The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-24
WHO IS The MAN?
Someone In Prosecutors
Office Agar. Interferes
With Justice.
MAKES FALSE PROMISES
Asks Fisher to Plead Non
Vult to Get Discharged
Woman Angry

Lawyer Joseph NJ. Noonan was sur
prised this morning on seeing Joseph
Fisher, one of his clients, brought from
the County Jail into Court, although he,
Mr.. Noonan, had@not received any notice
that his client was to be tried. On in
yestigation Mr.. Noonan learned that
Fisher had been induced by somebody
representing Prosecutor Erwin's Office or
pretending to represent it, to come into
court and plead non vult on the as
surance that he would be discharged.
Fisher had been indicted jointly with
Randolph Smith and Mrs. Adoniran
Havens with conspiracy to defraund the
Colonial Insurance Company. The allega-
tion is that the defendants or some of
them made an application to an agent of
the company for insurance on the life Of
Adoniran Havens, who was then in the
last stages of consumption. When the
medical examination was to be made by
the company's physician. Smith. it is
alleged, represented Havens and being a
strong healthy man, had no trouble in
passing. The insurance policy was issued
and a short time afterward Havens died.
Suspicion was excited and the company
caused an investigation to be made which
dants. About three months ago Mr..
Noonan made motion before Judge Blair
to quash the indictment against Fisher.
on the ground that the indictment was
fatally defective and that the State had
no evidence to connect him with the con-
spiracy. Judge Blair has had the motion
under advisement since that time.
Mr.. Noonan said this morning that his
c1ianf had inf ii
tative of the Prosecutors office, or some
body pretending to represent it, had per-
suaded him to come into court and plead
non vult, promising that he would be dis
charged.
IF the Prosecutors office has author
lied anybody to do this said Mr. Moo
nan, sit is a very reprehensible proceed
ing. If anybody did it without authority
the Court should make an investigation
and take suitable action
Mr.. Noonan warmly denounced the pro-
ceeding. He said it was a shameful con-
dition of affairs that men should be al
lowed to go to the County Jail and hold
out inducements to prisoners to plead
guilty. The State, he said, had not par
ticle- of evidence to connect Fisher with
the crime, and besides the indictment was
~ dSASSNAFO lAell II was AoN WI III tA40
paper it was written ON He desired to
have his client tried or the indictment
quashed.
Assistant Prosecutor Van Wrinkle re-
sented the criticism. He said that a lady
had called at his house in Fishers behalf
and informed him that Fishers counsel
had told him that he would be released
on the payment to him of 35 Mr.. Van
Wrinkle said that the Prosecutors office
did not take the initiative in this proceed
ing, but had acted at the suggestion of
Fishers friend.
MY CLIENT said Mr.. Noonan. ''is
charged with one of the greatest of
crimes and although he is innocent the
Prosecutor tells him to come into court,
plead guilty and he will be discharged I
ask the Court to fix date for trial"
mo theatrical criticism exclaimed
Mr.. Van Wrinkle, will change the course
of the Prosecutors Office in this matter
or any other
Judge Blair said he would determine the
matter at recess. Fishers wife was
called up and Judge Blair told her that
he would admit her husband to bail.
Mr.. NOonan explains the $3o eRisodes
His fee was $50 and he had been paid SIS.
He told Fisher that when he received the
other $35 he would proceed with the case.