The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-27
MRS. jones HAS FLED
Why Did Captain Smith Be-
come Responsible for
Her, and Then Per-
nit Her Escape?
A WOMAN WITH A RECORD,
Her House Is Locked Up Now, but
the Police Say They Have Sue
ceeded in Locating Her.

1t is now more than a week since Police
Captain Christopher P. Smith was
directed by Police Justice Stilsing to pro-
duce Mrs. Jones. in whose house George
Fenton, New York sport, was robbed Of
his valuable gold watch and his money.
She has not yet been delivered up to the
Court. A week ago today Captain Smith
informed the Court that Mrs. Jones was
i'll at home, and asked that she Be given
till last Monday to appear. Last Monday
she was not present in court, nor has
Captain Smith since produced her. a
colored woman, who was found In charge
of her children and her home by JERSEY
CITY NEWS reporter, informed him that
at the very time Captain Christopher p.
Smith declared that the woman was sick
at home, she was not at home at all-that
she had left the day before and had not
been back.
HER HOUSE LOCKED UP.
The reason why Mrs Jones is not in the
cells is that Captain Smith, having Sc
cured her release on his promise to pro-
duce her, allowed her to escape. When
her house was visited last evening it was
found locked and barred, and no one
there knew anything as to her where
abouts. Chief of Police Murphy says
that she is without the Jurisdiction of the
court; that she cannot be extradited for
keeping O disorderly house, which is q
mere misdemeanor, but that the police
are keeping their eyes upon her in tho
hope of finally bringing her to justice.
did Captain Smith know the woman
before her arrest?' | asked of the Chief.
No" he replied, 'he had known moth
ing about her"
aWhy, then, the personal interest in
her that prompted him to become re-
sponsible for her appearance in court?n
well, suppose he thought the case he
had against her was a slim one."
rs it slim case, when woman keeps
q panel house into which men are in
weighed by women of bad repute and
robbed?"
The Chief answered this question as
satisfactorily as the circumstances would
permit. He did not believe that Mrs.
Jones had connived at the robbery.
SMITH EXTREMELY NoN-CoSIdITTAL.
When l sought Captain Christopher P.
Smith for explanations, found him in an
awfully unamiable frame of mind
Where's Mrs. Jones, Captainf" I
asked.
go around and find out" was his curt
reply; pE;,+ t,o,.,. - ~. +,.,. "a ! 80.
get in, assured him.
WELL" he grunted, that isn't the
only place you can't get into.n
Talking among the police captains this
morning, l learned that it is not usual
for them to make themselves responsible
for the appearance of a prisoner in court
unless the offence is light, and they know
him or her so well that they feel no fear
of their escaping. They never take the
risk with people they do not know, and
they are at a loss to understand what per-
sonal interest in Mrs. Jones can have
prompted Captain Smith TO stand sponsor
for this woman.
''If the Court were to let prisoner 90
upon your responsibility, asked one OF
the captains this morning, what steps
would you take to produce him or her
when wanted?"
81 should say to the Court" was the re-
sponse, THAT I'd take no responsibility;
that ii / was required to produce pris-
oner at given time l would lock him up
till the hour for his appearance arrived"
"Why didn't Captain Smith do that
with this woman Jones?" pursued
For reply the captain drew his
shoulders up to his ears.
SHE HAD A RECORD.
Mrs. Jones is not unknown to police
fame. 1t has been an open secret among
them for some time past that her house
was the resort of shady people. She came
to town from Union Hill, and lived once
at the corner of Van Worst and York
streets. She is said to have been straight
enough then, but she had a sister with her
who made living by playing the school
girl racket" This consists of masquerade
ing in short dresses with school book on
the arm, for the beguilement of unsophis-
ticated mashers.
The watch which was stolen from Fen
ton was sent 20 the police by mail 1t Is
yet in Chief Murphy's hands.
''I'u hold on to it, he remarked this
morning, It'll this case is cleared up"