The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-06
HODOKEN CONSFIRATORS
Indictments Growing Out of
the Prosecution of Dive
Keepers.
PAYMENT FOR PROTECTION.
Rusch, Havens and Bfetzfeldt Dead
In it-MeDonough Proba-
bly, Innocent.

The indictments presented to the Court
of General Sessions Tuesday, against
William F. Rusch, Justice of the Peace;
Frank McDonough, Recorder of Hoboken;
John r. Havens, young man out of a
job, ana Jacob Bretzfeld, a lawyer, have
created considerable comment. Some
wonder is expressed about the Court
House and Hoboken that McDon
ough was indicted, but no one
others were. They have been known to
the people of Hoboken for a long time.
Their names have frequently appeared in
print. Moritz Bretzfeld. father of the
lawyer, pleaded non vult to an indicr-
ment for embezzlement few
days ago and is now awaiting
sentence. The indictments against
because of an alleged black mailing
scheme. Technically the indictments are
for conspiracy TO defraud Frederick Lud-
wig and Mary Weber. who have been in
dicted for keeping disorderly house in
Hoboken. They are now locked up in the
County Jail.
FACTS IN THE CASE
1t has been charged against Bretzfeld
that Ludwig paid him $3.50 to settle the
charges against him, and 1t is also claimed
by Ludwig that he paid $50 to Justice
Rusch TO settle the case of female in
mate of his house who was charged with
bad conduct. Ludwig and Mary Weber
were arrested two months ago on the
charge of keeping disorderly house.
1t was also said at the time that women
freQuented the place, who robbed drunken
sailors. When Mayor Stanton's atten-
tion was called to this condition of things
he urged the Common Council to revoke
the license OF II the saloon and this action
was taken. The couple were arrested,
and John r. Havens induced Harry l..
Barok to become their bondsman.
ENTER HAvENS s. co.
About ten days after, John r.. Havens
and Jacob NJ Bretzfeld. a lawyer. devel-
oped sudden interest In the case.
Havens was formerly one of the Eyeninu
Journal staf and was notin good repute.
Bretzfeld's knowledge of law seems to be
confined to the Justice of Peace offices.
After Ravens severed his connection with
the journal, he and Bretzfeld seemed to
form a mutual liking for one another and
pooled their issues. The court of Justice
of the PeaceSeymour onW ashington street
was their favorite trysting place. When
they took an interest in the case, they
went to Harry Barck. q stove dealer on
First street. On q certain afternoon,
according to the story: :Barck tells, Havens
came into his place in great hurry.
"Harry" Havens Is reported as having
said IA friend of mine has just been
locked up for assault and battery. I
want you to sign the bail bond. les all
right, you will never hear of the case
again."
Barck affixed his signature without
looking carefully at the document. and
Hayens hurried out: That day Fred
Ludwig aid Mrs, Weber, were released
from the County Jail and Harry BarcR
was named as the bondsman.
AT IT AGAIN.
1t is reported that Havens and Bretzfeld
told them they might open up again as
the case against them would never come
up for trial. At any rate
s6sy sSsn Spensa asw aay. up ter their two place
sailors made complaint of being robbed
in the place. Recorder McDopough was
i'll and Justice Seymour was acting as
Recorder. A warrant was issued, but
when the police went to serve it they
found that the birds had flown. 1t was
plainly evident that someone had given
them the tip.
The Grand Jury indicted Mrs. Weber
and Ludwig, and Harry Barck was noti-
fled to have them in court. That was the
first intimation Barck claims he had that
he was bondsman for the precious pair.
Barck at once started to hunt them up.
He secured the services OF Court Officer
Stanton and New York detective, and
they located Ludwig and Mrs. Weber in
Stanton street, New York. They were
arrested, and made fight against being
brought TO Hudson county. Finally,
finding that resistance was useless. they
gave themselves up to Chief Donovan and
were locked up In the Hudson County
Jail.
Trcry cTOT,rre
All the time they said they had been
defrauded by Britzfeld and Havens, and
the latter in public places made so many
bold statements about money being used
that the case began to have a very nasty
aspect. Then the present indictments
were found.
WHAT THE ACCUSED SAY.
Bretzfeld, Havens, McDonough and
Rusch were arraigned today before Judge
and were released upon $500
bonds each. i saw all four men and
talked with them about the case. Re-
corder McDonough emphatically de-
clared that he was innocent of any wrong
doing and that his indictment was the
work of Mayor Stanton, who, the Re-
corder said, "hated him.
II am being prosecuted" was all the
Recorder would say, as tears welled In
his eyes. II am as innocent of this
charge as child unborn and my indict-
whose bitter opposition me is known
fact. have lived in Hoboben for twenty
five years and this is a terrible blow TO
me-"
Jake Brelzfeld spoke for Havens, Rusch
and himself when he safd:-"I was sent
for by Ludwig and Mary Weber, and
when / saw them they told me that they
wanted to be released on bail. Ludwig
gave me check for my services on the
Hoboken Savings Bank for S100, which
was not honored. was unable to get the
bail, and when / met Ravens, I told him
of my difficulty. He said he would try
and get it, and he succeeded in persuad-
ing Barck TO become the surety"
''Yes, exclaimed Havens ''and Barck
knew as well as did what these people
were charged with. He amt the kind of
a man to go bail for any one and not
know the charge"
'In regard to Justice Rusch, he did not
know anything at all about the affair"
concluded Jakey Bretzfeld.
"That's straight" said Havens and
Rusch.
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