The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-25
TRIED FOR CONSPIRACY.
How Havens and Bretzfe1d
Got Mrs. Weber and
Ludwig Out
of Jail.
WITNESSES TELL THE STORY
Was the Bail Bond Fraud or
Forgery?-McDOn Po-
sition Still Unexplained.

Jakey Bretzfeld and John r. Havens, all
of Hoboken, were placed on trial on an
Indictment charging them with con-
spiracy. The court room was crowded
with Hobokenites and many lawyers.
sat within the railing. On motion of Pros
ecutor Winfield the Indictment against
Justice Rusch. who had been jointly in
dicted with the two named above, was
dismissed, as the Prosecutor said he was
satisfied that Rusch had no connection
with the case. Judge DAILY of Hoboken
ex-Judge Holman appeared as counsel
for the defendants.
After the jury had been secured and
the State named its witnesses, Prosecutor
Winfield arose and said in substauce:-
'Mr. Ludwig and Mrs. Weber were
arrested in the latter part of February, in
Hoboken, for keeping disorderly house.
They were taken to the police station,
booked and sent to the County Jail by the
Recorder. The commitment for both
charge them with being guilty of ub-
stantial crime. So far things have been
proper.
"rhey had been in Jail but a short
time when one of these defendants, Bretz-
field, saw them at the County Jail and
said he would get them out of Jail tor
500. Then Bretzfeld met Havens in the
street and said it was pity; that he had
chance to make 500, but the chance e
had slipped away. Then he and Havens
undertook the job. Havens goes to the
Recorder and gets from the Rec order. by
what method the State does
not know, recognizance. The
Recorder deliberately, and in
violation of all law, delivers to Havens
this recognizance. To bind a bail, The
giver must personally appear before a
magistrate. Havens takes these papers
and goes around the street looking for
some one to go bail.
FALSE PRETENCEs.
He goes to Henry Barck. tells Barck
that friend has been arrested for assault
and battery and induces Barck to sign
the bail bond. Barck owns nothing. He
Barck signed the paper or not is a ques-
tion. If Barck did sign the paper
it is suppressed and is not here.
The recognizance and discharge were
given by Havens TO Bretzfeld. As law
yer, Bretzfeld knew that the papers were
void. yet Bretzfeld goes to the Jail with
ASKS for the prisoners release. but
before this Bretzfeld had been up to
see Ludwig and obtained draft for $780,
The bank refuses to recognize this paper
and Britzfeld brings a blank check.
Finally Bretzfeld. as we will prove, got
$50 from Mrs. Weber and S20, from Ludwig.
After Ludwig had been released from
jail, Ludwig said he wanted to get Mrs.
Weber out of Jail. and Bretzfeld and
Havens said it would cost another $780,
and finally they raised it to $50. Ludwig
had no money, but said he
would give his watch and chain
transaction occurred In Evans saloon.
Havens, who was in the saloon leaves it
and comes back in an hour saying. I've
got the discharge in my pocket This
discharge and recognizapce Havens OBJ
tained from Recorder McDonough by
what means the State does not know.
without Recorder McDonough's as
sistance this conspiracy could not be
formed. The Recorder, by his acts, is the
lite and strength of the conspiracy. He
issues a void recognisance by which these
prisoners are released from Jail. Whether
Recorder McDonough got any monev or
not, know not, but when he did this he
entered into the conspiracy and became
as guilty as the Others"
BEGINNING THE EVIDENCE.
Henry Hanley, the clerk OF the County
Jail. was the first witness called. He
testified to having received commit
ment for Mrs. Weber and Fred Ludwig
on February 30. Bretzfeld called at the
County Jail on two occasions with recog.
nizances and discharges and secured the
release of Mary Weber and Fred Ludwig.
Frederick Ludwig was next called. He
Is an old man, weighing ABOUT three hun
dred pounds, and appeared sickly. Under
Prosecutor Wintield's careful questioning
he testified that he was arrested
in Hoboken, the date he did
not remember He spent an hour
in the police station at Hoboken, and was
taken to the County Jail. He was there
two days. In the police station he gave
detective half dollar, and he brought
Bretsfeld a lawyer. Bretsfeld told wit
naec THAT If vitness yral1d nav hin, e10n
he would secure his release.
Witness told him that was too much. The
witness was In Jail one day. Bretzfeld
called on him. He gave witness a paper
and witness signed it. The paper was
draft for 500.
Brtezfeid and another young man.
Kruse, brought in another paper. Wit
ness signed this also, 1t was printed
formula, 1t was to fetch 500 and the
young man asked for a bank book. Wit
ness told the young man to 90 to No. 80
Hudson street and ask the workingman
bank book in the hands of Bretz-
field.
TAKEN OUT OF JAIL
Bretzfeld took him out of jail to Evans
saloon, where he saw HavenS for the first
time. Havens was coming out of the sa-
loon. Bretfeld did not have the money
then, and all three went to witnesses
house; witness opened a box, took out $50,
put $40 to it and put it on the table, and
Bretzfeld and Havens took it.
In The basement of the house Havens
and Bretzfeld asked witness for $50 for
Mrs. Weber's release. Witness said $50
was too much, and they said that they
would not keep it all, but had to pay it to
thers. One of them said that the Judge
would get some of the money. Witness
didn't know which one it was. Witness
went to Evans saloon and gave them
a watch and chain as guarantee that
the fifty would be paid next day. Havens
left the saloon and returned In an hour.
He said Mrs Weber would get out.
The next night witness went to Bretz-
feld's office to find out where Havens
lived. He found Havens In saloon.
Havens gave him back the watch and
witness paid him $50.
CROSS EXAMINATION.
Judge Daily cross examined the witness ,
and endeavored to prove that Ludwig
that he was paying Ludwig
understood that he was paying Bretzfele
$l00. Judge Daily fired the questions
SO thick and fast at the wit
ness as to what really had
that the witness tainted, and
had to be led from the court room. Judge |
DAILY had not shaken the story which |
Prosecutor Winfield had ELECTED, how
ever.
Mrs. Weber WAS then called She cor
roborated the previous witnessed story. |
Cfoss-examined by Ex-Judge Hoffman |
she said that she didn't make any COM |