New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-17
"BIG FOUR" SET AT LIBERTY.
DISGRACEFUL ACT OF THE NEW-JERsEY
COURT OF PARDONS.
THE GrTTENBrRG PROFESSIONAL LAwBREAKERs
ESCAPE THEIR SENTENCE IN THE PiNI-
TERTIARY PROTEST FROM CIIANCEL-

TIE GtTTENBt'RG PROFESSIONAL. LAWlREAkEiS
ESCAPE THEIR SENTENCE IN THE PENI-
TERTIARY PROTEST FROM crIANcET~
LOR MGrrL. AND JUDGE SIMS.
The New-Jcrscy Court Of Pardons met In
Jersey Gity yesterday and adopted an order
rcmitting the sentence of one year In the pcni-
tcntlary Imposed by the supreme Court on Den
ns Mclaughlin. Gottfriod Walbaum John G.
Carr and John ~ Cruss. the Guttonburg big
Four" They were sentenced in March. An APP
peal was taken to the Court OF Errors. Tho
Supreme Court granted stay of judgment
until May IS. The appeal was decided against
the appellants n few days ago. If the Court of
Pardons had not intcrfercd. tho defendants
would have had to go to the pcnitentiary at
Snake Ii tomorrow.
If the blush OF shame did not mantle the
check OF every honest man I'm New-Jcrsey yes
tcrday 1t was not for want Of cause All up
right citizens OF tho State felt the deep dis
grace thrust upon them by the astounding ac-
ton Of tho court. So far the ends Of justice
are concerned. the Court Of Pardons might as
well have rcmtted the paltry money penalty
inflicted also. What Is fine Of $500 To men
who have made hundreds Of thousands Of dol
lars by their fragrant violations OF the law?
And these men not only violated the law fla
grantly. hut they violated it repeatedly. They
had violated it in the face of repeated warn
ings from Judge Lippincor. and they had set
the county courts at dcfinacc.
When public sentiment had been aroused upon
thc subject and the Law and order society oi
Hudson County undertook to check them In their
mad defiance of the law and Of public decency.
their agents were brutally assaulted upon the
Gutenberg track by hirclings Of the big Four
and their associates. Then. when these agents
obtained warrants for the arrest Of their assaii-
ants the big Four employed justices Of the
Peace whom they had elected for just such emer-
gcncies. and these justices opened court in
liquor-store across the road from the track, and
these runilns were admitted to bail with scarcely
the formality Of an examination
CONTROLLED BY MLAUGHLGN.
But despite the Big Fours" repeated offences.
It was found impossible t. secure their indct-
ment hecaus, Dennis McLaughlin. County Clerk,
tn. back and front of the Illegal and law-defyinS
combination. controlled the Sherns office. and it
was impossible to- secure Grand jury that
dared Do It's duty.
But there came day when County Clerk Me
Iaughin could not elect his Sheriff, day when
the people u Hudson County arose N th0lr might
and swept away the rotten ring that had 50 long
mad, Hudson th. scon OF the State and home
for balIo,-baN suffers. day when John J. TT
f., WAS elected sheriff. and the sword of justice
MAS once more returned % honest men.
The first Grand Jury drawn by Sheriff To;fey
indicted the Big Four" and just in ihc nick ~
tim. Tw, DAYS more and they would have b 81
able. 90 -et up th. statute of limitations as a ba"
/ =, usile. When Aflaigurd IN" members - IN
combination. u. nni- NJ 'I.Iughin. stll clerk "i
| the County 90 Hudson. John {. carr, formerly
Ji-t,,. II the Peace. GottfIei WalOdum ana
"A Tt IA
wffh raccfraeh. entered pleas OF not gnlt'. me
..er. tried and convicted. bat before 'uhsr
i I.ippin,ot couu Impose sentence Ailn M,',g ,,'
/ inltt chairman ~ th' New-JerS-y stat Demo
/ ,,,fl.. Committee who acted as counsel toi 'h'
..pl, Follt appealed their case go ihr Sdp'"i"r
/ c.ur upon fhr barren t"c-ni'tiiiy that th'f
! ,.U.. b.. srui-u.~l under SOME other j." '""i
i ,t,t .,nder which. fh,s had been convicted anu
/ which Laws. Nj MDprrm'ii aN. gen. s'F.
/ ~ legality 600 uir.f Atmiit i.'''' 49, '''9 80,
| uud-p.ii OF OBJ" General @r-0i'h-' "' ia'
| T.. i..' k.un. supported Mr. II - 'iHl''i Wv
| l.n.ng ,ul5 Judge lAppinr it ana - -, '',
! Ab.r, Honmir 40 ir' siHr '' J'7" ~,
/ hing .puali, diN.a.I. u' s'nirnr '"",'
/ ,..s.f fuus. Iilp.u,.tf. who b u va 'h't "
/ had a rlsDt ln ."nl fh' D"n. pI''". - a.
hat :, would hr tn OUTRAGE ui y 'l ,h.,, f.,
! stat. and q tia,r-tf ~ justice. 40 ll." ". -.
IN. WIN nm thf they would not i.'l' d.
on.. certified I'm. wh.l. matter To- ,I' '"P',i,'
Court That body promptly i'' ,it'' we ,.1 -" ~
NIL. tlrrir.ott T. xun and Mls.". TN. ''"t
,,.., i, I~rs.v Ciit. AMI handed down " dr'i9''"
an, ming Juder Lippin'oii We've
DELIVERED HI JUDGE DIXON
r,,. o,iri.n was delivered by judge Dixon
v.h, held that the State laws Warranted "n-
nr,snnmoni. a. weu as fine. Jndf" M'F''
added that. in his opinion. ih' dri'"''"'S
had violated the common law aa wen "S ,i', ,p.
| s,.,ut.s and could b" sentenced u""'l
| ,,,,,u law If the statutes were d'chl'u !"
| H.. inadeduaie The defendants were '"'i - -
| tcnced by Judge Dixon. VINO 'oVN ~ "'." ~, ,h.
| Dad X. %
| ,.nfi.ntiarv and t. pay nm ol %'p' '.
| MIR McDermott next appealed 10 ,n' @ 'o"' n,,
Errors and Appeals. ana. whiIr ''e ,'',,,
stu uendtng these friends ol 'h' 'v,a 'P D..
a,.ncrl.l tn the Court Of PardonS. lH'.t "''ts
annouuced that IT would not interfere VIII '"I ~,
matter was pending IN tne '"u'' ru, 80 had i'm
Arne,Is The Branch supreme C"urt IA" III
,hn mean time adjourned until May ~ 'i' ~
cisIon of the Court of Errors anu NiP ,.',,
,n, ox,;ccicd on May 10. 1t was not 6'N''
,H nn,u Nav n which was in ample time To en-
able the Supreme Court 10 r'seht'n'' ' pan
fcssional law breakers corhrr'u ~ In,,l,rs
MAY is Hut Yesterday the Court OF "u''
r",o, a.. nromise To the people of NeW-Jers'H
forgot the pledge of courtesy IT had gwen ,'a'
met at jersey City to undo the "o'N W ''
and set the offenders free ,o,.o,
These were Chancellor Alexander r. Mc.'ll' anu "
Judge Clifford s Sims. They reluseu - on,ro
| party to the transaction. though 'h,N ar p'r
| r.rats ike the other members. the Court ol ! ..
dons being composed Of the Governor inc I "'', -,
caiinr and the five itv JIdgcs OF IN" Cp"'t ~
| Errors ana App'dlS NV ,,.rc,
| Iudrcs had unanimously affirmed the s'ht'hS'
'."t' .o.,o r,ur, Tho members OF the
, ~ 80 ,.oro C;overnor ,;oorgc r. Werts ana
| Tav Judges John ". Bogcrt. Gottirlei hr,"srl
| Gc1ree smith Albert Tallman and y. A. I,'M w, ~
| xyhan tn, vote WAS recorded. Chanc"llor N.''
| ar1 Iudyo Sims handed up this protest ana u'
,nandcd that II be entered In fuH upon 'i.'
minutes. "I,ccause Of their continued nai'tsm ~
| anca Of nm institution for their indiVldua' P'o"
.n, lin ,t the expense ~ the public morals ih'
In shameful violation of the law ana the ,'u' -
v. vote against Interference with the s'n'''''''
Tho news 81 the Courts action caused intense
INDIGNATION in jersey city.
, TTLLMfNS RTDTrULOTS HRi|AD"'