The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-23
DHASE'S QUEER WAYS.
Prosecutor Winfield Un-
earthed a Sensation in
the CreeCh-Smith
Homicide.
ALLEGED TAMPERING WITH A WITNESS
And Counsel Contents Himself by
Saying lie Hopes the Court
Doesn't Think Him Such
Fool.
ALLEGED TAMPEaING WITH A WITNESS

There was sensation in the Court OF
Oyer and Terminer this morning when
the trial of George Creech, on an indicr-
ment charging him with the murder of
John Smith on a canal boat in the South
Cove on March 81. came up.
The courtroom was crowded, as the pre-
liminaries CT the trial promised demoral-
izing details. Mrs. Mann, the woman
who was responsible for the quarrel
which ended in the killing, sat In the
rear of the courtroom. She is particular
ly homely. and 1t is difficult to imagine
how she could have been responsible for
The quarrel.
George W. Dease, New York lawyer,
appeared as associate counsel with Judge
Noonan. Creech's parents are wealthy
and will spend lot of money to secure
verdict of acquittal. and judging from
what Prosecutor Winfield brought out
this morning, the prisoners counsel are
using unprofessional, il not unquestion-
able, means to secure such a verdict.
Judge Noonan, in opening. said he de-
| sired further postponement as the de-
| fense had thus far been unable to secure
| two most important witnesses, n fellow
named "Jack" and Captain Cridgenay.
| 1t would take the defense at least an
other week to secure their presence in
Court.
WHAT THEY WILL SHOW.
Lawyer Dease said that the presence of
| these two witnesses would show the
| brutal character of the deceased. They
would prove that the deceased had fre-
Queutly threatened the defendants life,
and that the deceased had almost killed
| Captain Cridgenay. The counsel was
| making every effort to locate their wit
nesses and bring them into Court but
were unsuccessful.
Prosecutor Winfield opposed the mo-
| tion. He stated that every person who
knew anything about the crime had been
| subpmnaed by the State and was..on hand.
| The defence had been granted one post
ponement, ana should be ready to proceed.
| Tho Prosecutor took exception to the re-
| marks made by Lawyer Dease that the de-
ceased possessed brutal disposition, and
said there was nothing to prove that the
| man Jack" knew anything about the
| case.
Judge Noonan claimed that the testi-
| mony of these two witnesseswas indispen-
sable and said that their testimony would
prove self defense.
| This was the first intimation received
as to what the defense would be and IL
occasioued considerable surprise.
PROSECUTOR wINFIELD's SENSATION.
| There was sensation In the courtroom
| when Prosecutor Winfield arose and
| sald:-
"If It please the Court am informed
| that emissaries OF the defense have wait
| ed on Mrs Mann and said to her. Now
| this man Is dead, what is the use OF going
against himF"
After painful silence. Judge Noonan
arose and Safd:-
"a - 4 rnrn accfn nj hnv1 ~
that we have no ulterior motive, as Is in
timated. in asking for this postpone
| ment."
Mrs. Mann was sent for by the Court
| for the purpose of asking her whether she
could appear next week. She said she
could and then the Prosecutor took occa-
| sion to ask
"Mrs. Mann, did some one wait on you
and say, Now, this man is dead, what's
the use of going against Creech, or words
| to that effect~
"Yes, there was"
'And did this person say he was from
the District Attorneys ofticeH
Eyes, sir; he did,"
"And who was this person?" asked the
1 Prosecutor.
"There he is" replied the witness,
pointing to Dease.
QUEER DEFENCE.
| Dease blushed and was plainly excited.
''Now. this puts the case just where we
want it." he said in high voice. "This
woman has shown vindictive spirit
throughout. warned her and told her
to be careful as to what she said. hope
the Court will not believe me so lacking
in judgment as to make such remark in
the presence of another person. In my
opinion this is a dangerous woman. will
ing to go to anv extreme in her testimony
to secure the conviction of this man."
Mrs. Mann was then questioned by Mr..
Dease for the purpose of ascertaining the
| whereabouts OF the witness Jack" She
said she knew "Jack's" parents in
Buffalo, and had told the lawyers for the
defense that she coulu find Jack" If she
was paid for her search.
After some further talk Judge Werts
granted the motion Cor a postponement
until Tuesday, May 81.
After the Court adjourned there was a
| wild rumor afloat to the effect that grey
| haired man had been in the Court room
endeavoring TO tamper with the jury
panel, but it could not be traced to its
| source.