New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-30
AN INDIGNANT PROSECUTOR.
MR.. WINFIELD THINKS THE MINISTERS
DID NOT TREAT HIM FAIRLY.

HE WRITES AN OPEN LETTER IN REGARD TO
THE RESOLUTIONS ADoPTED-MR. scUDDER
MAKES CAUsT1c REPLY.
Charles II. Winfield. Prosecutor OF Hudson
County, was wrathy indeed when he read the
speeches and resolutions Of the big mass-meeting
held Monday evening in Jersey City to urge
strict enforcement Of the laws requiring saloons
to be closed on Sundays BY way Of relieving
his feelings Prosecutor Winfield wrote the foi-
lowing open letter to the Rev. l. W. Halfway:
Dear Sir: In the papers of last evening were pub
lished proceedings OF a meeting at the TaDernacie
on Monday evening over which you presided among
the resolutions adopted on that OCCASION "e'e '"'
Since it lies within the power Of the Prosecutor
ton of crimes and misdemeanors. we, the people
demand OF him our representative that ne p a
who persistently violate the law. and to ,hat end
the law may be made terror to evidoers ,hs ,r.an
ing OF this resolution. 1t is insnuating not bold or
manly It is not couched in angmage which
and understand the insinuaton It, in effect charges
bas not one done his duty the matter Of Sunday liquor
traffic and the language OF the resolution was IN
tended for for such neglect
The Prosecutor recognizes the right OF the peop'e
all times and under all CIRCUMSTANCES TO can upon
your resolution and the surroundings In which 1t is
found plainly prove that II was not grlef over the
much as a desire to hit him on the head to gratfy
a. unreasonng impulse or In obedience to some pri-
If you had been sincere in your desire that the
Prosecutor should do what he could to restrain the
Sunday liquor traffic you would. as careful and In
telligent and Christian gentlemen. have made some
re you S11 &ai him the the
duty. common decency required that you snou11
you had inquired Of the Rev. Or. Van Cleef, ne
would have told you what effort the Prosecutor
made years ago TO stop Sunday liquor safes IRON Tp
indictment followed his efforts you knew or had
means of knowing was not his fault -, .o,,,s
have told you who secured the evidence on which
sixty-threc indictments for this offence were found
at the April term. 1896 If you had inquired OF
Judge IAppincott he could have tod YOU Wno re re-
quested him to charge the present Grand Jury on
this subject. If you had inquired Of the foreman
dctmcnts were found for this offence on April IL;
1896 and after each Sunday following. IL you had
have learned many truths which initiate against
the infection of your resolution.
Finally had you inquired OF the Prosecutor. you
might have learned many things OF which the reso-
luton shows you to be profoundly ignorant
But instead OF seeking facts on which 10 .Dase
your action, you preferred TO adopt resolution
situated censure is misplaced and undeserved, ana
the Prosecutor respectfully asks you, as the repre-
sentative of that meeting. to Withdraw II IN "a, az
public manner You approved II Its Implication
is absolutely untrue. and In his Judgment unworthy
of you. The abuse Of the unworthy he IS quite
accustomed TO, and 1t goes by him as the IDLE
hearted friends among the hosts whom he has pros
ecuted for crime and he does not care TO have them
enduring than applause or insincere praise But
when men OF your cloth and pretensons indulge
in abuse and seem TO become intoxicated Win the
the victim OF the abuse 10 call a halt.
/ write this open letter that 1t may become as
public your resolution Yours truly;
VI ID.