The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-05-18
LIQUOR MEMS TRIALS
Witness Rocktoff Says Tof-
fey and Winfield Have
Spies at Work.
WAS ONE OF THEM, HIMSELF
Judge Hudspeth Increases the Fine
of a Man Who Pleaded
Net Guilty.
WAS ONE OF THEM, HIMSELF

Thirteen saloonkeepers were in the
General Sessions Court this morning to
be tried for selling liquor on Sunday. The
first one called was John Spada, of No.
302 Clinton street, Hoboken The evidence
against him was secured by Herman
Rockstoff, the anna teur detective, who
more or less distinguished himself in the
Brown disorderly house case some time
ago, ana his side partner Frank Theall.
Rocktoff and Thean did not exactly agree
in their testimony Rocktoff testified that
they went into Spada's saloon at No 1880
A. M. on Sunday Rocktoff ordered two
glasses of beer and paid for them Theall
then went on the stand and testified that
1T was about IL o'clock when they Were
in the saloon and that he and not Rock
toff paid for it. Both of the spies said
that they were employed by Sheriff Tof-
fey and Prosecutor Winfield to secure evil
derce. The defendant did not go on the
stand Lawyer Black, who appeared for
him. argued that the evidence was con-
Trajectory and insufficient Judge Hud-
speth said there could be no compromise
IN the case. The defendant was convicted
Judge Hudspeth called him to the bar
and said;-'You have been convicted Of
selling liquor on Sunday contrary to the
statute Heretofore others have come here
and voluntarily acknowledged their guilt
In such cases the Court has been lenient
and imposed the minimum penalty I
suppose you thought you had right to
sell because such sales have been permit
ted without interference on the part of
public officials. All that is past The law
is now being enforced. You come here
and put the county to the expense of a
trial besides the loss of the Courts time.
If every case of this kind were to be
tried no other trials could be held In your
case the Court will impose the extreme
penalty of the law, a fine of $40 and costs.
The next defendant was Bernard Nc
Quillan, of Willow avenue and Newark
street. Hoboken. Policeman Rebold in
citizens clothes raped at the side door
and was admitted by McQullan. Several
men were standing in front of the bar
with schooners which looked as if they
had contained beer. One medium glass
half full of beer stood on the end of the
bar, and Reibold drank the beer Then
he arrested McQullan.. McQuillan said
that he was eating his dinner and that
the beer on the bar was his own The
other men were drinking weiss beer and
ginger ale.
Mr.. Black interposed the plea Of for
mer conviction and claimed that the Court
has no jurisdiction. This is the same plea,
lnterposed Senator Daily, in previous cases
which are now in the Supreme Court pend
ing decision. McQuillan was tried be-
4,5 fore Reeorder t5s Nc MOD convicted and
Recorder had no jurisdiction. There is no
ordinance in Hoboken, he claims, giving
the Recorder jurisdiction. The defendant
has license to keep a house of public
entertainment. Judge Hudspeth charged
the jury that Recorder NfcDonough had
no jurisdiction whatever. There is no or
dinance in force in Hoboken giving him
powers to dispose of a case in which the
defendant has license to keep a house
OF public entertainment. McQuillan was
Morris Rosenstein was the next in the
order OF the procession. He keeps a saloon
at No: 81 Third street, Hdboken. Police
Sunday, May 3. Rosenstein looked
through a peephole in the door, but failed
to recognize the policeman in his citizens
clothes and opened the door for him
Then he opened an inside door and ush-
cred Garrick into the barroom. Two men
had just ordered drinks, one beer and one
Whiskey. The policeman saw a woman
behind the bar. She placed a bottle con-
tanning red fluid on the bar in front of
the man who ordered the whiskey. Then
she drew another LIQUID from tan in tha
icebox. 1t had foam on it, but the off,
Ger was not willing to swear that it was
beer. Neither was he willing to swear
that the other LIQUID was whiskey. He only
thought they were beer and whiskey re-
spectively because they were the drinks
the men called for. The witness did not
see any money pass.
The case took the same course as the
previous one. The defendant had been
fined by Recorder McDonough Judge
.liudspeth charged the jury as in the pre-
'vious case that the Recorder had no iuris-
diction. The jury is out.
Frank Durker, Emil Fregarth and Jo-
and were fined IS and costs.