The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1890-01-12
4 HISTORIC Bull DING
Memories Of Crime and
Turbulence That Clus-
tered About Old
Police Head
quarters.
RAIDS, RIOTS, AND ROWS.
The Railway Strike, and
the Pinkerton MURDER
Political Deals.
NAMES NOTED IN CRIME.
Jailbirds, Male and Female, Who
Have Occupied the Old Cells.
NAMES NOTED IN CRIME.
Jailbirds, Male and Female, Who
Have Occupied the Old Cells.

The tearing down of the old Police
Headquarters building in the rear OF
the City Hall has been steadily pro-
crossing until nothing remains but a
portion of the gaunt-looking cells and
the foundation.
The building was erected in 1858.
The tearing down process began last
Monday two weeks. BY the 1st of
May next anelegant structure of brick
trimmed with granite will grace the
corner SO long disgraced by the rick
ETY. old rookery, with its walls held
together by iron braces. The new
structure will be a modern police
building in every sense of the term.
A full description of the architectural
style and plans has already been pub
lished in these columns.
The old building, however, was not
devoid of historical interest, and many
citizens passing the spot during the
past week have stopped to gaze upon
the grim, white cells suggesting
"reminiscences of the criminal annals
of the city.
CHASTITY MEMORIES
If those dumb walls could only speak
what story they could tell. On the
cold flags, now broken and covered
with lime and broken brick, have
been found scores of suicides, Prison
ers, too, have died from the effects of
the foul and Initiated atmosphere of the
place. Murderers have covered in the
dark recesses, and celebrated criminals
have chafed and raved behind the
iron gratings.
In chat with Chief of Police Muir
ply, few evenings ago, conversation
drifted into an historical channel.
The Chief was full of his theme; but
so many and varied were the interest
ing "reminiscences recalled, he scarcely
knew where to begin even hasUy re-
view of the buildings history.
He first recalled the old fire bell on
top, which in days long gone by rang
cut the alarm for fires by wards.
8 When policeman noted a fire he
rushed for the old bell. 1t was in
great demand during the days of the
great oil fires on the spot where Loril-
lard's factory now stands
TWO BIG RAIDS.
Probably the largest number OF
prisoners confined at one time in the
of the raid on Huber's low variety
show house, on Newark avenue, where
McBride's tea store now stands. The
raid was made one Saturday night
about fifteen years ago. Chief Benja-
Y, min L. Champney was then at the
Y head of the force. Forty policemen
participated in the raid. There were
250 arrests made, and the ten cells, the
ten-toot corridor surrounding them
and all available space below was
packed and jammed with the prison
lers. who included the audience, the
Factors and actresses, the proprietor
land the beer singers. That was d
time, / can tell you. Cooper place
land Gregory street in front of the
Station house were thronged with
curiosity seekers and friends calling to
bee the arrested parties all day the
Sunday following.
about five years ago we raided the
Fold Arcade, another low variety show
A house, the entrance to which is now
utilized as a shooting gallery, oppo-
site the City Hail. About fifty arrests
q We're made, and the cells and corridors
of the old building were again packed.
That raid pretty well broke up the
bumbaloo show business.
RIOTERS IN QUOU.
"Tfen again. in 1879, the old build
ing for day or so was the centre of
curiosity Thirty-five arrests were
made of rioters who broke up a picnic
held by over two thousand of Loril-
lard's factory employees, who gave an
excursion to Perth Amboy. Chief
Michael Nathan received despatch
in the afternoon from the picnic
ground concerning the riot. The riot
ers had licked the constables, taken
possession of the bar and were revel-
ing amid rivers of beer and gore. A
force of thirty men was dispatched
under Captain Jordan, then of the
First precinct, who made the arrests
as soon as the boat landed that night.
Ten or fifteen of the leaders were sent
to State Prison.
THE BIG STRIKES.
Yes, continued the Chief, ''the old
Headquarter building has been the
scene OF great excitement on various
occasions. During the great railroad
strike of N, in addition to being
packed full of police, it was made the
headquarters of the National Guard.
Governor Bedle established his head
quarters there, with Generals Sewell
and Plume. The arrests however,
Were Few.
1gDnring the strike of 'e2, it was
nsed by the police for quartering the
Central Reserves. There were sixty
specials quartered on the third floor
OF the City Hall, in the rooms now oc-
cupied by the Van Houten Grand
Army Post. The alley and streets
We're at all times packed with mob OF
people
4 f,ttt ,,asS;1,lv 49, ,aa.os+ +ba oId
building ever came to being attacked
was during the great strike of 1887
among the coal and freight handlers
and the railroad switchmen. The
II strike broke out among the Lorillard
u employees At that time the Della
4 ware, IsnclSawanna and Western Rail-
y road hired 200 Pinlxerton detectives to
/ guard their docks. They were sworn
q as special policemen. ON the after
Rof Of January 20 an unfortunate
INT occurred that came near pre-
Al