New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-06

REPORTED ACTION OF THE HUDSON
COUNTY GRAND JURY
ACCUSED OF AIDING AND ABETTING GREEN
OF FURNISHING POLICY DRAW

GOODS swINDLERs IN JERSEY CITY AND
OF FURNISHING POLICY DRAW
INGs IN CANADA.
The Hudson County Grand Jury. It ia reported,
has voted TO find indictments against the Western
Union Telegraph Company and also against John
b. Berthoh the company's Hudson County man
ager for aiding and abetting green goods swim
ders The complaint was made by Chief OF Police
Murphy. and the evidence submitted was given In
The Tribune when Bertholf hailed before Police
Justice Potts several weeks ago on complaint Of
Chief Murphy. Tho Chief received a letter from
John Belden Of New Britain. Conn inclosing a
green-goods circular that he had received. 1t was
signed f. F. Garland No 81 Mongomery-st, Jer-
sey City and requested the recipient to ccmnuni-
cate with him by telegraph and to the West
ern Union wires
Chief Murphy learned that Garland had reg
istered at the Pennsylvania House and had occu-
pied room for two days. The place was put
under surveillance. and TO trap him and the tele-
graph company the Chief had three bogus dis
patches sent 10 Garland A messenger from the
telegraph company called at the pennsylvania
House with order for the dispatches. and was
followed to the telegraph office by Chief Murphy,
who asked for tho address to which the dispatches
had been or would be forwarded stating he de-
sired 10 apprehend Garland Manager Berthof at
first pleaded ignorance of any dispatches and when
Chief Murphy had called the boy. who admitted
having brought back the dispatches BerthoIf
coolly Informed the Chief that he must adopt some
other method Of obtaining HE information. This
irritated the Chief. who called the attention of
Manager Berthof to the agreement made by the
officials Of the company when threatened with in
dictment five years ago. that the company would
impart any Information that would facilitate Jus
tice and that It would stop receiving and forward
ing messages for green goods swindlers 49,.
Chief Murphy then entered the complaint against
BerthoH and also consulted Justice Lippncott,
who in his charge to the Grand jury ce'ed a''eh-
The promise kept until several months ago.
when the Chief learned that the green goods
ceived at and forwarded from the Jersey city
office. but he was unable TO get convincing eVi,
dence of the fact until he received the letter and
circular few weeks ago, and quickly arranged
the plan TO entrap Manager Berthof
Chief Murphy. Detective Doyle. Acting Detectives
Robertson and Snifhn, Postal Agents Fisher. Boyle
and McGuinness and Mr. Beden testified before
the Grand Jury Wednesday. Manager Berthof
was also examined and contended under the law
that he is prohibited from giving any information
10 any person about dispatches. except 10 the
sender or recipient Of a message
the inquiry and that Manager Bertholf has been
summoned TO appear before the jury This afternoon
If the Indictments are returned to the Court. and
the officials ~ the company are convicted inc
Court impose penalty OF seven years at hard
labor and fine OF S1."N on each or the DEFENDANTS.
A representative OF President Eckert said yester-
day that It was the nvarable rule Of the Western
Union Telegraph Company not to disclose the con
tents Of messages Entrusted 10 II for transmission.
this rule being so stringent that not even the
sender OF a message could obtain copy Of 1t
unless he could furnish absolute proof OF his
Identity and that the message which the Jersey
City chief OF Police said to have obtained was
not such as to give rise TO the presumption that II
related any unlawful TRANSACTION being In fact,
az the Western Union being in league with the