The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-05-09
GRAND JURY PRESEETMENT.
Western Unions Green Goods Bust
ness GosnpIalned OF.

Western UniOn's Green Goods huSi-
ness Gompla1ned Of.
The Grand Jury was received by Judge
Hudspeth yesterday when it entered court.
Foreman Simeon H. Smith handed up four
teen indictments and q presentment. When
Judge H~udspeth heard the presentment read
in court, he said he would at the earliest
moment consult with Judge Lippincott
about it. The presentment was as follows
THE Grand Inquest respectfully presents
as follows
1--WE deem it our duty as members of the
the Grand Jury tn call the attention OF the
Court and the pubic to the attitude main
Etained by the Western Union Telegraph
Company and its employees in this city to-
wards that particular form of fraud known
as the green goods business We have made
a thorough investigation of the method of
conducting that business so far as jersey
City is concerned, and we find a state OF
facts which, while insufficient in the present
condition of the law to sustain indictments
not only ~justiies but demands exposure and
censure.
THE swindlers engaged in the green
goods business, after having been ordered
out of Jersey City blythe police authorities,
established their headquarters in New York.
From that city and other eastern cities they
mail their circulars broadcast over the entire
COuIlbty, ana III UueSe cITtuldIS GHSy Rif0 40
their addresses, at which their victims may
communicate with them, certain street NUM-
bers In Jersey City which either have. no
existence or are occupied by factories and
railroad yards. For example here are the
ames under which sorne of these swindlers
do business and the addresses at which they
direct their victims to communicate with
them:-'H. Monroe, No. 1876 Hudson street.
This is in the Pennsylvania depot; there is
no such number. Thomas Williams, No.
240 Hudson street. There is no such num-
Der in Hudson street, but if Hudson street
was extended through the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company's property 1t would be
found where the freight yard of that COM
pany is now situated Thomas jefferson,
No. 81 York street, This number is
occupied by Colgate's soap factory. Henry
Butler, No. 81 Exchange place. There is
no such number. After the swindlers have
sent out their circulars with these addresses
all further communication between them
and their victims are carried on telegraph.
A great number of kilograms from the vic
Tins to the swindlers are received at the
main Office of the Western Union Telegraph
Company at Jersey City, Of which one John
B. Bartholf is manager. These dispatches
are directed to fictitious addresses. as hereto
fore explained, but by an arrangement
between the green goods operators and the
Representatives of the Western Union Tele-
81 tNpu oOflpdAy ILL l41 ~ LOUSY ~
the part of the representatives of said COM
pany as to the character and purpose of such
dispatches are not delivered at the addresses
to which they are directed, but are sent by
the representatives Of said company by
special messengers to the real headquarters
Of the swindlers in the city of New York.
s'rhus it will besseen that the green goods
business could not be carried ON at all with
out the aid and cooperation of the Western
Union Telegraph Company and its en-
ployes, and we have no hesitation in
saying that such aid ar.d cooperation
are knowingly and deliberately extended by
said company and its emp.byes in Jersey
City to these swindlers, and that Manager
Bartholf is, if not a partner, at least a con
federate OF the men who are engaged in this
disreputable, immoral and unlawful bust
ness.
"We, therefore, protest most earnestly
against the conduct of said company and its
local manager in this matter, and respect
fully submit the whole subject to The CON
sideration of the Court.
IS. FL. SMITH, Foreman"