operatives i, 2
and 3, who were nameless on the Civil
Service payroll, were varied from time
| to time and were often employees of
the State institutions who were paid
by him to get information wanted by
Lewis. Sometimes women were en-
ployed as spoilers and on other occa-
sions men were hired, the witness tes-
titled.
Senator Simpson asked If in such in
stances these employees, already on
the State payroll, were paid second
time by the State. Mullins admitted
that they were.
Tells Of Espionage
That the Institutions Department ex-
ercises an espionage system through
which it delves into the various county
institutions such as jails and work
houses, was also revealed in Mullins's
examination.
Assemblyman Loutrel asked II the
Department of Institutions and Agen-
cies had the power to go over the
heads of Boards of Freeholders in the
several counties to investigate county
institutions The witness replied that
hs did not know whether the depart
ment had right to do it, but said that
1t was DONE
Senator Simpson assured Mr.. Lowell
that the institutions department could
do this very thing through bill which
the department had lobbed through the
Legislature. Mr.. Loutrel said he be-
lieved 1t was a serious situation when
an appointive board like the State
Board of Control could go into a coun-
tv and in effect supersede Boards OF
Freeholders, who were the duly elect
ed representatives of the people,
Senator Simpson explained to Mr..
Loutrel that the institutions depart
ment had taken advantage Of this law
to send Investigators into at least one
county Jail and ask the inmates If they
we're getting. for example, the proper
amount Of stewed peaches, shower
baths and similar delicacies.
Mullins testified that he had gone
into Essex county and had Investigate
ed conditions in the county jail there,
While he was reluctant to admit that
he had ever investigated the members
of the Board Of Freeholders in Essex.
the witness did say that he found out
what committees the different free
holders were placed on"
He told of the investigation he had
made at the Essex Jail and said that
from outside sources he had heard that
it was being run by cliques and that
Warden Hosp was being ignored. One
of the ten reports made by Mullins and
now in the possession Of the commit
tee had to do with the Jail inyestiga-
ton. In it Mullins referred to Warden
Hosp as a "figurehead" and reported
that he was weak-minded and without
backbone. Another report made by
Mullins had to do with alleged boot
Logging at the Morris Plains State Hos
pital
Senator Simpson wanted to know if
Mullins had been able to curb the
bootlegging at Morris Plains, and the
witness replied: For a WHILE" but
added that it would take 500 men to
stop It entirely. According to the re-
port read to the committee, grapes are
raised on State property at Morris
Plains and some Of the resultant prod
uct eventually finds its way to some
members of the institutional staff
there.
Senator Simpson asked Mullins If he
Lewis regarding testimony he was to
give before the Bright committee, and
the witness admitted that he had
talked things over with the Commits
sioner.
Court Terms Changed
Four terms OF the Court Of Errors
and Appeals each year have been
found impractical, it was announced
by Chancellor Walker, who said that
the court would return to the former
practice of three terms a year. The
four-term plan was adopted about
year ago.
Hereafter, said the chancellor, court
will convene February, May and DC
tober. The February term win open
the first Tuesday Of that month. and
the May and October terms win be
opened on the third Tuesday.
Conforming with the change Of the
Errors Court schedule. Chief Justice
Gummere announced that terms Of
the Supreme Court also would be re-
arranged and reduced from four 70
three. In the future the Supreme
Court will convene in January, May