The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-20
QUICK Mr.. WINFIELD.
His Side in Another Election Case
Presented and Finished at
One Session Of Court.


StumDf and John Egan, who served in
the Bath House precinct, the Seventh
precinct of the Second district. After the
roll Of the jurors had been called Mr..
Warren Dixon arose and, addressing the
Court, said that he wished it to go on
the record that be appeared for John
Stumpf and no other of the defendants,
and that Mr. Stumpf had employed
no other counsel and was
represented at the trial by
no one except Mr.. Dixon. Judge Lippin-
colt asked MIR. Dixon to state exactly
what he meant by the request. Mr.. Dixon
replied that he wished the privilege OF ex-
amining all the States witnesses and such
OF the defendants as took the stand, and
that he should open aud close for Mr..
StumDf. The Court said he would take
the matter into consideration and render
a decision later.
Then the defendants were called, aud it
was found that McGrath was absent
Several inquiries were made for him. and
for while a rumor prevailed that he had
run away. But McGrath at last dis
pelled the rumors by appearing and taking
his seat beside his counsel. Norman Rowe
Neither ex-JudRe Garretson or Corpora
ton Attorney Hudspeth, both of whom
have heretofore attended the trials, was
present when the case was opened, but
his seat beside the other counsel
THE JURY QUICKLY SECURED.
Danen L. n. Williams. Nicholas b.
Gushing, George W. Vreeland, Alexan-
der w. Cordukes and Oliver Coombes
were drawn before a challenge was in
terposed and without being questioned
as TO their fitness to be a juror. Then
Joseph +. Mccoy was called and was
peremptoriiT challenged by Mr.. Rowe.
William Virgins, Archibald A Smith,
Charles r. Bender, Charles J. Appelby
George Holmes, John Morrell and Alex
ander ID. ELDERS took their seats in
the box. and the ury was complete. Mr..
Dixon, however, peremptorily chal-
lenGed Messrs. Coombes, Bender and
Williams. Judge Lippincott excused
Mcssrs. Coombes and Bender, but refused
to excuse Mr.. Williams on the ground
that the defendants had exhausted all
the challenges to which they were en-
titled. Alfred Heritage and John Troll
took the place Of Messrs. Coombes and
Bender.
THE PROSECUTORS OPENING.
Mr.. Winfield in opening the case said
that at the April term of 1859 the Grand
Jury indicted the three defendants, with
Cormack Dolan, now dead, for conspiring
to pervert and obstruct the election
laws OF the State The acts OF these men
were so scandalods that public attention.
was called 10 them. Mr.. Winfield showed
that there were three certificates in the
register books-stating that the whole
number Of votes was 400, another that
the whole number of votes was 97l, and
the third giving the total number Of per-
sors registered as LIZA.
The defendants violated the law In that
they had registered twenty-six men by
initials. and used large number of alb
breviations, which Mr.. Winfield claimed
was doue for no other reason than to per-
petrate fraud.
SURE EVIDENCE OF FRAUD.
There were found in the box in this
precinct 105 joker ballots. and this. ac-
cording to Mr.. Winfield, was sure evil
dence Of fraud.
At this point Mr.. Winfield directed an
officer TO get ballot box from his Office
so that he could explain the difference in
the marks on the genuine and joker
ballots.
II always keep the policemen at liberty
near me, gentlemen" said Mr.. Winfield
sarcasticaiiy. so we can refresh our
souls often.n
There were forty-four Smiths on the
poll book, Mr.. Winfield continued, al
though twenty-three were put on the
registry. Then there were lis Macs on
the register and 20 on the poll book
which were not on the register. In the
precinct Bruggemann had AL ballots in
the box, and the officers on trial re-
turned him 536. Roche had $50, and
they returned him 244, while Byrne had
636 and had returned for him 673.
Mr.. Winfield's address made a notice
able impression upon the jury.
City Clerk Scott was the first witness.
He swore to the appointment of the de-
PENDANTS as election officers and other
routine matters. He was followed By
William S. Sharpe, who was Serg
Arms Of the Senate during the progress
of the now famous investigation Of the
election Of 1889. Mr.. Sharpe repeated mis-
oft-told tale Of the manner in which he
came into possession of the ballot and
poll and registry books. Judge Garrett
son drew out the old stereotyped fact that
the Grand Jury once had some ballots
while he was out of the room, but
whether they were those of the precinct
then being considered he could not say.
DEAD MEN VOTED.
Then began the testimony Of a long
line of witnesses. all OF whom swore thar
from one 10 three meu who had been en-
tered on the POLL books as voting from the
houses in which the witnesses lived at the
time of the election were either dead at
the time or never lived there. One wit
ness, William Costello, who was regis
tered as voting from vacant los away
outside of the precinct on the meadows,
Indignantly denied that he lived among
the salt grasses
James Dunn, of No. IS Colgate street.
sw0re that two men on the books as VOt-
ing from his house did not live there He
answered all lAe questions OF MI. w lD-
field readily enough. but when Mr. Rowe
Just for FORMS sake asked him question
he got up AID leaned way over, declaring
that he did not hear word. When Mr..
Rowe asked him il ne had heard what the
District Attorney had said. he raised a
laugh by saying no 1t took Mr.. Win
field only minute or two TO straigbten
out matters and develop the fact that Mr..
Dunn was stone deaf on one side.
The canvas Of the vote IN this precinct
made by Mr.. Winfield was admitted. the
defendants consenting. The counsel for
the defendants evineed but little interest
in the proceedings and made no serious
attempt at cross examining the wit
nesses. The remainder OF the
session until recess was consumed
by Mr.. Winfield in reading the
bogus voters on the poll book and offer
ing them in evidence. Then he rested.
aud Mr.. Rowe said that he rested for
Egan and McGrath.
Mr.. Dixon said that he was somewhat
Embarrassed by the early closing of the
case. as he expected that it would take
longer. He intended TO put the defend
ant Stumpf on the stand ami sixteen or
seventeen more witnesses and he wanted
time TO get them. The Court directed "a
recess for thirty-fve minutes 10 allow
Mr.. Dixon 10 obtain his Witnesses
Money for the school Teachers
To- T1.fx Arer~r,ae xvs1l