The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-04
Witnesses Afraid to TeS-
tifY Against Bridge
Gang Toughs.
MAMIE REILLY's WRONGS.
6arvey Held on a Charge Of AS
saulting Her-A Region Of
Riot and Filth.

Cove night before last, presumably for
the purpose of outraging the two Reilly
girls, has created intense excitement
aasiong the South Cove squatters.
For many years the neighborhood has
been known as resort for hoodlums and
touRhs, who have been commonly desig-
mated as the Bridge gang" 1t is a pecu-
liar neighborhood, and its geography and
the character OF its buildings have fur
nished admirable hiding places for crooks
and other offenders.
When the Central Railroad Company,
nearly twenty years ago. filed in that
portion of New York known as the South
Cove, 1t left a number of old canal boat
hulks lying there. Many OF these were
purchased by John N Wade, who from
time to time constructed rude shanties
over them, since deriving considerable
profit from renting them out to squatters.
There they lie in heap. The surround
ings are mud aud garbage. The approach
es to those lying in the rear OF those fac
lug the Jersey avenue extension are by
rudely constructed foot-bridges. These
form series Of winding approaches. The
main access to this peculiar village from
Grand street is over the Jersey avenue
bridge spanning Morris Canal.
Stretching away from the rear of these
:ude canal boat structures row Of
shanties lies along the tow-path as far up
as Henderson street. Over the doors Of
some of them are shingle signs such as
''Boatman's Retreat" and "Canallers'
Rest" In these at night often gather
the toughest element of population,
tarousing and holding high midnight
revelries.
THEY LIVE IN DREAD.
4fnt, ,1a
people who inhablt shanties in this
neighborhood, and these, while praying
that the rowdy element might be exter-
minated, are afraid of their lives il they
complain to the police. To the credit of
the police, be it said. however, they have
broken up some of the toughest gangs
and sent their leaders to State Prison.
The village is resort also of lewd
women who entice intoxicated men from
Grand street into the dens for purposes of
robbery.
The shanty occupied by the Reillys has
been under police surveillance for some
time. 1t is occupied by three brothers
and two sisters. Their parents,
VINO bore a good reputation
in the neighborhood. are both
dead John, the eldest brother, is the
main provider. 1t Is said he works hard,
butts surrounded continually by a crowd
of toughs who frequent his shanty. At
night they grow boisterous and noise and
revelry mixed at times with screams of
murder are often heard. On Christmas
morning the denizens found blood strewn
about the ground in front of the shanty.
TDe youngest girl, Maggie. ten years old,
is a pupil of No. School
THE Gagged TOUGHs.
As TO the charges against Edward Gar
yey, Stephen Colohan and II. l. Harris,
who were arraigned yesterday in the
First District Police Court for breaking
" nil hofO o5f of
tempting TO outrage the two Reilly girls,
tedious examination this morning failed
to substantiate the charges. IL was with
the utmost difficulty that Mamie
Reilly, the sixteen year old sis
ter could be induced to swear
ply yesterday that she had previously
been outraged by Edward Garyey, one of
the prisoners. 10 this she testified IN
such a manner as to compel the Judge to
merely hold t5aryey on a charge of as
sault- Shs refused TO kiss the Bible and
merely affirmed, giving as reason that
once before when in court as a witness
she became excited and swore to what
was not true.
That she was afraid to give straightfor-
ward testimony was plainly evident. Her
story of the breaking and entering of the
shanty night before last con fiicted with
those told by her brothers John and
Peter. She said the three prisoners en-
tered by a rear door. The family were all
in bed. She was sure the door was locked
before she retired. She heard them crash
through the door and her brother subse-
qusntly told her the lock had been
broken. She had not examined the door
since. When she saw the men she
screamed and rushed out with her
yoanger sister, Mary. and es-
capped to-. to another shanty where
ha af Tan.
on Of Patrolman Logan. She admitted
there was another man by the name of
Johnny Allen in her bedroom when the
g4ng made its appearance. The entire
family. consisting of three brothers and
lwosisters. occupied only one of the three
rooms IN the shanty as a sleeping apart
ment. The men were fighting each other
when she made her escape.
Peter Reilly, younger brother, a
rather tough looking specimen. declared
he didn't know whether the men entered
by the front door or rear door. The front
door was off its hinges. but had been in
that condition several days Jonn the
eldest brother, did not see the men enter,
but tried to fight them off.
THE CHARGE AGAINST GARvEY
In the absence of Justice Siilsing, who
Is i'll, Justice Weed presided at the hear
ing. He dismissed the charge of break
ing and entering against all three, and
proceeded Immediately to examine the
charge OF assault against Garvey. which
grew ont OF the story which Mamie told
Chief Murphy Yesterday. Counsellor
Ewald represented Garyey
The girl Mamie is sixteen years old.
She is tolerably prepossessing and
naturally intelligent; but ragged shawl
which covered her head detracted from
her appearance. An hour or more was
consumed in dragging from her cor
roboration of the story she told Chief
Murphy. and had it not been for the
straightforward testimony OF her older
brother, John, it would have been a
rather difficult matter to sustain the
charge.
The facts elected were to the effect that
Garyey entered the shanty Sunday night.
He was Intoxicated. She was alone in
the bedroom. Garvey attempted TO assault
her and Was prevented by her
brother, John, who rushed TO her rescue
when she screamed. Sne rushed from
the room. John it appears was afraid OF
Garvey and permitted MIN TO remain in
the shanty aud sleep of his debauch
Garyey was held ia the snm of $500 on
charge Of assault. The girl Mamie Is also
held rs a witness.
Coiro Under Arrest.
Angelo Coiro. the Italian Deputy Sher-