The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-04

Committee met to begin its real work OF
| trying to unearth corruption In the Prose
cutor's office of this county, indicated to
the knowing ones the FIRST point of at
| tack by the Grand Inquisitors.
| Pastor Ackert and the Rev. Isaac w
Gowan of Grove Reformed Church, New
Durham not long ago forced themselves
before the public eye by initiating the
crusade against Little Monte Carlo, the
| proprietor of which, Philip Bindernagle, is
| now serving out a years sentence In
Snake Hill Penitentiary. These reverend
gentlemen, with the assistance of the
! two constables before mentioned, carried
| on persistent warfare, and 1t may fairly
| be said that they were instrumental IN
closing the dive.
| The committee began its work some
what tardily. Counsel Robert McCarter
and William NJ Klink were first to enter
the vice-Chancellor's rooms, where the
testimony was to be taken. Next fol-
lowed the committee headed by Assembly
man Gledhill with Sergeant-at-Arm
John Graham bringing up the rear.
Counsel McCarter lost no time in open
| ing the proceedings. He briefly said
that he proposed to offer evidence touch
ing the conduct of the Prosecutors office
in relation to gambling at Little Monte
Carlo, and he would without further re-
marks call Rev. Mr.. Ackert.
The minister, after being sworn by
Chairman Gledhill. and after giving his
name and address, was asked the follow
ing question by Mr.. McCarter:-
How far are you located from the place
known as Little Monte Carlo?"
Three miles,
I'm the course of your professional
duties, did you become acquainted with
the doings of that placer"
! "Yes, 1 did,
''Tell us, in an anecdotal way, how you
| became acquainted with it,"
Witness then described the buildings.
consisting of three houses belonging to
Mrs. Hoffman. Building No. /, he said,
producing a photograph, was devoted to
pool and horse betting and the second
building to faro. The public attention had
been drawn to the place because of
crowds of people coming over the Forty
second street ferry. The public papers,
he said, had criticized the conduct of the
local clergymen and the Prosecutor S
office in permitting the dive
Il could from my house, see people
flocking there. I could see men coming
out of the buildings and counting money.
After visiting the place with the Rev.
MIR. Gowan we came to the conclusion
that the place was not merely a horse
stable. We could see men in their shirt
sleeves dealing out tickets and receiving
money. Then, after Mr.. Gowan preached
a sermon denouncing the place, for a
time it ceased. On Decoration Day it
began again.
Then we visited Prosecutor Winfield,
who told us that he objected to clerical
interference. He said that he had paper
in his possession which was a personal
slander. 1t was paper signed by Mr..
Gowan asking for an investigation of the
Prosecutors Office. Mr. Winfield said that
the man who repeated a slanderous state
ment was as bad as the slanderer.
I'VE said that that was past matter
and we urged on him to begin a fight
against the place. He asked us to tell
him the facts and we did so. He said
that it was impossible to get evidence
against the place. He told US that An
named warsaziack and two constables
so drunk that they couldn't tell what
went on. We offered to assist Mr.. Win
field and we got two men to hunt up
evidence
"Who were the men?" asked Mr.. Nc
Carter.
Louis Dittman and William Hennes-
sey. They had done work for District
Attorney Young in Brooklyn and for
Comstock."
did Mr. Winfield offer to pay the
expenses?@
mot at first. We could not get him to
agree to pay the men; but we assured
them that we would pay them"
"Mr. Winfield wanted to see them?"
HE did but at first 1 objected, be-
cause 1 told him that If. they were seen
talking to the Prosecutor, that would
ruin the project"
well, what then?"
"Hennessey went there and got in, and
I have here his testimony and that of
two others who visited the place on
June I. 8, 9 and 15.''
II offer this testimony in evidence .
said Mr.. McCarter. Now, sir, please
read. slowly. the statement of Hennes-
sey.'
Pastor Ackert then started to read the
testimony which he said had been given
to the Prosecutor and subsequently
handed to the Grand Jury.
What did Mr.. Winfield say when you
gave him that testimony" interrupted
Mr.. McCarter.
He was perfectly satisfied with it,"
Now go on and read" said Mr.. Nc
Carter.
'.Hennessey chose the name Brown to
Indicate men whom he watched particu-
larry, and this is what he says
This is what Mr.. Ackert read
II went over the ferry to Weehawken
and saw John Brown watching the
crowds from the ferry, and l saw Richard
Brown go in and urge William Brown to
bet on Novice. a horse. He did so, and
a box. handing him ticket. saw Brown
mark the ticket and l noticed old men
careful about allowing any one to enter
the room The pool room was open, but
the gambling room was closed. rnere
were about 100 men in the room.
II saw John Brown at the board and
Chris Brown behind the partition and ]
saw Louis Brown at the telephone, tell
ing the position of the horses. / saw
Charles Brown call the winning tickets
and saw Alfred Srown charge the odds
and Arthur Brown on the lookout for
strangers because he said they had to be
careful
Mr. Ackert read a great number of
pages of testimony by Hennessey and Dit
man. all to the same effect that they had
40 visited Tjtf1a Mopfc