The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-11
character?" the states counsel began

Mr.. Norris, Mr.. Lichtenstein ana many
Witness Everybody knows Beck IN
Grand street and knows he's no good -,
| Hes a man of some distinction them?
1 said the Attorney General.
Yes very dirty one blandly answer
/ ed the witness.
| Mr. Klink consulted with malodorous
Beck, who furnished him with more
| did.
| George H. Meyers also of New. York.
| had something to say about Beck He
| had worked with the Human Pincusnloii
| in the Bowery. He too said that every
one whom he knew said Beck's' reputa7
| ton was extremely bad and they wouldn.
believe him under oath On cross-ex- sS.
| The Allen and had been in prison for
assault and battery
AREN'T you known as Knock Out
| George'?" asked the Attorney General
| and there was general laughter.
sNo," shouted the witness.
| Philip Fox, of Degraw street, Brooklyn
hotel proprietor. said he had known
Beck for two years and had heard of him
| for a great number of years. In Coney
Island people didn't speak well of him.
| he said.
rs his reputation good or bad?"
asked Judge Hoffman.
Bad said the witness.
do you know Edward Pidgeon?" asked
| Judge Hoffman.
What is his reputation for truth and
versselty?", syy =, -. ,o.+ /. 40. +sa colin 70
ply.
From what you know of Beck and
| Pidgeon's reputation would you believe
either of them under oath?' pursued
| counsel for the defence
At this point Beck who had been sit
ting with Managing Editor Rappleye
chatting and comparing notes left his
place and came to a seat at the table
where the States counsel sat and gave
his unsolicited views to the Assistant
Prosecutor about the witness and took
the liberty to whisper in the Attorney
sharply, as If a snake had bitten him,
and drawing away said audibly:-
Keep still, and when I want your ad-
| vice | will ask for it.. Beck turned red
grinned and showed his teeth.
What sort of hotel do you keep"
asked the Attorney General In a tone
which annoyed the witness, who quickly
lone which you could bring your wife
to-" General laughter)
''Of course that's why l am 1nqu1rlng,
said the Attorney General and there was
more merriment
Where did you hear Pidgeons char
acter spoken of f1rst?" :,
"In Coney Island, last summer, replied
the hotel man.
"Why did you come here?"
ITO do justice; simply because | know
these two fellows, Beck and Pfdgeon. are
no good" was the unexpected reply.
But you said no one spoke to you,
then how. did your lawyers find out your
name and what you would Say?" asked
the Attorney General with now-Iye-
Il came into court and gave it to them.
I am simply here to do justice, because
I know these men, Beck and Pidgeon, are
| no good said the witness emphatically.
Philip Fox, of No. 19 Myrtle. avenue,
Louis ]. Beck. who once worked as a
waiter with him at a Bowery concert
hall Mr. Fox said that Beck's reputa-
ton in New York city was bad and no
what was Beck when you first knew
him?' asked the Attorney General. airing
at Beck. -,
Weren't you arrested for stealing?"
asked the Attorney General. ,
YES" coolIy replied the witness
You were arrested for stealing pigeons
weren't your asked Judge Hoffman on
redirect examination.
some one stole and that cur and pimp
there knows it, he replied, pointing TO
Beck as he passed him from the chaar, Szav
York city, came next and he said he had
known Beck for fifteen years: IN New
York, Asbury Park and Elizabeth. he
knew Beck first when the Pincushion was
waiter in a Bowery dive.
.Do YOU know Becks reputation for
truth and veracity in New York;
"Do YOU know Edward Pidgeon"' asked
Judge Hoffman.
aYes. and his reputation is very bad .
was the prompt reply.
You were in Coney Island when Beck
and Pidgeon were there and you knew
them?" .,,, -e,,,,.
tations are bad very bad "a,
Van Leer on cross-examinat1on salo
that he was indicted once; but the indicI5
was henerably dlsmssed fo The e nurpose
of ascertaining what they knew OF Beck
and Pidgeon, and they were MessrS
Greishorn., B. LaraTo ana NE: vaesus' stoni a,l
p- sThe Attorney General asked you if
you had no love for Beek 9dss and HOFFMAN SSI
Because he. tried to blackmaai me Rut
Anything else?"
before the Grand Jury at Freehold
Van Leers evidence created great
sensation, and all eyes were ,d turned 1ta Asa on
| Beck, who tried to hide behlnd the AS
sistant Prosecutors chair.
Albert jacob, scenic artist, resindins
at No. SO Harrison avenue, Jersey Clty
| June Witness painted signs for him. MI
jacob had done scenic work on Long Is,
| land, and he had heard people connected
reputation wl5u Ito was bad. Witness wouldn't
believe the Pincushion freak under OATH.
lanes TidmarSh, of NO. 770 Avenue "A,
Bayonne, said he worked with man
named G. R: Reeves. whose peculiar duty
| in the ssWorld'' building was ITO cut down
wages in the World office. Witness
| said that Beck was employed in the cell
| lar of the "World' building as a janitor. .
s.I have known Beck for nine years, and
| wouldn't believe him under oath. His
reputation is bad,' said Mr.. Tidmarsh,
| emphatically
At this moment the dense crowd in the
central passage swayed, and John zeller
| seen making way for Chancellor McGill. A
| witness was about to be examined. but
| Justice Lippincott made sign and the
| man slipped aside. The Chancellor
passed the bar and took a seat to the left
| of Mr. Joseph Noonan and his counsel ex-
| Judge r. F. Noonan, with whom he con-
versed for a few moments. His honor
| the oath and Court Crier Bowly said. "A
| r Mc(Sill." as the Chancellor walked to
| the witness chair His honor removed
| his oyercoat. shook hands with Justice
| Tinnincott bowed to Judges Hudspeth
| and Neyius, and sat quietly awaiting the
first question put by ex-Judge Noonan
Wye aYe the Chancellor of the State of
.bo s',l, You know Joseph M. Noonan, the
| defendant?"
'I do
an what capacity were you when you
| first knew him?'
Prosecutor Of the Pleas and Presiding
| Judge of the Common Pleas"
How long have you been acquainted
.sIInuards of twenty years" replied the