The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-09-08
DEPUTIES
SUSPENDED
Major Yard and John Ber-
gen Each Relieved For
Three Months.
RESULT OF PRISON INQUIRY
Convict Clark Carried on
an Extensive Retail
Business.
Especial to THE Jersey city News.eI

Especial to THE Jersey city News."I
TRENTON. Sept. s, 1Ss9.-Major Alex,
A. Yard of Monmouth county, and John
Bergen of Mercer county, two officers al
the New Jersey State Prison, have beer
suspended for three months each, as a
result of the investigation by the Board
Of Prison Inspectors into the charge that
dainties and foods of various kinds were
being struggled in to the late Col. Ezekiel
T.. Cooper n the other Delaware bank
hooters while inmates of the prison.
The suspensions are to date from Oc-
tober 1st. SO that the deputies will not re-
turn to their duties, after they conclude
this month, until the year 1860 rolls
around. Both of the men are old en-
ployees of the prison and each has a very
good record for efficiency. John D. Has
sett of Orange, and George Van Wrinkle
Of Morristown viii be appointed to the
vacant places.
Major ard has for some years been in
charge of the prison gate; where teams,
with supplies for the institution. and
other teams earting away the roducts CT
the prison shops, are constantly passing
In and out. It is claimed that the testi-
mony adduced proved concIusively that
the goods for the Delaware nj wreck
ers We're Struggled through this gateway.
Among the trusted prisoners assigned
to assist at or near the gateway was
Thomas Clark, one of the Delaware con-
tingent. Clark received the plunder at
the gate and carried it to his cell, which
cell was shared by one of his partners In
crime, the late Colonel Cooper. Clark
also managed to send to the outer world
fanck boxes and tooth picks and other
prettily carved and inlaid articles, the
handiwork of prisoners. From the sale
Of these novelties the e~ontraband goods
were purchased.
Thai Clark carried on this traffic, it is
asserted, was clearly proved at the inves-
tigation. Prisoners whose cells were
near by that of Clark and Cooper, testi-
fed that they had purchased with the
novelties sugar and other staples not on
| the prison bill of fare. the purchases be-
ing made from Clark. For their WI i'm
mediate use, Cooper and Clark are known
to have had many delicacies, some of
which were shipped from friends in Della
ware. Among the toothsome articles re-
| ceived by the two prisoners was an as
| signment or two of shad packed in ice.
Mr.. Bergen had charge of the wing in
| which Clark and Cooper and the others
implicated were located. His salary is
$50 a month while that of Major Yard is
800 a month.
Both men were at their accustomed
places yesterday and will continue there
until the end of the present month.
Principal Keeper Moore would not dis
cuss the suspension yesterday, remarking
that as the members of the Board Of In
spectors had seen fit to observe silence,
it would not be proper for him, their
subordinate. to speak.
Rev. William H. Carter, of the Prison
Board, and a member of the Visiting
Committee, which conducted the inquiry,
when seen, stated tina if it had not been
for the good records of the suspended de-
puties a dismissal would lave
been the judgment.
zone of the results of the investiga-
tion,'' said Mr.. Carter, has been the
making of a rule prohibiting prisoners
from manufacturing fancy toothpicks and
other articles of the kind in their cells.
The making of these articles was only
in the past because it served to
occupy the time of prisoners While IN
their cells. They devoted a great deal of
time to the work and the articles were
quite valuable as curios. It was never
anticipated tina a time would come
when they would be used as a means OF
trading in supplies"
There is a general impression among
the prison authorities that Colonel Coo
per's death, which occurred shortly after
the exposure of the manner in which
food was being smuggled in, was due to
the sudden cutting off of the supplies, and
after the luxuries were cut off, 1t is said,
he became exceedingly morose.
In discussing the inquiry into the es-
cape of William Spear and Daniel Hol-
den, who walked out of the prison on the
night of August u. Mr.. Carter said
While the impression around the prison
seems to be that the men made a key to
fit the lock of their cell. l am not inclined
to believe the story. My Impression is
that the prisoners managed to get a key
in some way. They may not have OBJ
tanned it from any of the prison officials.
The prisoners designated as runners or
trustees in the rails are allowed the use
of keys to the cells, and it may be that
Holden ad Spear secured their key in
this way. We nave had one of these rum
AASio yClOl0 uS, ILL ny lily ~ = 49,
light on the subject.
Then, too,'' said Mr.. Carter, 1--WE have
been unable to fix the time. even approx
imately, as to when the prisoners got out
of their cells. From the evidence. it
would seem that when the prison choir
was rehearsing in the centre early in the
evening little attention was being paid to
the wing from which the men escaped,
but the indications are that the men did
not make their departure until later in
the night.
An old boatman of Bordentown, whose
world is reliable, saw a man along the
Delaware River the day after the escape.
This man said he had gotten out of pris-
on at midnight of the previous day. II
they escaped at that hour there was evil
IDENTIFY a laxity on the part of the men
in the centre. Spear and Holden are not
what are regarded as clever criminals.
They are tramps, and it Is not at all like,
ly they made their escape unaided.
Whether the assistance was given them
by prison officials or by some Of the trust
ed prisoners is a matter that we have
not been able to fathom. |
Next week I am going to make further
inquiry among the prisoners having the
run Of the halls. At the present time.