The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-05-23
PAUPHRS WITHOUT LAW
Many People Illegally Com
mitted to the Snake Hill
Almshouse

Counsellor Norman Rowe, attorney to
the Board of Freeholders. has for the
past six months been investigating the
Almshouse and Lunatic Asylum at a
Hill with a view of ascertaining how
many paupers and ~lunatics are confined
there who should not be a burden upon
the county. In other words. he has
been looking into the affairs of the in
stitution for the purpose of wedding out
all impostors and making lighter the
annual expense to which the county is
put. The investigation was ordered by
ex-Freeholder -Bruggeman, Director OF
the former Board of Freeholders. Mr..
Rowe has been very successful in his
work, as far as the Almshouse is con
| cerned. He has found numbers of peo-
pie who nave been cared for there who
| We're unworthy and SHOULD have been
no expense to the county at all. These
he has discharged Immediately. Num-
bers of others have been discovered who
| hail from other counties or States. Some
have been committed. and Mr.. Rowe
has been unable to find any evidence of
why they have been adjudged paupers
and become a burden on the county.
All sorts of Irregularities in the modes
of commitment adopted by the Poor
masters have been unearthed.
AS told in 1.-The News Mr.. Rowe
| addressed a letter to- each of the Poor
masters in the county yesterday and ad-
vised them that no pauper will be re-
ceived at Snake Hill in future unless
his commitment meets all the require
ments of the law and is accompanied
by sufficient evidence to show that it
is a just one.
-
DIRECTOR HELLER'S VIEWS.
A News reporter interviewed Direc-
tor Heller on the subject. He did not
know that the investigation was going
ON until told SO by the reporter. He
thought it a good thing, and was of the
opinion hat it ought to be pushed. He
paid Poormaster Hewitt a great conpli-
commitments could be defective. He
deemed Jersey City's Poormaster the
best in this part of the country. He
plication was made to him by New York
paupers he took them across the river
and turned them over to the New York
to have Hewitt arrested. but was bound
at last to recognize in him a man not
to be trified with and quit sending his
Judge McGrath, counsel to the Board
of Freeholders. was also spoken to on
the subject, He reviewed the inyestiga-
" d. ldI 40 II td C<AAo VII
ed out that a large numbe OF illegal
commitments have been made.
THE LAW IN THE MATTER.
1.-THE law governing such matters in
Hudson county," he said, lis a queer
arrangement anyway. 1t is unique and
to have Hewitt arrested, but was bound
the law in any other county or State
is like it. 1t gives the Poormaster the
sole power to commit paupers. 1t Is
all left to his judgment, and If he wants
to he can commit them without having
eyidenc produced. This is the cause
of a great deal of our trouble. In other
counties paupers can only be committed
by a Magistrate after a proper trial.
Mr.. McGrath gave an amusing illustra-
ton of the almost unlimited powers vest
ed in a Hudson county Poormaster. Word
comes to his office that people are desti-
tute and in need of assistance. He
goes out and on hunting them up finds
the facts to be true. He then takes
them in custody, acting as constable.
and CONVEYS them to his office. Arrived
there, he goes upon the bench and IN
the capacity of Judge finds them guilty.
down from the bench, proceeds to see
that it is properly executed himself, TAX
ing them to the A~lmshouse. He does
the whole business from first to last,
without the assistance of amy other Off
cial.
But perhaps it is just as WELL" said
the Judge, "as If they were committed
by Justices of the Peace. Most of the
Justices don't know any more law than
the Poormasters do"
The Freefoiders will probably take ac-
counties or States sent where they be-
/ long