The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-02-19
ernor was looking into the Hudson
Prosecutors Office.
A BRILLIANT CAREER
Charles H. Winfield, Jurist,
Politician and Man of
Letters.

the possible exception of Secretary Me-
Adoo, the most distinguished citizen of
Hudson county. He has a National repu-
tation as lawyer, an orator and a man
of letters. His papers have always been
received with the highest satisfaction by
the New York Historical Society," He is
an authority of the highest rank upon
the history of New Jersey. He is even
more of a student than a politician or
jurist. Mr.. Winfield was born at the
town Of Deer Park, near Port Jervis
Orange county, N. " November s, 1929
He was prepared for college at Decker
town, N. j., entered Rutsers College, New
Brunswick. in 1S49 and graduated in 1852
His original design was to study for the
ministry, but he changed his mind while
in college and went at once to study
law under the late Chancellor A O.
Zabriskie, being admitted 20 the bar as
an attorney at the November term of
1855, and as "a counsellor at the February
term of 1860. He took up the practice of
law in Jersey City and his entire active
career has been passed in this place.
Mr.. Winfield was elected to the State
the full term of three years. As Sena-
tor he had an opportunity of perform
ing an act of justice to his late pre-
ceptor in the law Mr.. Zabriskie had
opposed with the greatest energy the
extensions of the monopoly grants of
the Camden and Amboy Railroad Com
pany, and when nominated for Chancellor.
by Governor Marcus L. Ward, his con-
firmation was in great doubt, the rail-
road power of the State being arrayed
against him. His confirmation was only
secured by the vote of Mr. Winfield
handsome reward rendered to the gentle
man who had directed his course of
education for the bar.
Mr.. Winfield prepared a History of
Land Titles in Hudson County in 1872,
book of great usefulness; buf,his most
enduring monument is his History of
Hudson County," published in 1874 This
history was prepared with great care
and pains, and in it are treasured up
with great care the early traditions. Of
the county, and the work is regarded
as high authority
He has also published a law book en-
titled "Adjudged Words and Phrases
which appeared in 1882, and mas been
that it ran through several editions.
The literary work of Mr.. Winfield en-
crossed so much of his time that he did
not devote much attention to commercial
law and general practice on the civil
side of the courts. He has argued, now
ever many important civil suits, one of
the most celebrated of which was the
case of Tangborn VS.. Young, reported
in yroom's, R. %.
On the criminal side of the court Mr..
Winfeld's practice has been very ex-
tensive. and he has been engaged in
nearly all the great criminal trials which
have occupied the attention Of the Hud-
son courts for the last thirty years. One
of the most celebrated was the trial Of
Jennie E. Smith and Covert d. Bennett
for the murder of Mrs. Smiths hug
band, reported in u vroom's, R. 37o
Mr.. Winfield conducted the defence ane
secured the acquittal of the couple by
his mastery tactics
He was appointed Prosecutor of the
Pleas of Hudson County by Governor
Ludlow in 1883. He was reappointed by
Governor Green in 1888. and by Governor
Werts in 1893. His present term. the
third he has served expires in 1883 His
has been full Of brilliant services to the
cause of justice. But the most notable
of all his achievements was the indict-
ment trial, conviction and punishment of
the ballot-box suffers in 1889.
Mr.. Winfield has also won distinction
as political orator. and in this line he
has but few peers in the Democratic par
ty of this State. In the campaign of
bo xxyoc cd hryt tIa Il.
National Committee to canvass what were
considered doubtful States for Hancock
and English, and in this capacity he
spent a month in the State of Indiana,
and a considerable time in the States
of New York and Connecticut. 1t is also
a fact worthy of note that the Republi-
can National Committee had employed
Major z. K. Pangborn. editor of the ssJer-
sey City Evening Journal to canvass
the State of Indiana also. Major Rang-
born is one of the most effective stump
orators in the Republican party. and these
two orators were selected by their respec-
tive parties TO canvass the same State on
opposite sides
Mr.. Winfield's efforts in later years
were no less strenuous. He stumped this
State for Governor Albeit in 1889 with
great success. In 1892 he ileaGed the ele-
ment which seeded from the main Hud-
son delegation to the Trenton State Con-
yention Going into the convention on
the credentials of ex-senator Brinkerhoff,
he opposed the nomination Of E. F. c.
Yourg for Governor. and thus aided in
making George T. Werts the Democratic
standard bearer. He campaigned through
the State for Werts and Cleveland. and
his eloquence had no small effect in