The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-05
AN UTTER F1zLE.
First Day of the Gledhill
Inquiry Results in No
Damaging Dis
closures.
REV. ISAAC W. GoWAN'S HOMILY
Manner in Which Evidence is
Given Criticized by Lawyers
Who Attend the
Hearings
DIFFICULTY OF RAIDlNG
Clerical sleuth Admits That Prose-
cu!or Winfield Sent detectives
When Asked TO Close
Monte Carlo.

The go-as-you-please way in which
witnesses were allowed to testify, yester-
day, before the Gledhill Investigating
committee, provoked a great deal of
| sharp criticism not only by people who
heard them, in Chancery Chambers, but
| the many outsiders who read the state
ments printed in THE News These
witnesses We're allowed to say just what
they pleased, repeat hearsay testimony,
draw conclusions and inferences, and at
every step they violated the laws of evil
dence. Cold chills ran up and down the
lawyers backs when they heard it. The
clerical witnesses were the greatest sim
ners in that respect and the worst part
of it is that one of those accused of mall
administration and malfeasance in office
will never be able to take the stand to
correct the erroneous statements made to
the committee.
The Rev Isaac w. Gowan, of Grove
Reformed Church, was on the stand
when ''The News went to press, yester-
day afternoon, and he enjoyed himself
thoroughly. He sat back in his chair
and, encouraged by Counsel r. McCar-
ter, he delivered his testimony in a style
worthier of the pulpit than the witness
chair. In describing rainy day he call
ed it IA day when the rains descended
and the floods came He created much
laughter when, during his description of
the location of Little Monte Carlo, he
turned to Mr.. McCarter and said:-.If
ever you have been in the place But
tha co11n ctoppaI hin, rioI,+ +l,o,o -, y
gravely said :-"Oh, dearl no, sir; I dor t
go to such Places The committee en-
joyed the joke on the dominic
Now, Mr. Gowan,' began Mr.. McCar-
ter when the laughter subsidized Gust
tell US what you said when you went to
ask Mr.. Winfield to stop the practices
at Monte Carlo?"
My brethr-I beg pardon began Mr..
Gowan, just pulling up in time. 81 went
to see Mr. Winfield, the Prosecutor of the
Pleas of this county, and ah! he said he
would get a man. an ex-policeman, from
Greenville and one from Bergen county,
men unknown at Monte Carlo, to raid the
place, you knowl We went away feeling
pleased that at last that we had ac-
complished something. Well, we went to
see the raid the next day; but delayed
Mr.. Ackert, because l was backing my
shoes, ah! and when we got to the place
of iniquity it was closed up and the raid
was a failure-because don't you per-
ceive that the Prosecutor hadn't sent the
eX-policeman from Greenville or the man
from Bergen county. They were, instead,
detectives from the Sheriff's Office and
no wonder it failed, and the Sheriff near
ly broke his leg. In descending the hill
he stumbled and fell.'
"Well, what next?" said Mr.. McCarter
1--WE had two prisoners and they were
held by Judge Hudspeth in $1,000 1t
looked as if the law was going to do
something, since the Prosecutor office
would not We kept our eye on the place
and reported to Mr. Winfield that it was
open again."
did you visit the Sheriff.
'sWe did, and he told us that he had no
money to spend. Unless he was backed
up by the Prosecutor or the Judge, he
would be left when the bills We're paid
He couldn't pay the amount out of his
own pocket. We told him that there was
roulette and faro going on in No. 2 house,
and he said that he would send two men
to close them up, but, as for pool selling
L i
did he say anything about places else
where?"
yes; as / remember it, he said that
there were plenty of places in the county
where one could bet money on horse
races
1.-THE Committee" interrupted Mr. Nc
Garter and turning to Mr. Gledhill will
remember that the roulette ceased after
the visit to the Sheriff and the pool
rooms did not. Go on, Mr.. Gowan. .
I'VE waited for the Grand Jury to do
something, but they did nothing, and we
had almost given up heart, soul and
spirit in the work and were on the verge
of giving up the effort, since we could
get nothing from the Prosecutor, the
Sheriff, the Grand Jury and the Judges
Monte Carlo was still going, doing good
business, in spite of the visit of the Gov
ernor's private secretary-in spite of the
forces of Hudson county police who
should have closed it up, and we were in
despair. We were on the eve of appeal
ing to the Governor to get the State to
do it when, one day, Shaeffer came into
my back yard and said to me:-Donst
you want to
Chairman Gledhill made a sign at this
point to counsel, who told the minister
that he must not repeat that. Mr.. Cow
an was surprised that the committee
didn't want that conversation. However,
he resumed. and told of the efforts of the
new agency and the remark Of the pro-
prietor of the place after the raid, I'VE
won't come back to Jersey. We are
through.
What was the attitude of the Grand
Jurytowards your suddenly interrupted
Mr. McCarter.
Their attitude towards US, replied
Mr.. Gowan, slowly, and with a trace of
indignation in his manner, may be judg-
ed by what they asked me. They asked
me if made a bet, and replied that I