The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-29


| table. and slept at his house. and
the night OF the occurrence that
this man had fallen off the balcony. Mr..
Hoff swears that he had not left the room.
and he didn't know who 1t was until the
following morning. Now, then. with the
friendship tEatexiste ell between twofrierds
would 1t not be matter of fact between
two friends to go out aud find out who
was crushed or who was Injured. Dill he
do ii? He says no.
UNFRIENDLY FRIENDLINEss.
Mr.. Ii, II swears he WAS home on that
night bef ore seven O'Clock. Did he get
wind of what the neighbors We're speak
ing about so as to meet this friend of his.
he and his brother-in-law, Conover?
When Mr.. Lewis left tnat train and went
In on the Warren street side. that he
| could do without anyone. seeing
him. had he had an appointment
for TO meet this lady, or did he meet the
for what he had heardf Testimony has
been shown here that right after his fall,
this crash. this man Hoff was seen on the
balcony-cool, calm, collected. Why notp
Because he was like every Other injured
husband, had done the deed and he could
stand for it. He was cool. 1t wasn't
done hastily. 1t was done coolly and
calmly and premedtadly. Then the
brother-in-law goes down and gives the
poor man q hel.iu0 hand; fails to recog-
nize him, the man who had been in the
habit OF going into those rooms for
year or over, and while he has
not himself, Conover, been a
resident there only five or six weeks. he
failed TO recognize him. He turns around
to mutual friend of his, while they were
putting the poor crushed body into the
wagon. and says:- DO you know himf
The man says, why, that's Tom Lewis. ,
lie turns around and looks at him, and
u. x.A 80
though 1t was poor piece OF humanity
they had never known In their lifetime" I"
In closing his remarkable charge TO the
jury. the Coroner said, as he posed bim-
self oratoricaily for the peroration:-
Now, then. the question is this: This
jury has contin nuea a long while. While
it has mad no helping hand al all to make
it possibly could. We have been
all the way through handicapped by the
Police Department in not helping us out
in this case. Aud l will tell you, gentle
men, right here that when a stranger
lands here in Jersey City. it Is the bound
en- duty. as matter OF respect. to show
that friendship that should exist between
each State through the municipal police.
The Coroner mas no authority to do any
thing without he is authorized by the
County Physician. Then he takes it In
haud. 1t is Il discreuit to society like
Jersey City to think for a moment that
the Police Department should drop case
of this kind where there is so much inter-
est taken, both in this city and in Easton,
Pa. SO far as we have done this We have
done our duty"
SUPERINTENDENT SMITH CHIPS IN.
The Coroner WAS about to add some
thing else when there was a commotion
among the standing spectators in he
rear OF the hall. A moment later Super
intendent Smith, in citizen's dress, with
a cut as perfect rs represented on
fashion plate. advanced quickly up the
aisle toward The stage. But his face de.
noted there was blood on the moon.
Whats the matter with the Police
DEPARTMENT. he asked with half
angry, half laughing scowl at the
Coroner.
Tne Jury twisted their bodies and
craned their necks to get a full view of
the Superintendent, who stood behind
them, drawing off his overcoat as though
he Was there tor business, and tossing
the garment carelessly across the back ot
one of the benches occupied by jurymeu.
The Coroner scowled back. He was
overcome with surprise at this sudden
Interruption OF his peloration.
"tne less you say. tie BETTER" he said.
~ ELL uun't know about thai" au-
grily retorted the Superintendent.
well. you'll Keep quiet" said the Cor
oner. 81 am here"
'Yes, anu that's about all you are.
Hereto make jackass of yourself"
''Pll have you locked up"
Constable OGrady squrmed uneasily
in his seat upon the platform. IL was
plain that The constable didu't want The
contract uf locking up the Superintendent
of Police.
"Weil. YOU can't lock me up, nor your
constable, either. You've been tooliug
with this Inquest Iong enough. II 1
HADN'T better head than you l wouldn't
talk Oh"
well, now, Mr.. Superint endent. as
you are mere presume you are willing to
give your te,limouyr
That is for you to say" replied the
Superintendent, oowlng with cynical
smile ON his lace.
''Ail ignt. You'll please take the wit
ness CHAIR" responded the Coroner.
The Superintendent mounted the plat
form, ana, with the same cynical smile
light,ng his face, seated himself with the
remark:-
"Weil. whac is itp You are the great
est Coroner ever saw"
And you are tue greatest Superinten-
dent ever saw"
but" interrupted Juryman Richter.
addressing The Coroner, ''can you take
the testimony of witness after The
charge or the jury has beeu delivered?"
Yes" replied The Coroner; I'VE can
interline it,"
.'As IL matter OF fact" broke In the Su-
perinleuuent, Il want somebody with
brains TO take what testimony / may
want to give"
Il see Dy the papers," replied the Coro-
ner. There Is u man looking for Wander
bilL's brains. Perhaps you are the man.
Well, MIR. perintendent, what have
you TO say ahout--"
"I've nothing TO say"
"That settles it,"
Ana the Superintendent left the plat
form, remarking:-"I know nothing
about the case except what the detective
assigned to IL reported to me, and he's
been already UPON he stand"
THE VERDICT.
The case Was then submitted to the
jurymeti, who after brief absence, re-
turned TO the room aud handed up this
veruIct;-
''We, The jury. are unable to render any
verdict as TO how MIR. 1hom 3 c. Lewis
met his death ON the nkht of November
80 in the yard of the Arlington flats. In
accordance with the testimony given by
witnesses SUBJ Buaed here and the testi-
mouy of Mr.. Walter Conover and Mr..
Hotf, we believe tnat they know more
about the case than they have testified 10.
Also the most important witness, MIS-.
Hoff, has failed to appear. Therefore,
We, the jury. respectfully refer the matter
to tne Prosecutor OF Pleas tor further in
vestigation."
JERSEY CITY ATli LETICS.
The Club Rat fies the Proposed Purchase