The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-01-17

t%sS . - 1A3A EtA0 @fiAAS LtA0
address at 936 Race street, testified to
having paid money to Officers Smith, Lut-
ton and Crosby. Mss Walton said she
had given Crosby a silver watch.
An imposing array Of witnesses testl-
fesl to the demoralized condition Of the
Tenth district police force, telling how
the men played policy, rushed the growl-
er and brought women to the station
house. Ex-Oflcer Pluckfelder told of be-
ing in the company of Special Officer
Henry when Henry got Sc from a Mrs.
Dagger, who kept a house at Front and
Thompson. He said a policy man had
also informed him that Henry was get
ting so a week from him for protection.
Although this information was duly inn
parted to Superintendent Linden, nothing
ever came of 1t.
The evidence of police outrages brought
before the committee were numerous. 1t
was shown that one oficer-George Tim
lin. of the Twenty-ninth d~istrict-was a
convict. Mr.. Petit presented two Lett
ters from Director BETTER bearing upon
the Timlin case. One Of them shows the
Director taking a most astonishing posi-
ton regarding the employment of con-
victs upon the police force. 1t is as fol-
lows:
May Z, 1882.
&C Oscar Beasley, Esq, N. E. corner
Dear sir: / have ordered Officer Tim
lin before the Police Court on the charge
you preferred against him last year |
of being a convict, as / do not regard
Article 9, Section l, of the Bullitt bill as
affecting his status in the department.
ing the appointment, as policeman or fire
man, Of one who has been convicted of
crime.
Yours a EsfH 'ia'zs NJ. BETTER.
Director"
All of the officers against whom posi-
tive proof was brought before the com
mittee are still on the force.
The committee adjourned from Decem-
| Der 81 to January 6. Before adjourning
however, Lawyer Petit, who was the
| Cor of the investigation, made a sensa-
ton by announcing HI witnesses had
been threatened by the police and that
| intimidation was being resorted to under
| the very nose of the committee. There
| was general applause by the crowd OF
spectators when Mr.. Petit stated, IN
| ringing terms that all witnesses would
| he protected by the whole power of the
| Commonwealth, and that any police Off
| Ger, high or low, who attempted to mo-
lest witnesses in the future would be
nut where .the dogs would not bark at
him."
Although no public announcement OF
the fact was made, it was generally I'M
4 derstood that Mr.. sPettitss remarks re-
/ ferred mainly to an attempt to intimi-
| date Della Walton, one of the witnesses
who has already testified to having paid
for police protection. The statement was
made that one of the accused officers was
| about to have her arrested for perjury
When this came to the notice of the
! senators one of the sergeants-at-arms
was sent down to Magistrate South to
notify him that in the event of such
an arrest the Senatorial COMMITTEES
would go bail for the girl, would secure
counsel for her and see that the case was
speedily tried. Word came back that nc
such arrest had been yet made.
This phas of police villainy cropped
up again when the Committee reassem.
bled on the 9Th inst. Prior to the session
| Chairman McAndrews and Lawyer Pet
tit appeared before Judge Yerkes. il
the Quarter Sessions Court. and MI. Pet
tit asked that the case of the ommon
wealth against Julia Grove, who j!
charged with keeping a disorderly house
be continued. The case was fixed TO
trial today. He advanced as a reason
that the defendant was desired as a wit
ness before the Investigating COMMITTEES
in reference to certain connections Which
the police department is alleged to hay
had with keepers of disorderly houses
He also said that it appeared that press
ure had been brought to bear to have tn
case tried at this time in order that i
might terrorize other persons engaged il
the same business. who were also de
sired as witnesses by the committee.
District Attorney Graham. in reply, sal,
that he desired to repudiate the imputa
ton that trial OF this case was hurrie'
for any other purpose than that the end
of Justice might be served.
Judge Yerkes continued the case for on
week.
When the Committee session began
several policemen and ex-policemen testi
fed before the committee to the pohtica
activity Of the police in the Fifteentl
ward. The witnesses who had been di
charged from the force ascribed Republl
can fractional differences (their ~friendlines
to Senator Quay as the real cause 70
their dismissal.
James w. Naylor. a former policeman i
the Fifteenth ward. was the most sensa
tional witness of the day. He declare
tina several years ago. when he was
~c1toox,an Sorucants of Po1{oa Erann an