New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-19
HTDSON COUNTY INVESTIGATION.
CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS BEGUN Against
WITNESSES SURPRISE AT THE Az
TTON OF THE GRAND JURY

Tho course pursued by the Hudson County brhho
Jury In It's investigation OF the charges OF pr,oer|
made against former Assistant Prosecutor Oh ,he
Pleas Joseph 81. Noonan has occasioned surprise
and considerable adverse comment Inc "i"''u
Jurys inquiry Is presumed to be purely ex-par'e'
,,.rslv IN hear the testimony OF the complainants
and II the evidence II sufficient. TO ind an indic'
ment This Grand Jury has departed from ''o
path usually traversed. 1t has made extraordinary
demands with which the witnesses refused 10 COM
ply and n result proceedings IN contempt nave
been entered.
one OF the witnesses refused TO disclose the name
NJ a "turv nxer' who visited the Prosecute rs once
con,ending that It was not material as the specihc
charge Of bribery would be proven by the wiz
nesses who were employed TO trap the hsS's'""'
Prosecutor Ex-Judge Allan L. McDermot, iore-
man Of the jury. insisted that the name must be
given and as tn, witness persisted In h'H relusai
an action in contempt begun. The Witnesses
who allege 10 have trapped Noonan had re
ceived cum and cum button as security io'
SO while the negotiations were pending Ihey @''o
..cured possession OF Noonan's annual pass over
road I'm some way which they did not diyulge.
over hal portion OF tht story The Grand Jury
Insisted on surrender TO II OF the cum ana Gun
ioI bald i as the GiSc The witnesses refused. un
less the Grand Jury would prGmdiIe rr se erns9 to
max. any such promise and the witnesses refused
part with the evidence. and the FRANC 'u,y n
for this refusal. ,.-..
The witnesses have some papers and memorahoa
as they kept "A careful record OF all that was saa
and done while with Noonan ana Assembly fnhh-
elect Simpson who introduced by Noonan as
the lawyer who would enter into the alleged con-
spiracy The Grand Jury demanded these papers;
and the witnesses regarding these ~ their personal
propcrty from which TO refresh their memory. ue-
clined to pat with them. and the Grand jury mas
directed that proceedings In contempt nc also en-,
tered for this refusal The proceedings IN conlemPt
viii be begun before Justice Lippincot tomorrow
morning and IL II probable that the Court VIII De
liver "A special charge defining the duties OF the
Grand Jury and the rights OF witnesses.
singular fact abodt the inVestiSaton Is
that A number OF witnesses who know hbsolut"Iy
moi ming about tn. case have been summoned. Sew
erai IL these are newspaper reporters. VINO nave
been called Il is rumor"d. attack the characters
OF the reporters who. with a detective. cIaim 20
have .usus-.d tn" Assistant Prosecutor. one OF
these witnesses n lawyer and formerly a newspaper
editor was asked I'm the lobby OF The Grand Jury
room what N. know about the complainant lie
.tafcd that he was regarded ~ an honest. capaole
man This praise was not expected. and the VIII
ness WA Informed that he reed not wait or return.
ns he would not be needed II would not cause
much .urpris. 10 persons who know something OF
Tho methods that prevail In hudson county ~ the
Grand Jury Indicted the complaindntS Tor HDe anu
disrniseei the charges against Noonan