The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-28
GIELE FACES A JURY
The Fraud in the Hall Of
Records Construction
Ventilated in Court.
WINFIELD'S TAME OPENING
The Architect Certified For Work
Never DOne-LOoking For
Cannon.

The trial of Louis H. Giele, the architec5
who gained such unenviable notoriety from
his connection with the building of the Hall
of Records for malfeasance in Office, began
at noon today. Nj. Giele was
dressed in summer suit AMI
wore pink neglige shirt AMI
huge white bow His face was flushed. and
he appeared to be excessively nervous. He
sat between his counsel, Senator DAILY and
James f. Minturn, and occupied his time IN
arranging papers and making notes.
There was considerable delay in selectlnga
jury, not less than ten perempJory challenges
being made by the defense. One OF the
challenged jurors was Marcus B. w ellis.
He was chaIenged as to his age and when
questioned he admitted that he was sixty
nine years old. He was excused.
In opening the case the Prosecutor was
very brief. He merely said:-
Gentlemen, of the Jury, this man, Louis
H Giele, was indicted for malfeasance or
misconduct in Office. He was supervising
architect when the Hall of Records was
built. John A. Brown was the contractor.
The contract which Brown signed showed
the plans and specifications and all that was
to be done and the payments that were to
be made when certain work was completed.
FAILED TO DO HIS DUTY.
tA1nong other things TO be placed in the
building, according to the plans, were
some iron girdeFs, but many of
these were left out by the contractor
and were not put in according to the speciii-
cations, and Giele, the supervising architect,
appointed to protect the county from the
wrongdoing of the contractor, and to pre-
vent him from emitting to do anything the
contract called for, failed to do his duty.
"He certified in one instance that Brown
was entitled to $4,000 for work in putting
in girders, when what Brown omitted to put
in Should have. reduced the bill to about
$4,000. If the State proves this the public
was cheated, and if the public was cheated
this man Giele. was the cause, and was in
fault in certifying to what was not true,
and thereby defrauding the people"
The first witness called was Deputy County
Clerk John Fisher who proved that the con-
| tract had been filed in his Office. The con-
tract was offered in evidence. Senator DAILY
objected and was granted an exception.
JOHN BOYD TESTIFIES.
John Boyd, Clerk of the Board of Free
holders called next, read the official min
utes of the board. which awarded the con-
tract to John A. Brown, and he testified tnat
| Giele drew the plans and specifications
| for the Hall of Records Mr.. Boyd also
| read Gieles certificates to four payments to
! Brown as follows :-Sl3,0 900, $4,000, Sl5,0QO,
| and $4,000, and then at the request OF the
| Prosecutor, read other extracts from the
SuON44lt5 l4AO N-SS
| and other technical matter.
Prosecutor Winfield read a portion Of the
| contract which set forth that the work was
| to be done to the satisfaction of the Board
of Freeholders, under the direction of the
County Superintendent and supervising ar
| chitect and certified to in writing. This, SEN
ator DAILY in an argument to the court
claimed relieved C5iele of responsibility. The
contract specifically set forth that the work
should be done to the satisfaction of the
board He claimed it did not state
who was to certify to the work done
and that it might mean the COMMITTEES
on Public Buildings He said all bills were
| certified by the County Superintendent also.
At this point Court ordered q recess.
| When it was discovered that James F.
Cannon, ex-County Superintendent, was nos
| in court, a subpoena was issued for him.