The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-12-20
SCODDHR'S HYS7BRICS.
The Tabernaele's Pastor Does
His Best to Prejudice the
Case Of the Ae-
eused Men.

At the Tabernacle last evening the Rev.
John L. Scudder delivered a prelude on
'sCleanse the Court House., during which
he said
This city has not yet recovered from
the recent shock administered by the
Evening Journal The astounding reve--
lation of corruption in the very citadel
most took our breath away, and yet SO
serious were the charges involving gf-
gantic suits for libel if incorrect or un-
proven, and so complete in detail was the
story of detection. that the people gener-
ally believe this terrible exposure to be a
statement of fact. If today the pubic
could sit upon the jury, in view of the
particularities of the evidence presented,
the high source of that evidence and the
hitherto unaccountable miscarriage of JUS
tice in numerous instances past, 1t would
quickly return verdict of guilty.
"That the present Grand Jury, however,
will ever indict the men against whom
these horrible charges have been made is
matter of doubt. Some OF Hudson
bodies We recall a Grand Jury in the
palmy days of racetrack gambling before
whom absolute evidence of guilt was pre-
sented by two clergymen of this city, but
about all those high-minded jurors did
was to smile at US and declare that the
evidence presented was not conclusive,
while at the same time they threatened
to indict US ministers for getting the evil
dence. At that time 1t appeared as II we
were defeated, but such was the revulsion
of public sentiment that eventually every
gambling racetrack was pushed out of the
State. Our force was small, our capital
next to nothing, and yet In the end we
won the battle.
In the present crusade against lawless-
ness and corruption victory is certain, for
in place of few clergymen we find a
mighty newspaper undertaking to cham
pion the cause of righteousness and will
ing to spend mint, if necessary, to bring
the culpritS to their just deserts. Every
lover of decency is filled with admiration
for the. course pursued by the Evening
Journal of this city, for it's clever de-
tective work and the ease with which 1t
induced a prominent official to fall into
it's trap. If the people could express their
appreciation viva voce the universal shout
of approval would surpass the din of
horns and steam whistles on New Years
Eve and be heard throughout the entire
county. That a magnificent service has
already been rendered no one can doubt,
and that Righteousness will triumph we
firmly believe.
1T is an awful condition of affairs when
the people are convinced that criminals
can escape if they put up money enough
to buy themselves off or have political
friends who can SO manipulate the ma
stances there is an unjust discrimination
against the poor and those who have no
political pull
THAT there has been much rottenness
in the county court house has been a
matter of common rumor for years. but
it remained for the Journal to secure
direct evidence and focalize the evil. May
this illustrious paper continue in its
praiseworthy course; may it ferret out the
wrong and do for the body polite what
sworn officers of the law have promised
but failed to accomplish; may it rest as
sured that it is zealously backed up by
every respectable man and woman in the
county and is receiving their hearty com
mendation and vigorous Endorsement. I
trust this heroic paper will remain un-
certain to encounter, and have the cour-
age to push this matter to a righteous
conclusion. In the amphitheatre of this
present conflict we, the spectators, ap-
plaud the deadly thrust already given,
and with thumbs down, we bid our
gladiator give the antagonist no quarter.
May this great representative newspaper
purify the Augean stable it has COM
menced to cleanse. Through its instru-
mentality may Jersey justice be changed
from a byword and farce into grand
and continuous reality.