The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-08
ROAST PlDGEON'
!" Journals" Bird of Prey
Grilled on a Pitchfork
By Counsel for the
Defence
EDITORS sQUABBLE IN A DIVE
evil Associations Of the Yellow
Sleuths Known to the Paper
Which Employed Them.
EFFORTS TO MAKE N0ONAN DRUNK
Hints of Testimony for the De-
fence More Sensational Even
Than the original Charges.

A remarkable fact about yesterdays 5
first days trial of Joseph Noonan ana
Alexander Simpson for conspiracy to
defeat the Justices end, was that a
great part of the audience in the court
room of Oyer and Terminer was COM
posed of lawyers, and their unsolicited
opinion was that the day was dis
astrous one for the State.
The cause of this was not laid at the
door of the State How could it? Ex-
Judge Garretson, a postmaster in the
art of opening a criminal case, fully lived
up to his high reputation in that line
His presentation of the alleged facts was
clear. cautious and conservative, simply
Z telling the jury what the State proposed
/ to prove, only that and nothing more.
1t was the chief witness of the State
who did the mischief, and as the lawyers
and laymen present said, knocked the
bottom out of the case. That Individual
was Edward Pidgeon, whose wavering,
hesitating and anything but convincing
way in giving his testimony. made every
fair minded man shake his head. Pigott,
5eg pardon. PidEeon, confessed under the
skillful cross-examination of ex-Judge W.
3 T. Hoffman. that he and Louis Beck, his
partner in the Evening Journal scheme
to entrap the ex-Assistant Prosecutor,
were concerned in a resort at Coney
( Island and on Third avenue. New York
City, which places women of doubtful
virtue frequented. He also added that
the managing editor and business mana
ger of the Evening Journal were fully
terprises when they hired him and Beck
to lure the defendants to what they hoped
was their ruin.
When 'sThe News went to press yes
terday afternoon, Pidgeon's attempt to
give an account of a telephone commune
cation with Mr.. Noonan precipitated a
legal scrap over the admissibility of such
evidence where the foundation had not
been laid After great many objections
and discussions ex-Judge Garretson be-
gan anew
What did Noonan say?"
Pidgeon began in the third person and
was sharply pulled UP by Judge Garrett
son. who again told him to repeat the
exact words and nothing more
HE said, Don't get worried; we'll dc
something today to make some further
move.''' replied Pidgeon.
What, then, did you say over the
telephone?''
..I said Don't forget; you know you've
been paid and we want th9t man on the
street soon and he repliea, Don't wor-
ry.'"
rs that all?" asked Judge Garretson.
\ Yes
Counsel for the State produced here
the receipt given by Simpson for the $500
which was marked as an exhibit, No l
S." Defendants counsel asked to strike
out all the Telephone evidence, but i
was overruled and an exception taken.
Mr.. Noonans cuff and button, handel
by him in the Star Hotel to Beck, were
produced and Pidgeon identified them
They were marked mo. 2, S."
81 show you a railroad pass sait
Judge Garretson. holding UP Susque
hanna Railroad pass owned by MI. Moo
nan. '.Have you ever seen it and undei
what circumstan ~
'Mr. Beck showed it to me on the morn
ing of December A. in the restaurant O.
Sthe Star Hotel, and Mr.. Beck said tt
me-
1--WE don't want to know what he sait
to YOU sharply Interrupted Judge Moo
nan.
The pass was offered in evidence ant
marked for Identification
Pidgeon then told of his first meetin,
with Noonan. Beck made the presenta
tion and did the most of the talking, h
said Noonan asked what he could d.
for them and Beck said he wanted q
guy turned OUT and proceeded to detail
what ex-Judge Garretson foretolds in hi
opening, the preliminary negotiations TO
BosczkowskIs release. Noonan, he said
asked $1,000 Beck said to Noonan tha
Pidgeon, the witness, knew two goo
friends of his. .fWho are they?" Moo
nan asked, and Beck replied Silver Dolla
Sullivan and Joe Gorman
"Noonan then said to Beck" CONTINUES
Pidgeon, g I must bring in little frien
of mine, Aleck Simpson, he's just bee
elected member of Assembly The
Beck asked how 1t could be done an
Noonan said: You see Simpson ca,
change the plea by motion before Judg
that 1 can't send to Poland for wit
nesses and then agree to discharge tn
defendant. Beck replied: But how abou
Judge Hudspeth?' and Noonan said, 'Of
he's all right Beck asked when he coul
turn the man out and what it would tax
and Noonan said: The. man has lo
of cases hanging over him and if ,Judg
Hudspeth gets his eye on them he'll Civ
him five years. The jobs worth 81, 900
it's worth cent
"What next?'' asked Judge Garretson.
"Well. we went over to Browns an