The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-12-29
FAHERTY AND SMITH
The Lewis Inquest Turned
Into a D1sgraCeful
Farce.
SEMI-OFFICIAL LIBELLING
HOff Accused of Premeditated Mur-
der Upon Misguided Tes-
timony.
SEMI-OFFICIAL LIBELLING
THE POLICE SEVERELY SCORED.

novel charge and queer verdict. fttingly
preceded by a verbal set-to between Cor
oner Faherty and Police Superintendent
Smith. The inquest has been the farce
after the tragedy-and very facial farce
it has proven. 1t assumed the proper
tions of a circus towards the end.
AS there were no witnesses to be ex-
amined, Coroner Faherty devoted much
time to his charge, which was Of so re-
markable nature as to warrant liberal
quotations. He first recited the facts OF
the tragedy as they are known to be pub
lie and the relations between Mr.. Lewis
and Mr.. Hoff.
by their Intercourse with one an
other" said he. they got to be friendly,
and their friendliness led TO friendship
That friendship. | have been told has ex-
listed SO tar, that Mrs. Lewis from Easton.
Pennsylvania, visited Mrs, Hofr in
Jersey City. and Mrs. Hoff from Jersey
City visited Mrs. Lewis i'll Easton, Pa.
That made Il bond of friendship between
those families. So IL appeared it continu-
ed up until the night of November 80.
when there was man found on the roof
OF the Arlington Flats. This man was
identified as Thomas G. Lewis, the friend
of Mr.. and Mrs Hoff. While still he
lay here he was not identified Dy Mr..
Htff or Mrs. Hoff. Now, then,
Jurors. 1t is this, when this man
died in the City Hospital, the case
police of Jersey City, to investigate in
now. or III what way that a resident of
Pennsylvania came to Jersey City IN the
capacity OF u conductor on the Lehigh
Valley train and inside Of thirty minutes
10 De found in the Arlington flats in
Jersey City. Now this man being resi-
dent of Easton, Pa. lie had no acquain-
amongst his railroad friends or amongst
those people whom he was in the habit of
visiting i'll Jersey City. that came from
his own place in EastOn. Pa, and 1t ap-
pears by the evidence that has been given
mere by the jurors that there was only
one family i'll particular that he visited
here in Jersey City aud that family's name
was Hoff. 1t appears that he left that
train that night with all the latepess
attached to it, aud it shows that he must
have had great deal OF affection for the
Hoff family when he went there after re-
porting to the officer of the company
that the train was i'll safe and It's passen-
gers were safe. and ne must then have
started out. Whit did he start out for?
10 visit his friepds-his supposed friends.
He met them on the roof of the Airing
..on -fats..-H He-~was- 4fonud thereby
policeman at 1856. thirty minutes after he
had reported 10 his superior officer.
SOMETHING TO THINK OF.
"Just lnink of It, Jurors, after thirty
minutes. His breast was caved In. The
DOCTORS testimony is here that his skull
was fractured. What reception he
must have met when he visited
his friends that night. He, all the
way from Pennsylvania. coming
into Jersey City. Now then, Jurors.
there have been witnesses here who have
certified that this man has been visiting
that house for year aud over kvideuce
again has been proven and sworn to by
witnesses that certain amount of affec-
tion existed between this man and Mrs.
Hoff. II Mrs. Hoff received this mans
affection unbekuown TO her husband,
then Mrs. Hoff Was not the wife to her
husband as She had taken her obligation
before The altar when she took Mr.. Hoff
been produced before this ipquisition to
prove that this man was her steady COM
pany or he was her lover-aIl the way
from Pennsylvania. 1t has been proven
again, as witnesses testify here. that
though the voice was distinguished as
being Mr. Lewis, but not being
seen, by himself. He was asked by Mr..
II, II. her voice being also recognized =
VIII you stay with me all nignt!' So
the whole thing continues on. 1t is one
thing worse than the other until the
night of November 80. This thing had
been fcontinued on SO much that Mr..
Marsh and lots more OF the tenants of the
fat, aud Mr.. Mills son, has admit ed
here on mis- testimony that Mr.. Lewis was
Mrs. Hoff's lover. Now, for the two years
that Mrs HoH had lived in those apart
ments and the neigh hbors knowing all this
intimacy between Mr.. Lewis and Mrs.
Hoff, there was MOI one of those to speak
one word TO Mrs. Hoff until the night OF
March 90. when the Argus building
burned down. The alarm struck at
twenty-three minutes after ten at Box IL.
The people living in the fats went to the
roof 10 see the lire.
"Some came down while others were 60
ing up. 1t appe RS that Mrs. Marsh was
going up and she met somebody on the
stairs, and she said, Who is that party
behind the chimneyT The party going
down said it was Mrs. Hoff and Mr..
Lewis.
MORE ASSUMPTIONS.
''That shows Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Hoff
had met several times before, aud had
met OH the roof previous to that. On tae
night in question by the evidence given
here it appears that this man had been
seen In the vestibule with his arms
around the waist Of Mrs. Hoff. 1t ap,
peared that it was an infatuation between
the two, and still between the two fami
lies this same constant friendship existed,
one wife in Pennsylvania and the
other wife. the wife of Mr.. Hotf,
receiving all the attentions that
the other woman in Pennsylvania
should receive. BY the evidence which
has been given here it appears that he had
a key to enter on the Warren street side,
because on that night he had not been
seen going throug the York street side.
On that night this man mad never been
seen coming In there at all-never been
seen until the rush, the STAMPING of feet.
the slamming Of door. the tnud of
body, and it was all over, and Thomas
c. Lewis was recognized when he was be-
ing put into the patrol wagon to take him
to the City Hospital Mr.. Hoff has stated
here before you that he never left the
room. He also said his wife WAS In the
inner room aud that she never lett
the room. Mr.. Conover said that
he was sleeping on cot until
he heard the crash. Then he went down
stairs, and previous 10 going down stairs
he went iuJo the middle room aud told
his sister, 'dou't be frightened What
was the cause Of itS He swore here on
his oath that ne did not hear any noise or
excitement, and here he goes aud tells his
sister, who is always sick, not 10 be wor-
ried That she must walt until he comes
back and tells her who it is. According
60 his testimony he never told her. Mr.
Hoff sweArs that he never left the room.
MIR. Hoff and this man has been ac-
cquaiuted for TWO years. Hr. Hoff has
sworn here that that man visited his