The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-19
MISSING INDICTMENTS
After Much Excitement, Found
in Constable "Diek' Gar
riek's 0vereoat Pocket.

The sudden and mysterious disappearance
of eighteen indictments from the desk of
Sessions Court Clerk John Purtell this morn
ing caused the court to adjourn until noon.
In the batch of indictments were sixteen for
selling policy slips, and one of the sixteen
was against Loefier, the policy dealer of
Hoboken, who had threatened to make
public the names of the hackers of this
nefarious business.
Clerk Purtell had the eighteen indictments
on his desk during the morning, and was
occupied a portion of the time in sorting out
the ones that would be required in trials
during the day. While Mr.. Purtell was en-
gagged in this work ex-Judge Seymour asked
to see one of the indictments, and it was
shown him. The indictment was returned to
the Clerk, and he placed it in the batch on
his desk.
THEIR E DISAPPEARANCE.
For the next half hour Clerk Purtel was
very busy making a record of prisoners be-
ing arraigned, and during that time some per
son took a bunch of indictments from the desk
and up to the present time has failed to re-
turn it.
1t is remarkable that indictments could
disappear in this fashion. The clerks desk
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only persons allowed within it is the clerk,
interpreter and stenographer.
The only persons who can approach the
desk are lawyers, constables and reporters,
and other persons privileged to stand within
the bar. The clerk does not remember to
have seen any persons near his desk except
those customary to be in such a place. He
has not the faintest idea how the papers
| disappeared, unless some lawyer, through a
mistake, took them. As soon as
the indictments were missed the
clerk reported the fact to Judge
Hudspeth, who Immediately ordered
a search to be made for them. The court
c~onstables ransacked the Court House and
questioned pretty nearly every person in it.
No trace, however, could be found of the
missing indictments, and after a delay of
half an hour the court adjourned until
noon.
D HUDsPETH's WARNING.
When adjourning court Judge Hudspeth
said that the mysterious disappearance of
the batch of indictments which had been
presented by the last Grand Jury forced him
to such action. He said that a rigid investi-
cation would be made concerning the affair,
and intimated that if the indict-
the perpetrator of the theft, if
found out, would be severely punished.
The Judge, however, said that the papers
might have been taken by mistake, and he
hoped the result would show this to be the
case. Judge Hudspeth added that it could
do no person any good to steal the indict-
ments, for others could be made by the Grand
Jury.
If the indictments are not recovered the
condition of affairs in the Court OF Sessions
will be considerably mixed, and it would not
be surprising if all of the indicted persons
should demand their release upon writs of
habeas corpus. Every possible effort will be
made to recover the lost or stolen papers,
sad constables are now engaged in securing
the county for them.
THE INDICTMENTS FOUND.
At noon today Constable Richard Garrick
discovered the missing indictments in his
overcoat pocket. He had picked them uI
from the clerks desk by mistake, thinking
them to be summonses for him to serve. His
explanation to the court was accepted and
the business of the court was resumed.