The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-19

''Forty-five cents each week and we
| had 120 a day
After he was indicted. from whom did
you get your slips?''
From a man called Savage"
| Whelan wriggled under Mr.. McCarter's s
| keen questions as to mentioning Chief
| Murphy's name in connection with the
| $55 and persisted that he only accidentally
mentioned it, but not in connection with
| the sum named. Whelan was also se-
verely cross-examined on the $55 paid to
| Webber. He meant to say that the money
was paid for the privilege of receiving
| the slips. Webber would incur expenses
| of receiving figures from the Frankfort
and Kentucky and supplied each of his
agents with the figures.
'.Then when Solomon came into the
| business, you paid this $55 racket to
him?' asked the lawyer.
Yes
..And when Tommy Fallon sent $50 to
| Solomon he sent check and you called
him chump?"
Yes
but if the business was legitimate,
what was wrong in sending the check?"
81 don't know; a check is as good as
money sometimes
How long have you been in the pol
icy business in Jersey City?"
about eight years"
when did you stop?"
1.-TWO years ago." said Whelan, very
| much relieved that his ordeal was at an
end.
Ex-Sheriff John ]. Toffey was then
called and told the committee about the
numerous efforts he had made to raid
pool rooms and policy shops. He said
that while he was Sheriff every move he
made at the Court House was watched
and the proprietors of the gambling
places We're tipped Off He sent officers
up to Little Monte Carlo several times,
but when they arrived there the place
was closed Finally, convinced that his
men could not obtain evidence, the Sher-
iff appealed to Governor Griggs, and the
| Governors private secretary, Hobart Tut
tie, procured the evidence on which
Freebooter Philip Bindernagle was con-
victed.
"What was your experience with pol
icy?''
ERWIN was directed to investigate and
locate the places. He located Solomon's
place for five or six weeks. We planned
a raid but the plans were frustrated and
the birds had flown Erwin then con-
ceived the idea of using furniture van
They met in stable and drove up to
the place and got them at work. They
were indicted and convicted.
Colonel Toffey, continuing, said that he
had undergone considerable expense in
making the several raids. He had to en-
fo1
tfce Lippincott's house at night There
they made their affidavits and the bench
warrants were issued. He was afraid to
make any move around the Court House
because some one kept a close watch
there, and knew every move. He nad
spent out of his own pocket from $10o to
| 81, 900. He had been paid some bills, but
only for those raids which terminated
successfully; the unsuccessful one he did
not charge for. During his term he said
he had raided twenty-five to thirty places.
John ]. Erwin, Under Sheriff while
Col. Toffey was Sheriff, was next sworn,
and told in detail his visits to Little Mon
te Carlo, Harrison, and the raid on Sol
omon's pool rooms mentioned by Colonel
Toffey He raided he said, the pool room
in the Amsterdam Hotel, Second and
River streets. Hoboken. and arrested
there King and Lussack
did Maurice Stack offer you any
! money!" asked Mr.. McCarter.
YES" said Mr.. Erwin, "he offered me
s5O and said that friend had sent it as
present, but told him that did not need
it, and asked him to tell his friend so.
'sHe did that to prevent you making
raids, didn't hep"
Il don't know" was the reply, "but he
offered it and it looked that way"
'Did it have any effect on your con-
duct?"
mot the slightest"
"This Stack is the same gentleman who
lost his way to the Weehawken ferry?"
81 don't know about that"
Erwin corroborated Sheriff Toffey's
statement that strangers were always
around the Sheriff's house digging the
officials steps. Then taking out book
Mr.. Erwin went over the details of a vis-
it to Little Monte Carlo with Officers Nc
Cormack. Chimney and Francis,on which
occasion he found the tables and chairs
upset as if some one had hastily fed. He
warned Bindernagle he said, that II he
continued to violate the law he would be
indicted. In September, Mr.. Erwin said,
he went there again. but there was moth
ing going on. On December he raided
Ike Mansfield's place near the Bergen
county line.
Ibid you ever receive money in an en-
velope?" asked Mr. McCarter.
Mr. Erwin replied that some time ago
Detective Mccormack handed him an en-
velope which he said had been left at
his home. This envelope he showed to
Sheriff Toffey. 1t was found to contain
$25. The envelope was placed in another
and sealed and given to. the custody of his
brother, Prosecutor Erwin, where it now
is. He hadn't the slightest idea from
whom it came.
Now tell us what you did when you
went to Harrison to raid the pool rooms
| there?'
Mr.. Erwin said that in company with
| Mccormack and James Henry he went
| to Harrison. On their way they met
man named Duffy, who stopped them
| and said the rooms had been removed to
| Union House, Newark and James ave-
nues. Duffy gave Erwin a card which,
| he said, would admit him and his car
| fare would be remitted. On this advice
| Erwin and the constable went to the
| hotel, and in the bar saw Duffy. There
were three doors leading from the sa-
| loon and men were going in and out the