The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-10-12
ROPER A CONVICT.
He Has Served Three Years
In a. Massachusetts
Prison.

sions yesterday afternoon, Mr.. j.. Croner
of No. t26 Knickerbocker avenue. Brook
lyn, who had been subpoenaed as a Wit
ness, asked he Cour to take his testf-
mony as he had to return home be-
fore dark. The Court granted the re-
on the stand. He testified that he first
saw Roper in February last at rhe
offices of the syndicate on Montgomery
Did he say anything about mortgages
which the syndicate was said to have
held" asked Prosecutor Winfield.
QUESTION: astSaasg but the ob1ee aleee'e was 10 over
ruled, and Croner answered Yes
When asked if he ever had any money
transactions with the syndicate Croner
q wanted to get a loan and Roper
told me hat he would try to get the
loan as soon as possible. wanted a
l bought forty-seven shares of the syndi-
C cate stock, and the dues l paid to Roper
amounted to 500. 04."
While you were there" asked the
Prosecutor. did Roper talk of the assets
of the syndicate"
yes" replied Croner. He tod me that
the syndicate held a number of mort,
cages 0 n property in this city, and said
that n of the mortgages was on the
Weldon Building for SIS. 900.
Well, did you get you loan?" queried
NO., was the reply. 1T never saw
the money" He further said that on
Monday last he came over looking for
his loan, but received a subpoena TO at
Roper, who seemed refreshed after
dinner in the County Jail, was then plac d
on the stand. Prosecutor Winfield inn
mediately began to sail into him with
all canvas set. There were a few things
that the Prosecutor wanted to know,
and before he excused Roper he Sc
Among other things that he wanted to
know was why Roper and the other Of
fieers subscribed for one share each
when the Indictment was handed down
animation with this question, and Roper
admitted that Immediately after his in
dictment all the officers invested in
stock to the extent of one share each.
why did they do this?" asked the
They did it so that they would be-
ce spid s5 Soa or sny OF Ta the the offie cePsy; hold
other stock at that timer
Yes, | think So"
"Then show us the violence of it."
Roper then fumbled about in the books,
which he referred to frequently, and
said that on May 1 he held eight shares
by transfer.
1.-THE shares were entered in the books
on May L." said he, but they were
transferred before that time.''
Prosecutor Winfield then read a letter
signed by Leon & Hardy of Denver,
which was printed in the books labelled,
How to secure a Home" and in which
the firm lauded the syndicate to the
skies and characterizing Mr.. Roper as
an honest, thorough business man. This
firm also stated that it had extensive
business dealings, amounting to 4thou-
sands of dollars, with the syndicate.
The Prosecutor then called upon Roper
to turn up the account of Leon q Hardy,
and the extensive business dealings were
found to have been transactions amount
ing to s211.20.
sThat letter isn't true. is it?' thun-
adnro6 tho prnonpI1fnr FHLL
''They sent it, replied Roper, meekly.
Mr.. Winfield.
1T speaks for ITSELF" replied Roper,
smiling.
Tell the Court and jury why you pub
lished that letter." demanded the Prose
cutor.
Roper, trembling at the cross-fre of
the Prosecutor, said that Leon & Hardy
had purchased $3.50 shares on January u,
1891, and hat they paid in as dues $21l. 30.
you never saw these. msn. and they
never saw you?" asked Mr.. Winfield.
NO. admitted Roper.
well, when they certified as to your
standing, they didn't know anything at
all about it. did they2"' asked Mr.. Win
field. Now, as a matter of fact, didn't
you ask for these letters?"
We'll" replied Roper, 81 sent letters
to many persons asking them what they
thought of our scheme. l received those
letters in reply"
The Prosecutor then began to inquire
into Roper's past history, and brought
out the fact that the affairs of the syndl-
Mr.. Winfield's move was a surprise to
Roper, who was wholly u~nprepared to
answer the embarrassing questions
thrown at him in rapid succession.
Springfield, Mass" asked the Prose
cutor, and ex-Judge Hoffman, smelling
the rat. jumped up and objected to THAI
form Of examination on the ground that
D4NarfC raOf lifo had nnthino IN dn with
the charge for which he was indicted.
Judge H%udspeth, however, decided that
the Prosecutors questions We're proper,
and allowed him to go on. Roper adj
paper mill in Springfield.
when did you leave there?" continued
the Prosecutor.
Good many years ago." was the re-
Were you ever in Cambridge, Mass. 2"
mot in business"
Were you ever convicted of any crime
at that placer"
Ex-Judge Hoffman jumped up quickly
from his seat, and, after telling Roper
not to answer. objected to the question.
Then followed a war of words, in which
Judge Hudspeth ruled that the question
was proper, and ordered Roper to answer
The question had entirely unnerved
Roper, and he locke sheepishly at his
counsel, as though appealing to him to
help him out. Three times Judge Huds-
meth told him to answer, and II was not
until the order was again repeated before
he replied
"My counsel advises me not to answer"
ANSWER the question when you are
told to do so,'' Numbered the Prose-
cutor. ssWere Won comrritted""
Eyes. SIR" timidly replied Roper.
Under that conviction you were SEN
fenced to the House of Correction for
three years. were ~yousnot?"
when did your sentence expire?'.
.,About seven years ago."
s.Then you came to Jersey City two
years after you were released from Gus
tody2'
Eyes. sir; about that time"
Prosecutor Winfield then returned to
the examination of Roper's work in the
syndicate, ard asked him if he had n
Of the certificates hat were issued to
the yirignia Lumber Company. roper
replied in the affirmative.
aCan YOU get those certificates" asked
the Prosecutor. Roper,s counsel, ex-
Judge Hoffman,, replied for him. HI
cannot get them very WE'LL" said he, "as
he is in jail. If you want them you must
II would rather not do that" was the
laconic reply of the Prosecutor. This
brought Roper's agony to an end, and
Mr. Donelan. the s~tenographer who took
the notes Of the trial in Justice Potts
court, was called to the stard. He had
a typewritten copy of the testimony with
him. and this was submitted as evidence.
Mr.. Donelan was then excused.
The morning session of the court was
occl,pied entirely by the counsel in sum
counsel. occupied two and a half hours,
and II was afternoon when Prosecutor
Winfield began his address.
"