New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-06

A BUSY GRAND JURY.
THE DELAWARE, LACKAwANNA AND
WESTERN RAILROAD COMPANY IN
DICTED IN HUDSON COUNTY.
| IT IS CHARGED THAT THE COMPANY HAS CLOSED
PUBLIC MISREPRESENTATION SAID TO
BE TOO COSTLY. AND FREEHoLDERS
| ARE CRITICISED BECAUSE OBJ
| THEIR BIG BILLS-PREsENT-
| MENrs HANDED IN.
| The Hudson County On. j. Grand Jury has in
dcted the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
Railroad Company for closing streets in Jersey City.
| The announcement was made In one OF four pre-
sentiments handed in yesterday II is in part as fol-
| lows
| The Grand Jury presents that within the last
| twenty years several attempts have been made TO
establish the rights Of the people in Jersey city 10
the OF the fronts Of certain streets running to
In 1851 several suits we're commenced by the City
| Attorney OF Jersey City to eject those who inter-
fere with the right OF access the river. These
suits were removed TO the Federal courts and no
effort has since been made to prosecute the citys
It may be that the suits dismissed because
they were never tried II the right OF the public
to reach the river is unlawfully obstructed, such
nuisance, and We therefore present eight indct-
ments against those who maintain these obstruc-
In 1852 the municipal authorities OF Jersey City
aWped To Raoad from
in Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth SITS: The
temporary Injunction An answer was filed on be-
half OF the city, but there has not been any step
The railroad company acquired title to large
tract OF low land along the river near the Hobo OF
section. The city has grown and the streets from
Twentieth to Fourteenth st. end at the COMPANY
end OF which Is the Erie or Payonia ferry The
Erie holds the tract south from Fourteenth-st to
Pavonia-aye., which runs parallel with and between
pany holds the property south OF the Erie ,.,
The reason advanced why the suits were dropped
city Of Hoboken for the right OF easement oyer
the streets or 10 Gf hf the cy the
grant by the State. through its Riparian Board. to
OF any Of the rights 1t claimed under map filed
by the original owners. showing the dedication OF
The Grand Jury also prosecuted the County Board
Of Freehoders for its extravagance The fact that
out ST. 4s3 Os for carriage and coach hire Is men
toned and that the bills have been referred to the
The pres.ntrnent sets forth that the pententary
is costly institution; that there is one empoye
there every four and half prisoners The cost
in 1881 50 636 o5; in 1891 so o56 10 II adyo-
Gates that IL should be made sef-supporting by
compelling the prisoners TO work in the quarry.
The third presentment was against the Jersey
CITY Board OF Finance for fixing the tax budget
and then increasing the burdens OF the taxpayers
BY Issuing temporary loan bonds to meet extra and
special appropriations. , - . ,
The fourth presentment asked the Court to In,
spect the papers which Mr. Rappleye, Editor OF
"Th. Jersey City Journal" refused TO surrender
TO the Jury. He was sustained by the Court, which
dismissed the proceedings brought against Rap
pieye 10 have him punished for contempt. After
rriticising the press for publishing announcements
hat indict ments have been found and the editor
for refusing to divuge the source from which his
information obtained, the presentment closes
as follows: ., 49,. =. ..,
court writer's Of newspaper articles 70 Whlcn the
attention Of the jury was called by the Court re
fused 40 testify concerning assertions contained In
heir writings. 1t evident that one OF two lines
must be dra Either those who print or write
for publi,' must be coinpeIled 10 oistlose tneia
knowledge or Grand Juries should not be told TO
Investigate charges merely because they have ap-
naared in that aggregation OF truth and libel. fair
ness and falsehood known as the public press