The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-04-04

such pool selling or book-making is SO
carried on is disorderly house, punish
able on conviction by a fine of $500, or i'm
prisonment not exceeding two
years. or both. will only point TO
one locality as an illustra-
tion; this is the Town of Harrison in this
comfy. There this otfence openly aud
notoriousiy fiourishes, much to the de-
moralization of that locality, OF this
county, OF the City Of Newark aud the
County of Essex The offenders are well
known to the officers of the law. Arrests
have often been heretofore made, and
the evidence, iG is said. has been laid be-
fore former grand juries, but no indict-
ments have resulted, and this Illegal
business has continued in that locality.
Arrests have again recently taken place,
and ii the officers of the law perform
their duty. the evidence willbe produced
before you; and, even If such evidence be
not produced before yoH, it will be
your duty to make such tnyestiga-
tions as will result i'll your obtain
Ing such sufficient evidence as will ena-
BILE you. and make 1t necessary for you to
present indictments against the Offend
ers. You cannot perform your duty
until you present such Indictment as will
permit the Court and Traverse Jury to
vindicate the law and punish its vio-
lators.
1.-THE very worst form of Decentralization
is comprised in this species of gambling,
and there is not citizen, official or other
wise, who is not impressed with the truth
Of this statement.
'.fhis state of affairs in this locality, if
you fully and faithfully perform your
duty. cannot continue. This is a matter
which the Court feels very earnestly
about and If the people of this county
be not speedily relieved of this incubus
of crime. in this locality, the Court, how
ever disagreeable it may he to do it. will
be compelled to recall your attention to
the matter.
GREEN GOODS.
s'There are other offenses to which it Is
proper to invite your attention; the public
press of this county has from time to time
fairly teemed with detail Is of the cper-
ations and practices of what are famil
iarlY known as 'green goods men," Very
in session, their criminal prac-
tices for time cease. AS soon as
the Grand Jury adjourns, they at once
again commence operations, and some
times they do not even cease while the
Grand Jury is in session. Il does appear
to the Court that these villains have but
little fear of the officers of the law or
grand juries. Arrests are made
sporadically, but the offenders do not
seem to be held or indictments are
rarely presented. These offenders tempt
the foolish and the vicious by false or
genuine offers of the sale and sales of
counterfeit money. The city of Hoboken
has been the theatre OF many of their
operations and jersey City has not been
exempt from their practices. There
Is statute in this State covering
this class of offense. have ex-
amined it and I think it fairly and
fully covers the offense. and if it be en-
forced, 1t will rid this county of this dis
graceful lot of scamps. II is true that
there can be but little sympathy or pro-
lection given to those who are deluded
and cheated by such practices; both
the off ender and bis victim are
pQrttceps crtnliflls in their conduct. But
this consideration does not excuse the en-
forcement of the law. But the Grand
Jury, if possible. should free our county
from the prostitution OF their operations.
GAMBLING ON THE TRACKS.
sGrhere is another matter upon which it
is desirable that The Court should
say something to the Grand Jury,
and that is the subject of
pool selling, bookmaking, or other
forms of gambling upon race tracks in
this State, upon the results OF races 0c-
curing there or elsewhere. The law, as
it has heretofore been understood, and as
it has been in some instances enforced. is
that all places, whether in q building or
upon or in an enclosed field, either
upon or i'll race courae or
track, or elsewhere. wherein and where
at pooI-selling or book-making upon horse
racing or upon any other event, is hRbitu-
ally carried on, are common nuisaRces or
disorderly houses and the persons who
keen or maintain such places, or who aid,
abet or participate in their maintenance,
whether as owners, lessees or members
OF co-partnership, association
or corporation, are lndlctaDle
as keepers of dsorderly house If the
place be maintained by an incorporated
body it may be Indicted by its corporate
name, or individually by individual
names. This exposition of the law is
taken from the decisions. and 1t is en-
tirely appropr late to use 1t on the present
occasion. aud | do it az plain, direct
and inclusive exposition Of the law as it
has been heretofore understood For the
purposes of this occasion. charge yon
that il is the law still in force today and
the law which this Court must instruct
you should be your rule of conduct. In
doing this, / am not at all unmindful of
the recent statutes in relation to
the licensing and maintenance OF
race tracks in this State and the SEEM
ing permission by the statute to
the exercise under very light aud insult
ficient penalties of unlimited gambling in
all its devious forms thereon. lam not un-
mindful that 1t may happen that the ll-
depreciation which may be finally placed
upon these recent enactments may
possibly be different from the construc-
ton which the Court now here gives
to them. but considering as the
law does, all forms of habitual gambling
to be out of harmony with the moral
sentiment of the people, as demoralizlng.
barbarous aud contrary to any decent
form of civilization and enlightenment,
and absolutely discordant with sound
public policy and judictally, contrary TO
The clause of the Constitution which
provides: mo lottery shall be au-
thorized by law of this State.
and no ticket in sny lottery
not authorized by law of this State shall
be bought or sold Within this State. l
must without muchsdiscussion, instruct
you thai the schema of legislation re-
Gently enacted, by which it is proposed 10
establish and maintain saturnalia or
gambling for individual or corporate gam
within the State is void, and the law as lG
stood before the enactment OF This
scheme still remains in unabated force
and vigor.
'.The Court is justified in saying that
it is no novel 5ning to instruct Grand
Jury contrary to the appsrent effect or
statute. vet such instruction is not with
out distinguished precedent in this State;
and IL this instruction could not De given
by the Court ..snd obeyed bv the grand
inquest, 1t might be very dinlcult ever 10
test the validity and constlsuslon,
ality of an enactment like this behind
whose literal terms the most vicious
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