The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-06
SECRET INQUIRY
State Prison Board Continues
It's Investigation Be-
hind Closed
MEMBERS FORGET DETAILS
Refuse to Make Public the
Result Of the
Examination.
MEMBERS FORGET DETAILS
special to ..rhe Jersey city News.'1

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News.'1
TRENTON, Sept 6, 1S9s.-An intense air
of mystery seems to surround the at
tempt on the part of the Board Of Inspec-
, tors of the State Prison to discover who
is responsible for the escape of William
| Spear and Daniel Holden, who took
French leave on the night of August
u and have not been heard from since.
The easy manner in which the two con-
victs got out Of their cells and proceeded
to the prison yard, where, in the face OF
the piercing rays Of the big search light,
supposed to be ever on the alert, and in
full view of several tower men, they
made their way to the cellar of one OF
the shops and, securing a ladder, scaled
the southwest wall that surrounds the
prison, seems less mysterious than the
action Of the inspectors.
Several star chamber sessions have
| been held by what is known as the Visit
ing Committee of the Board. At each OF
these sessions one or more witnesses have
been examined, but so far the public are
entirely in the dark as to what. II any,
| discoveries have been made. The COM
mittee is observing the most profound
| secrecy in its labors. The members OF
| the committed are William II. Garter OF
| Bordentown and Jacob Van Wrinkle OF
Morristown.
Yesterday the entire board met at the
| prison and a session was held that last
| cd until after SIX o'clock last evening.
The members of the board. in addition to
| Messrs. Garter and Van Wrinkle, are
Lvsander e. Watson. Asbury Park;
| Thomas E.. Brennan, Orange; Markham
Z. staples. Jersey City, and Samuel r
| Stranger, H~arrisonville-
When the meeting was over last even
| ing the members of the Board fled down
| stair and passing into a side ONCE, recelV-
| ed cheques for their August services AS
| they emerged each with his monthly sti-
| pend a reporter asked for the result OF
| the inquiry into the escape. The reporter
was promptly referred to Mr.. Garter as
being the one member on the Board who
could discuss the inquiry.
Mr.. Carter shortly made his appearances
and the reporter asked him for the de-
| sired information.
sThere is nothing to say except thai
the matter has gone over for two weeks.
said the inspector, as he stroked his pa
triarchal beard.
But" suggested the reporter, the
people of the State are very much inter-
ested in the case, and as you have all
ready examined a large number of wit
nesses there ought to be some information
regarding the progress of the inquiry
eve awe discovered nothing new"
Mr.. Carter replied
sCan you state briefly the nature of the
testimony so far?' was next asked.
.-Well, really, | don't remember any Of
the testimony responded the Burlington
| county man. whose memory seemed to
have taken a hasty flight.
.sThe carriage is waiting for me- he
continued, pointing to the States coach
and sleek looking team standing at the
prison door. And as he hurried away he
remarked: Il may be able to tell somes
thing in a few days"
That was the end of the interview. 1t
was later learned that the inspectors had
had them before the officers who were on
duty at the prison on the night of the es-
cape and also severali prisoners. The ma
ture of the testimony could not be ascer-
tanned.
Lysander Watson did say, however.
that the tower men, center keepers and
others employed on the night turn.
when the above delivery was made, a
been examined closely as to their knowl-
edge of the occurrence, but that nothing
of a definite character was brought out.
Three of the keepers who were called be-
fore the Inspectors were James Waddick
and James O'Kane. the center watch and
assistant; George Lowe. the search light
tender, and Towermen Peter Slsco, David
Pferson. John Kent and George w.
Smith.
What was said by any Of these wit
nesses, or In fact by any witness,
seems not to have been remembered by
amy of those present, as at the conclu-
sion of the days session the inspectors
said that while they We're perfectly will
ing to give out any information they
were unable to recall anything that took
place. The stenographer who noted the
testimony made a sudden exit, as an
adjournment of two weeks was taken,
the exception of Mr.. Watson, took a cab
for the Clinton avenue station.
Mr.. Watson explained the refusal to
make matters public by arguing that
there was some evidence yet to come that
might not be SO easy 10 OBTAIN were the
testimony so far acquired spread broad-
cast at his time. Il can tell you this
much he added. sand that is that no
final decision with reference to the escape
was reached by US. and will not be until
two weeks hence"
Mr.. Watson would not speak of the
other questions considered by the board,
as he said the visiting inspectors were
the ones to talk, they having previously
gone over the ground.
The board also again took up yesterday
the case of Deputies Yard and Bergen.
who were in charge of the late Colonel
Cooper and the other Delaware. bank loot
ers when 1t was alleged the latter sue
ceeded in smuggling into the prison many
of the good things of life. but no decision
was reached.