The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-04-27
NOW FOR THECHARGE
Summing Up in the Street
and Water Board
Trial.
ABLE SPEECHES FOR THEDEFENSBi
Mr.. Collins Insists There Has Been
No Fraud-Mr. Winfeld's
Brilliant Work.

Every one in court was surprised yes
terday at the rapidity with which the
defence IN the case of the People VS., The
ex-Commissioners of the Street and
Water Board for malfeasance in Office
closed their side. Within a few hours
their case was presented, witnesses ex-
amined and summing up arguments In
troduced. BY four o'clock Prosecutor
Winfield had summed up for the People,
and on Monday morning Justice Lip
pincott will begin his charge. and the
case will be given to the jury in ths
afternoon.
Mr. Charles L. Corbin's exceedingly
able speech for the defence was follow
ed by one from his associate. Mr.. Gill
bert Collins, and between the two
powerful advocates everything that could
be said. every point which could be
touched upon and enlightened, received
proper attention. On all sides were
heard compliments to the counsel for the
defence, Messrs. Collins, Corbin and
Thompson. for the careful preparation
and clever handling of an extremely diff
iicult cause celebre.
The chief points of Mr.. Corbin's argu-
ment, which mainly consisted in analyz-
ing the legal aspects, were printed in
last nights Jersey City News That
of Mr.. Collins was more of general
character, and covered both law ard
facts. He showed that the Indictment
stipulated an executed fraud, which the
State had failed in proving.
Delving into the testimony, he critfciz-
ed ''these busy-bodies, Monroe Simmons
and c. E. Maxon, who pretended to give
expert testimony on sewer construction.
when neither of them had ever built
anything but a simple house drain, and
knew nothing about the subject of
sewers.
COULDN'T TRACE ANY MONEY.
Although he continued, "the deal
ings Of these five commissioners have
been scrutinized minutely and investigas-
ed thoroughly, not only by the Mayor but
by grand juries, not one dollar has been
traced into the pockets of these gentle
men. 1t has not been proved that a con-
tractor ever gave a dollar to them.
They are entitled to clear and dis
tinct verdict of aoquittal at your hands
and be allowed to go home to their fam
lilies with their good names untarnished
and your seal of innocence on their
acts. Don't convict on vague ideas, but
as many of you in that box have been
III pQIilC O1IiCC anu uHueESltilO lllt ItldL-
ters Of business herein concerned,
ask you to do as you would be Sone hy.
You viii not do anything else but '5sls<
they are innocent"
MR.. WINFIELD,S SUMMING UP.
The Prosecutor at the beginning OF
his address protested that he had thrswn
out a suspicion that the defendants re-
ceived money. He merely insisted that
they. had not followed the commands
of the Jaw and were liable, therefore,
for their disregard or neglect. Take
the $500 bill matter. he said, the statute
particularly inserted that to protect tax
payers by forcing competition. 1t didn't
believe in permitting the board to APP
point their favorites and give work TO
he claimed. had been violated at every
step.
walk Inspector, Muleoon, coming out of
his cigar store. at the door of which
stood the. figure of an indian, with a
cigar in his hands as a temptation to
come ,i!1 in and an buy E'l Phifs goods, and then
on, tomahawk in hand, scalplock adj
justed, with bundle of sidewalk notices,
stealing through the streets OF Bergen
at dawn TO catch offending property
owners
He laid stress on the fact that during
eight months 900 had been paid out
by the board in evasion of the law and
$40 600 at one sitting.
Mr.. Winfield concluded with q forcible
appeal to convict. His address was
made with his accustomed vivacity and
eioQuence, but somehow the Prosecutor
seemed to argue as If he had a poor
case, and was struggling against his
weaknesses. Yet in spite of these dis
advantages the Prosecutor ably perform
OF