New-York tribune., 1895-06-15
INDICTMENTS AT TRENTON.
THE MERCER COUNTY GRAND JURY COM
pLETES IT'S LABORS.
LITTLE FRY CAUGHT. BIT BIG FISH ESCAPE
SIXTEEN PREsENTMENTs AGAINST STATE
OFFICIALS. CLERKS AND CONTRACTORS.

OFFICIALS. CLERKS AND CONTRACTORS
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrBuNE.l
Trenton. June 1.-THE Grand Jury Of Mercer
! County has completed its labors and adjourned.
In all. seventy-nne indictments were returned,
sixteen Of which against State officials clerks
and State contractors All the little fry whose
crookedness was exposed by the Voorhees, lnvesti-
eating Committee were caught In the jury's net,
but those higher up have escaped. There Is no
Indictment against the Secretary OF State, Henry
c. Kelsey. although In labored presentment the
Jurors characterize his official acts as ''reprehen-
slble" The presentment discusses at length the
state House frauds and the loose and criminal
manner In which State business has been trans
acted advises the Legislature as to needed legis-
lation and excuses the jury for not finding true
bills against certain powerful politicians by re-
peated references to the supplemental charge Of
Justice Gummere The prevailing sentiment
here tonight is that the jury has proved failure.
The full list OF those indicted cannot be learned.
as the Prosecutor declines to make the names pub
lie until those 10 be arralgned under arrest.
Immediately after the report OF the Grand Jury,
County Clerk Gummere set his force Of clerks at
work issuing capiases and force OF court officers
will be engaged tomorrow in arresting indicted
officials Bail will be entered In each case, as the
Court has announced that trials Will not begin
until about the middle OF July. All the indicted
politicians viii be arraigned before Justice Gum
mere next Wednesday to plead to the criminal
charges agains; them. and ne Will also sit at their
trial I'm the Court OF oyer and Termner That
will take the trial and sentencing Of those con-
yictcd out Of the hands Of the county Judge This
is an unusual proceeding. The custom heretofore
has been to try all criminal cases Of "A lesser de
gree than homicide in the Court Of Common Pleas
hcfor. the county Judge. Although there were
sixteen indictments returned by the jury this
doe. not necessarily mean that that number OF
state officials have been indicted as there may
bo two or three indictments against one man. IL
ls said also that one Indictment arraigns severa
persons on a charge OF conspiracy. Rumor con-
meets the names OF Colonel ". c. Heppcnheim"r
ana Governor Leon Albeit with the work ~ the
Grand Jury bu, the politicians At the state House
who have I'm some mystcrous manner been kept
prcity we'll ACQUAINTED with what has been going
on I'm the Grand Jury room during is three weeks
session. declare that no Indictment has been found
against them 1t IL known that all those engaged
In the Gcrmaa contract printing Jobs have been
indicted
Rumor. moreover. hia 1t that John Mullins
and his partner. Daniel M1riarty who fur
nishci ana rcfurnlshcd the state House on Foris
orders at regular intervals and AT enormous
pri % have also been Indicted. Colonel John ].
Van Clccn ~ the state Board of Railroad Asses
sors who supplied the maps 20 the state House
through several printers. has been indicted Tor
cheating the State TX Superintendent b. j Ford
ls Indicted for several alleged crimes. II Is said
that Ford will return ami stand trial. and unless
th0s. who shared I'm the plunder he received as
sist hin. he may make an exceedingly Interesting
witness John /. kuscr. the retired business"
manager - The Newark Frele-Zeltung. VINO
is alleged - have pal several thousands 81 dol
lars br5" bidders not To- bid on certain German
printing contracts. has been indicted. Mrs'
Pricth. the principal owner Of tn" Newark paper
ls ais, Indicted fl ~ said and according to the
sam" authority. Emil Kracutter. ~ THE peutscne
Zciung" Newark. otto Heintz. Of Newark. and
C. :. Robinson. %, The Weekly Press" Princeton.
are Indicted with kuser The testimony before
the voorhees, Committee was T. the cfect tna'
Mr. kuscr had pali sums ranging from NoVV
down To- those parties o. refrain from bidding
I'm the prcscntment the jurors say they nave
Investigated many matters In relation 10 the
management ~ the state business the con
struction Il the stat" buildings. the iurnlsn-
iag To- the State ~ supplies "i various KINDS
and the conduct ~ the different officers en-
pi1ycd under the state In their various captcl-
ties. that they have thought certain cases nave
merl,ed action at their hands by way Of indict-
mcni. and that In those cases IN" jury nave
found bills. but Ia the Investigations the srahu
Inquest met win many cases hi "Ili'' ~
luul offences which have been committed within
the legal jurisdiction Of this Court hut whch
are exempted from prosecution on account ul
the Interpretation II the statute ~ UWltauohS'
and ih. Jurors deem T. their duty to call the
attention of the Cour. by presentmcnt 10 whdt
appears 10 be a gross ana genera VOCATION vi
tn. laws OF the state on the part OF those d"al-
ing with the state In various capacities' ior
which the Grand Jurors are unable 10 take any
further action b. way of indictments In many
cases il appears that civil proceedings for money
tod ne might II
successful conclusion. The jurors did not be-
licve 1t was their duty to pursue this subject.
but only t. state that n failure on their part
10 find Indictment for certain offences which
have appeared before them 10 be AZ fagrant as
any that have come under their considerations
has been entirely from an inability To apply IN.
criminal law beyond period OF two years
against a private citizen ana i've years against
"A public officer acting within the scope OF his
official employment The jurors feel IA regret
that thu. laws of this state prevent appropriate
action In many ~ these cases. but they h'so
feel that indictment would be futiir ana use
less I'm those cases where the plea OF the stntut"
of limitations could be successfully interposed
Evidently referring TO Secretary kelscys OF
fetal actions the jurors In their prescntment
say:
And the fury Aforesaid their respective oath
and affirmation aforesaid. do further present and
saw that they have especially investigated with
pfa' spse,on S"e Of W fees due the by public ON
Whose d nc mi to So so'S, in onc %s" cas Sr at ' least
an ofccr of this State has collected large amounts
Of money for the Of the state, and has de-
posiicd the same in his own personal bank account.
and that thif money used by the officer al
luicd to for his own purpose although huerwarh
rcpall 10 the state The Jury fnd that such
prnctcc IL strongly rrprchcnaibe ana should be
condemned by all honest. conscientious ana careful
people and although It does not plainly appear
ih,i the state suffered pccuni,ry losses from this
matter the jury believe that the practice should
he earnestly discouraged and that all state money
ahoud be kept IN n sacred fund In trust by Itself.
While the fury have not thought that the interests
of Wstlce require that any one should be indicted
for this matter as the evidence before them dii
mat "a
defraul the State Of any of It's funds. the Jury
have Thought II was a proper matter for special pre-
sentiment To the Court
Continuing. the prcscntment says:
The Jurors do further present and say that there
Inv. hcen brought before them many Instances or
l4-..o r,nlhnla nf cnndmcinE the Slate.s huslncSs