The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-10

At no time during the progress of the
Noonan-Simpson trial for conspiracy, mas
there been such a crowd as was witnessed
in the court room yesterday. The aisies
even were crowded, and to use the YER
nacular of the theatre, there wasn't even
standing room. Just how that big gath
ering judged yesterdays proceedings it is
of course, impossible to ascertain, but
those who are familiar with the trials,
testimony and general phases of case
under consideration, said unhesitatingly
that the State must do better If it wants
to make out case against the accused.
To be perfectly impartial the State
has done the best it could with the ma
erial at hand. and up to the present even
counsel for the defendants say that the
peoples lawyers have tried the case fair
ly; they have tried to take no unfair ad-
vantage, but have proceeded along the
strict lines of the practice of the courts,
and by their conduct have gained the ad-
n1iration of everybody who has been pres
ent at a session of this trial.
Their chief difficulty has consisted. in
having to rely on evidence furnished to
the Evening Journals minions, who
have not scrupled to use the lowest and
most disgusting means in their attempt to
debauch men in the public eye. So COM
pletely have the able counsel for the de-
te4,dants exposed the Pharisaism of
those who at present manage Jersey
City's yellow rag that there is no wonder
that honorable men, who abhor sneaks,
dives, fake detectives and Parkhurstian
methods. view with loathing and disgust
the Evening Journals present acciden-
tai spasm of virtue.
The mana ging editor of that paper, the
author of the so-called exposure in the
Prosecutors office, was on the stand yes
terday afternoon to tell to one of the
most intelligent juries ever seen. in Hud-
son county's Court House. what a good
paper he represented and what a good
boy he was.
He was sure corruption existed, he said.
and to prove it picked out of his friends
two who were intimately acquainted with
corruption and filth in all its forms, and
gave them carte blanche to discover cor
ruption in Jersey City, no matter what 1T
would cost. Finding an easy thing, as
those individuals called it, in the Jour
nal,'' they simply worked that credulous
paper for all it was worth, at the rate, -
the editor admitted, of ten dollars a day
for one and seven dollars day for the
other VOLTA tout.
yester 7ay's testimony was again in re-
suit not exactly what the yellow papers
very 'umble men" wished it to be. In
the first place, that delightfully."- moral
gentleman, Mr. Louis ]. Beck, of un-
savory reputation, was caught In some
very embarrassing conditions which I'M
feeling people would term smacked some
what of satirical writer's dictum,
Truths chill penury" Then again the
Human Pin Cushion Freak" alleged
divekeeper and quasi detective stool
pigeon, or what one might call it, was
compelled to admit that what he told the
Committee on Ethics of the Hudson Coun-
ty Bar Association was not precisely in
accord with what he said yesterday when
under Judge Garretson's leading strings.
He had habit too of not answering a
question direct, a Ia, Pfdgeon. and more
than once received q sharp snub for his
dnsolence and FRESHNESS" The freak,
however, made his farewell performance
yesterday until the Journal digs him
out of the mud again and starts him off
after another crusade of purity!
An interesting witness yesterday was
Mr.. Simon Bsttner, proprietor of the Star
Hotel, New York City, where the alleged
Journals scheme to entrap Messrs.
Noonan and Simpson was practically
consummated. The State imagined, until
yesterday, that it would make much of
him, but hearing something actually. gave
its own case black eye by demanding
the legal detention of one of its own wit
pesses. and this, too, under the noses
of the jurymen The State got its re-
ward because Mr.. Buttner's evidence. as
readers of 1.-THE News would perceive.
Yesterday and today, didn't pan out
as the Evening Journal thought 1T
would.
Mr. Buttner's evidence, printed in last
nights News stopped where he was
explaining conversation in Silver Dol
lar Smiths place, when Mr.. Smith asked
Mr.. Buttner, in the presence of Mr.. Moo
nan and another Mr.. Neonan, not "T.
F. to give a true version of what had
occurred in the Star Hotel.
In response TO Judge Garretson's ques-
hon, after the News went to press, the
witness was asked about what Silver |
Dollar said and Buttner replied
sHe said, He's (rneaning Nponan) a