The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-12-12
NOT GUILTY.
Plea of the Indicted City
Hall Commissioners in
Quarter Sessions:
AN EARLY TRIAL ASKED FOR
1t Will Begin the Week After Next
Their Bail is Fixed at
One Thousand Dollars.

The City Hall Commissioners. Pear
son. Burke and Datz, and Architect
Lewis A. Broome, who were indicted by
the last Grand Jury for misconduct in
office and conspiracy in connection with
the erection of that architectural mon
strosity, the new City Hall, were ar
raigned in the Quarter Sessions Court
this afternoon to plead to the indict-
ment. They had been notified to appear
at 12:3S Commissioner Burke was the firtt
to arrive. and the others appeared soon
aftelward. They were accompanied by
their bondSmen and counsel. Allan l.
McDemott WITH defend Commissioner
Burke, Dickinson Thompson and Nc
Mastey will look after President Pear
sons interests and ex-Judge Hoffman
appeared for Commissioners Datx.
James Vredenburgh and Judge Douglas
will defend Architect Brooane. The bonds
men are exSherif c. ]. Cronan for Com
missioner Burke. Albert Datz for mis-
brother, John C. Voorhees, for Cornmis-
sioner Pearson and Richard Washburn
for Mr.. Broome. The bail in each case
was placed at $1,000.
The hands of the big electric clock in
the court room pointed to twenty-five
minutes past one o'clock before the in
dicted Commissioners were called. All
the Commissioners entered a plea of not
guilty. Allan L. McDermott asked the
Court to have an early date fixed for the
trial. and ex-Judge Hoffman followed ug.
by repeating the request. Judge Hoff-
man said that in entering the plea his.
Client reserved the right to change tha
plea if the indictments were found de-
fective.
The Court replied that there were so
many lawyers interested in the trial.
that it would be impossible to try thet
case until the week after next, and that's
a day of that week would be named later.
of the monstro rosfty. has refused to obey
the orders oi iuhe Indicted Commission
ers. and stop work on the erection of
intended to beautify the sides of the
If the pediments and panels are not
Mullins. of Salem. Ohio. arHri manlMactured
viii not be able to turn M the buildings i lo over
by January 2. the specified time. do
not want any. trouble about not having
proper time
Notice has been regularly served ON
Kiernan to stop work, but that does
were at work today placing the pedi-
ments on the Montgomery and Mercer
street sides of the monstrosity. The
chief defect is alleged 20 be that the
pediments are not electro-bronze as call
ed for.
The announcement in 1.-THE Ne-Ts" yes
terday that some of the figures in the
groups had been slighted, having only
one eye and others fiat noses attract
ed q. large number of curiosity seekers
to the building this morning.
The members of the Crescent o. F. Club
attended in a body and made shock
ing discovery in the group styled "Agri-
culture" This is the group in which the
Goddess Ceres is the central figure.
Ceres right leg is tool arge altogether
to suit the Crescent Club critics. 1t is
either out of proportion or the right limb
attached to the goddess belong to some
other member the group; One of her
stout companions has ''bad'' eye and
the critics declare it resembles a member
of the Crescent Club very much.
The architect believes the pediments
will have to be inspected by experts from
scaffolds, unless Kiernan consents to al
low them to inspect some part of the
metal before it is placed in position Kier-
mans actions have caused considerable
SlJrDriSe. y