The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-06-05
A GRAND
JURY CRIME!
Evidence Against the
Ballot Box Suffers
Initiated.
THE WORK OF CONSPIRACY.
Custodian Sharp Trapped
Into Re1inquishing Gus
tody of the Ballots.
MANY TICKETS MUTILATED.
CONSERVATION and Wrath Among
Honest Officials--Who Put
Up the Job?
MANY TICKETS MUTILATED.
The Grand Jury did It'll

The Grand Jury did It'll
Either most unfortunate mistake has
been made in relation to the effort to
bring to justice the men charged with
ballot box frauds. or the alleged con-
spirators have played trump card which
may win the game for them and secure
their liberty.
When the ballots cast at the fall cleo.
tion were sent for by the Senate Investi-
eating Committee they were placed in the
custody of w. S. Sharp, the sergeant-at-
arms of the Senate, and he was directed
under no circumstances to permit them
to leave his custody. This imperative or
der has been violated and the ballots have
been in other hands than his
when he was not present to watch them.
Strange as it may appear this was done
under the guise of o determined effort to
thoroughly investigate the election
frauds, and bring the guilty scoundrels
before the court for punishment.
The grand jury did it.
While at the Court House yesterday I
met we'll read lawyer, who is also
asked me If mad attended the examine
tions Of the -Bruggeman contest.
When told that I had been present at
part of it he asked me if I had paid
close affection to the evidence of
Sergeant-at-Arms Sharp, and receiv-
ing negative answer he said
that he had. and that it developed
curious condition of facts.
STRANGE INDEED.
"Sharp testified' said he, ''that the
ballots were out OF his custody since they
were placed in his charge, and he
does not know now whether all the pal
lots are in his charge or not. or whether
they are the same ones he was given by
the Senate Investigating Committee"
1.-The deucep' exclaimed.
Eyes; and the LAWYERS for the State
who have discovered this use harder ex-
pressions than that"
What are you drivin ats'' ! asked
when the Grand Jury subpenaed
Sharp and directed him to produce the
ballots before them he did so, and while
the ballots were in 1.-THE Grand Jury room
Sharp was directed to leave the room by
the foreman. Do you understand what
that means? Sharp cannot now
swear positively that the ballots which
he took from the Grand Jury are the same
that he delivered there OF course no
one believes the Grand Jury tampered
with them. but, in court. the slightest
doubt as to the identity of the ballots
must not exist"
SIS that alls''
THE BALLOTS MUTILATED.
"By no means; many of the ballots
taken from the Grand Jury room were
mutilated beyond Identification when
produced slater by Sharp before the
Roche-B -Bruggemann contest"
''What do you think of this matter as a
politician now that you have spoken as a
lawyer?" enqufred.
II think that some one in the interest
Of the ballot box suffers suggested that
If the ballots could be taken from the GUS
tody of Sharp for a brief time, it would
give the indicted men most excellent
opportunity to make a strong technical
defence. / do not pretend to know how
this result was reached, but facts bear out
Jurymen refused to indict the election
officers for individual offences and only
would vote for the general indictment
for conspiracy. My advice to you is to
read up your report Of Sharp's testimony
and see what he says
sHARP's OWN WORDS.
Acting on this suggestion, / did SO, and
found that in reply to a question as
witness in the Roche e-Bruggemann case
Sharp testified
II opened them (ballots) before the
Grand Jury, and stayed with them all
the time, iinlcss qohen they ordered
me to retire for short time.
when thsy wanted to consult about
some matters and during the time thar /
was out they (the ballots were left In the
Grand Jury room. Then sealed them
up and took them back to Trenton.
! brought back others. Sometimes they
would be called for second time by the
Grand Jury that is certain precincts
wouldD
Redirect examination:-sDid you per-
init the ballots to remain with the Grand
Jury while you went out Of the Grand
Jury room and they were conferringsn
Yes. The Grand Jury asked me for
some regular and irregular ballots and
took a receipt for them from the fore
man. =
what ballots did you let them have'n
On May took receipts for ballots |