The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-12

GRAND JURY'S VIEWS.
Presentment on Public Mat
ters Delivered in Court
This Morning.
RAP At ALLEGED REFORMERS
Harrison officials Scored by
the Prosecutor for Per-
mitting Poolselling.
RAP At ALLEGED REF0RMERS
Harrison Officials Scored by

bench when Sheriff Heller escorted the
Jury into court. County Clerk Fisher
calleSl the roll and DIR. Nevin, the fore
man. handed up sixty-seven indictments
and four presentments. The total number
of indictments found during the term was
one hundred and twenty-three. The pres
entments which follow speak for them
selves. One Of the most important refers
10 the recklessness with which some pup
lie men, and especially ministers, make
statements which cannot be supported
To the Honorable Court of oyer and Ter
miner
1t is a matter of general knowledge that
from time to time statements appear IA IA
the public press as coming from certain.
individuals more or less prominent WINCH
reflect dascreditably on some SECTIONS OF
the county or some people in offlclai ne,
or on men of public prominence IN lhls
class of offenders might be mentioned GER
tain elergymen in this section.
This Grand Jury has taken up TINS mai
ter in the interest of public policy we
Investigated some Of the statements re-
ferred to- which received considerable pup-
licity, one particularly in which It was
claimed that in a certain section o. Jer-
sey CITY gambling ard disorderly houses
existed to an alarming extent. e SUI l..-
poenaed the author OF tins stalelneiDl, llie w
Chief of Police. and The captain N whose
precinct these houses were satd 70 pe
in operation. Not the slightest evidence
was produced that this statement hdo any
foundation in fact. 4xa4.
AS an Investigating body, and one lnas
has taken up very carefully ana tnorousi.,
ly the evils referred to, we feel we are n
position to say, that we beneVe lheIe
is not a city in this county that IS more
free from crimes of a serious cnar-
fhan is Jersey City. We believe that such
statements. spread broadcast through and
by the public press, have a tendency 10
ifljure any community.
4 raf ffa ssSlS
often unjust criticism Of public men, par
5icularly those holding office, as not Only
injurious to a city directly, but indirectly.
by operating in such q manner tnat our
best citizens, men OF reputation, anu
whose interests are centred in the welfare
of the communities in which they i've,
hesitate to accept public office. We deem
it advisable to call the attention of the
Court to this matter as of sufficient i'm
portanee to be considered by succeeding
'''''i1 ''''e JOHN NEvIN, Foreman.
To the Honorable Court of Oyer and
Terminer.
This Grand Jury, as is customary has
investigated by visiting the county in
stitntions and find that they are managed
in manner that IS deserving o. com
5icularly to the equipment and manage
ment Of the Asylum for the Insane which
is certainly "a model of its kind and OF
which the people Of this county sftotifd be
proud.
we find but few instances in which
there is any cause for criticism, and these
we believe are due to the fault of sys-
tenn not of management One OF these
refers to the manner of conf1ning young
boys in the County Jail. either as pris-
oners or as witnesses. We feel that some
steps should be taken by those having
the matter in charge, or perhaps by some
charitably disposed organization, to see
that these children should receive some
attention having in view their mental
development. We found a number of
them confined in one rooms with abso-
luteiy nothing to take I'D their atten-
ton except perhaps the education of the
novices in crime by those of superior tall
ent in that direction. We feel that these
children should be compelled to occupy
their minds in some way that would be
productive of good. We would suggest
that as a preliminary step they should
be supplied with suitable books and read
ing matter, so that by precept. at least,
the absolute difference between right
and wrong might be pointed out to them,
and perhaps in some instances cause
them to become in after life law-abiding
We feel also that some steps should
be taken Immediately to separate, in
from the adults at the Almshouse. We
would also suggest a compulsory medical
examination in each case before admit
tance of inmates to this institution. In
this way not only the more highly con-
tagious or infeytious diseases such as
scarlet fever, etc, could be more surely
syphilitic disease as well. which in any
institution of this character is a subject
of great Importance.
JOHN NEvIN. Foreman.
The attention Of this Grand Jury has
been called TO the matter of a bridge over
the tracks of the Erie Railroad at Fourth
street and Kearny avenue, Kearny. 1t
was stated that this bridge was in an un-
safe condition and menace to public SAT-
ETY. We have gone to considerable
length in the investigation of this matter
by personally visiting the locality, by sub
poenaing expert witnesses, etc. and we
believe that the bridge is in dangerous
condition. In view of the fact that there
is decided difference Of opinion as to
the question of responsibility in the mat
ter, we are unable to find an Indictment
but recommend that steps be taken to
give the people in that section the relief
they desire and to which they are en-
titled.
Accompanying the presentments was
this letter from Prosecutor Erwin
Nov. 4. 1898.
son County Grand jury
Gentlemen-Through the public press
and private sources information has
against the law, as gambling and pool
selling on horse races, are being allowed
to flourish in Harrison From the state-
ments in the public press, and evidence
which this Office has obtained, the parties
committing these crimes have continued
to do so for some time. On last Sunday
a clergyman from the public publicly de-
nouneed the continuance of pool selling
and gambling in Harrison. and the New
York papers commented on the same as
well as the Jersey City Evening Journal
and the Common Council took some ac-
fion in regard to the matter. "The West
Hudson Press also in its issue Of last
Saturday had a column article headed
Pool Rooms Wide Open.v
The attention of the police. through the
Chief has been heretofore from time to
time called to this matter by this Office
The matter has grown SO fragrant that
public attention has now been again at
fracted to the same. Harrison. it is said
has gained an unenviable reputation ow-
ing to the pool rooms" and boxing tour
nannents. and other forms Of evil AT
times when attention has been called to
these practices some We're suspended tenn
porarily, yet they have been allowed to
resume
The Consideration Of this Grand Jury
is now being called to the matter, so far
as this office is concerned, anything
that can be done to aid you in an in
vestigation Will be at your service. There
Is no question but that a most rigid ex-
animation should be made and the Law
enforced. One Of the most effective
ways to prevent the evils complained Of
Is to hold the police officials TO strict
accountability. They are the ones who
know at first hand. and can usually pre-
vent in their Jurisdictions continu-
aflce Of criminal acts, which only by
repetition became known to others. If
any laxity is found to exist in this re-
speet in the prosecution Of offenders by
tho police, they should be indicted with