The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-23
THE JERSEY CITY FRAuDa
Fifth Day Of tho Trial-The Police commimlon
ers on the stand-Letting tho Cat Out Of the
Bsg-A Donnybrook System Of PAYING
Away the Public Money Edmondson
and the senate-Ths Defence Closed

| "Dld you not know that you had no right to loan
| the peoples money In this mannerT WA
"No; the charter does mol guide us In the matter;
we have no rule for the payment of salaries except
| that OF convenience; no reductions were made up
TO the middle OF February, yet signed the cnecks;
took no legal advice as to the right 10 make the
advances; the sum OF So 300 was received from tho
men ana paid to me BY Inspector Dickson; no
names were given Of the parties who paid the
money; asked Mr.. Dickson n all had paid.n
Police Commissioner Edmondson was then ex-
amined. According to his testimony he was tho
prime mover in the scneme to be very liberal with
| other peoples money. He pressed the matter OF
giving an advance to ten captains upon the Com
missi0ners. He was proceeding TO introduce poll
tics into his evidence waen ne was checked BY his
counsel. lie said he thought he had right TO make
the advance rakr Easstaff
"Have you ever received any money In connec.
ton with your Ofice except for saiaryr'
"No.n
In his cross-examination by Mr.. Stout he adj
mitted that ne had promised in conversation with
Captain Van Ripper to 60 to the Legislature and try
to get 5000 year added to the pay OF Captains
"and fulfilled my PROMISE"
"And you failed?"
III don't know about that yet; the vote Is to be 70
considered"
Court-Never mind about that.
Qhis reference the bill to increase the pay or
police CopLalnS In Jersey IL Was uclcdcu Ia
the Senate on Thursday. and that body WILL OF
course make an apology for their inexcusable con-
Cross. examination ConIlnuea. Il received some Of
the money contributed oy the men for political pur-
pOses ana not take any particular interest III raising
money for election purposes last TALL
'Did you get power OF attorney from Mr.. Acton.
the Assessor to collect money for political pur-
That's nv business.n gs oi
| The Court ruled the question out OF order.
Chief OF Police McWIllIams then testified to the
orders he received from President Pricnard, to ad-
vance the salary of the captains and mis- own. Gle
| was shown the check signed "JameJ Parker"
| which Captain Parker said ne did not endorse.l
advanced Mr.. Parker the money on tnat check and
| retained the cheek on the next pay day l signed
the Captains receipt according TO MS instructions.
captain Parker swOre that he authorized no person
to afiix his name 10 the cneckl Inc matter OF the
| men paying money Tor political purposes was en-
glneered py me; offlcer Williams was not dismissed
because ne refused to pay the assessment; he re-
sgned never received airy money IN connection
with the Police Department except my salary.
| Cr0sseXamined by the District Att0rney-Don't
know that 1t is rare thing Tor commissioners to
advance salaries: never heard OF its heing done;
Mr.. Pricnard ordered me to reduc the salaries Of
the captains; 1t verbal order; did not OBEY II;
got another order and ala not obey 1t; got
Third and fourth order and obeyed the
la,ter that was March Il ne tod the Inspector 10
take OF portion eacn pay day; did not intend to
do anything wrong in not oleying the order TO re-
| duce; am not In The habit OF dis0beying ORDERS;
acted as did through misunderstanding; decline
| to answer whether set up my opinion against my
superior oricer; the captains complained about
needing tho advance; an arrangement was made
| by the Commissioners With tailor 10 furnish uni
l0rms; the captains had to nave three suits
Of clothes; made the arrangements about paying for
edge increased by their contribution; don't know
what they did with the advance; suggested tnat the
ana ad Pc %as @ s
Inspector by the charter, but was ordered to pay
GS per ser ore aa wnE and
thirty men on the pay roll; the charter gives power
put n p9 Knows Know wy eS were
don't know OF any during October; don't know
ANYTHING about the smallpox being prevalent:
|
Inc Court decided that this line of examination
| was out OF order.
Uross.examlnation continued Don't know how
much mon was contributed by the men; no men
were removed from one precinct to another because
they would not pay their assessments; don't know
whether Williamson paid MS assessment or not,
| nor did l care; don't know anything about 1t;
special patrolmen were put on because some or the
precincts were too large
O. Did you send any policemen to ma out now
the jury stood III regard TO this lralS
The Court overruled the question.
Police Commissioner Thomas A. Gross was
examined, but there was nothing new Ia mis- tes-
timvny.
In his cr0ss-eXamnatiOn by Mr.. Stout ne stated
that he mad a conversation with Captain Parker
about an advance III the latter's salary; said the
matter would be very PROBABLY renedled py the
next Legislature; had conversation with Com
sioners nad conversation about the increase ex-
cept the Mayor; the Health lns pectors salary was
Inspector Inspector was doing more work than ne was paid
for; 1t was UNDERSTOOD then that he Was to come
ulluer the arrangement Win CdptdIuS, 10 nave
something advanced to him; nothing was said
about Inspector Dickson's salary, as ne was looked
but did not examine all the details; 1t was mpos.
slble to look into every little thing.
No answer. ';At the meeting about the LIST Of
| February l endorsed the pay rolls though the re.
ductlons mad not been made; the pay rolls for the
first meeting IN February Qhe Sd OF the month";;
the men had already been pala signed the pay
although the reductions had not Deen made; when
found the reductions mad been made at last said,
AT last you're coming or something 10 that effect"
Court-When you consented to have the advance
made did you get anything from the men to show
III did not; left 1t all with the President"
isaiah Hutton, another Police Commissioner,
1t went. was corroooraton or that already
gwen. Mr.. Hutton, who Is IN a very deli.
the mysteries OF tile Ring tnan any OF MS associates
In answer 10 the question whether he mad ever re-
ceived any money except his salary In connection
with the Police department, he answered very ear
ncstly and emphatically, ''Not cent? 1t would
Chamber meetings OF the Commissioners; for, in his
cross.examlnation. he stated that he never heard
the conversation ABOUT going TO the legislature
'.Never, TIL heard it IN this Court Housen
Mr. Albeit announced that the defence rested.
asked him whether the men are paid before the pay
rolls are ordered paid to which arepy In the amir
for the stale Mr.. Prchard tried to explain, bus
the Court decided that Il he had nothing new TO
ne sS h,s ms lie sre
ard felt quite uncomfortable at this accidental ais
covery OF q very peculiar method 0i transacting
business. Pay first and ascertain the correctness
afterwards Il system that had q parallel only IN
Donnybrook, where rolicking youth would smash
skull with O snllalah, and then inquire wnether
| he had struck the right man.
When the counsel Tor the defence announced that
they had closed their case Judge Bedle sad-ln the
summing mp oil this case counsel are aware OF tho
rule or the Supreme Court allowing TWO hours to
each side, to be divided as they deem best. II the
counsel either side desire 1t That rule win be
Taxed, but the agreement must be made before the
| summing up IS commenced The Court Will now
adjourn till Monday morning, at ten O'CLOCK.
| 1t was precisely hali-past three when the Court
adjourned. ruafe tre