The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-28
WICKED POLICEMAN
Testimony in the Hickey
Divorce Case Exposesa
New York Rounds.
man.
WAS A PROTECTOR OF CRIME
After Losing a Woman's Money
He Narries and Then
Deserts Her.

Vice Chancellor Stevens, this morning,
In the Court of Chancery. heard testlt-
mony in the application of Mary w.
Hickey for divorce from her husband,
William 7. Hickey. Hickey was a promi-
neut member of the New York police force.
and the testimony which was given sound
ed like another chapter in the Lexow in
vestigation. Hickey did not put in any de-
fence, and the evidence was entirely ex
parte. The principal witness was the
complainant. She is a tall woman De-
ing at least six feet tall and built in pro-
portion. She is not over 50 years old, and
has a hard, though not unattractive, face.
She spoke with a strong Down-East ac-
cent. which bore out her statement that
she came from Maine. According TO her
story. she came to New York about fif-
teen years ago. and obtained a place as
a shop girl. While thus employed she
made the acquaintance of Hickey, who
was then a policeman.
It was a country girl and that man
hypnotized me-" she told the Vice Chan
cellor. Hickey promised her police pro-
lection and guaranteed that if she would
follow his directions she would not be
troubled by the authorities. She did as
he directed and made considerable money,
most of which Hickey borrowed AT
his suggestion she opened a disorderly
house on West Fifty-fourth street. and
later on West Eighteenth street. She ac-
cumulated considerable money, most of
which she entrusted to Hickey to invest
for her. Among the enterprises in which
he invested was a building and loan as
sociation. He showed the books, certifi-
oa<1- IF c+o.E and nrher nanarS e0n-
nected with the concern, which subse-
quently proved to be forgeries. Besides
this she made him many presents of dia-
monds, watches and jewelry. This went
on for ten years. For 1 really loved
that man, Chancellor she said.
Then she having learned something OF
the world, wanted some accounting of
the money which she had loaned him..
He put her off several times. but as she
persisted he finally acknowledged that he
had been the victim of INSCRIPTIONS
brokers and had lost on Wal street all
her money except 800. Then he asked
her to marry him.
That rather Disguised her. and she
promptly told him that she thought all
he wanted to marry her for was for her
money, and under the circumstances she
NVuAQ l1O( Aidily I'LL. ne pCtSlStCu,
and told ner that if she married him he
would have TO support her, and now that
her money was gone she would be sure
of a living anyhow. She still h~esitated,
but still having a fondness for the man
she consented. He then told her that he
knew a clergyman in Jersey City and
asked her to so there and be married. She
consented and they came to the home of
I ha Rar q r T1hrc nocfnr Of the
st. Johns Evangelical Lutheran Church
on Summit avenue and were married by
him.
Hickey was then entered on the books
of the Police Department as a single
man, and ranked as a roundsman. He
wanted to be promoted to a sergeant
and be retired at that rank. For hat rea-
son their marriage was not made public
at his request for some time. Finally
they went to housekeeping as Mr.. and
Mrs. Hickey. One day a small boy who
delivered cake and bread at the house
astonished her by impudently asking
Say. how many Mrs. Hickeys are there
anyhow following his question with
some observations on the roundsman's
domestic relations, which showed a Won
derful knowledge of the ways of the
world in one SONyoung.
Mrs. Hickey r~eprimanded his impertin-
enee, ana asked MIN what he meant. 1t
appears that the boy worked for a
brother in law of Hickey's and served
bread and cake to two women, each of
whom he knew as the wife of Policeman
Hickey. This led Mrs. Hickey to make
ar Investigation. She found a woman at
No. 1862 West 18th street, who was known
as Mrs. Hickey. About this time Hickey
was retired as a roundsman, and when
his wife started in to make trouble over
the other wife he and the woman moved
to Arlington, N. ]. There Mrs. Hickey
had them arrested as under the New
Jersey law the relation they maintained
is a misdemeanor. They were indicted
and admitted TO bail. Both nave since
disappeared. Former Assemblyman Max
Salinger appeared for Mrs. Hickey. The
V~ice-Chancelor reserved his decision.