The Jersey City news., 1899-12-12
VERY TAME CHARGE.
S OF Machines the Topic Of
Lippincott's Talk to the
Grand Jury.


The December term of the courts opened
this morning. There were the usual floral
offerings from the court officers to the
Judges and the usual large attendance of
lawyers. Justice Lippincott and Judges
Blair and Neyius were on the bench when
Sheriff Ruempler brought the Grand Jury
up. After they had been sworn Justice
Lippincott excused Anthony Heimsoth.
Justice Lippincott was very brief in his
charge. This is all he said
l do not suppose there is a member of
this grand inquest who does not know as
well as the Court does. the demands of
the coming term. 1t is your inquiry which
is to be invoked. Into whatever matter
may be presented to you by the Prosecu-
tor of the Pleas, or the Court, or of which
you may be informed. but you are to go
further than this, you are to make dill
gent inquiry, diligent search, diligent in
vestigation to ascertain the violation of
public laws, and where you have present.
ed to you sufficient proof, or where, by
reason of your diligent inquiry sufficient
proof is revealed of a violation of pub
lie law under your oath you are bound
to indict. But you can remember that
you are not to persecute the innocent, nor
protect the guilty from punishment.
Do not forget that the law and your
oath, require you to preserve the secrecy
of your proceedings, unless in the course
of justice, or under due process you are
required to reveal them to the court. If
there should exist at any time in any
form, violation of the laws, and of your
privileges in this respect, you should at
~ an. A.
of the court. which viii apply a reform
atory process to the Offenders.
You can remember that good govern
ment can only be maintained, the good
order OF the community. life. liberty,
property and reputation can only be pre-
served in their full enjoyment, by the
rigid enforcement Of every public law,
and the punishment of every wilful
offender against it, and you can remember
that court of justice are almost absolute
ly powerless, without your preliminary
action.
1t can be said that the general peace
and good order of this county, with the
exception of one or two localities are now
well maintained, still the authorities
must be ever vigilant to preserve this
state of affairs. lou must be quick to
act against violations of law in every
form, and your attention must be con
stantly maintained in order that the laws
be obeyed and enforced. Your constant
vigilance is invoked to maintain and Sc
cure honest and economical municipal
government The vigilance of the Grand
Jury should not be relaxed one moment
in these directions. Upon every occasion
requiring it you will find the Court fully
in earnest in favor of the enforcement of
the laws.
Your attention is called to the present
ment of the last Grand Inquest. In it
you viii find much food for reflection, and
matter for grave consideration, matter
which may require, at your hands, fur
ther investigation and action. AS the
term proceeds the Court will feel at en-
tire liberty at any time to address you
upon any matter which requires your
attention. You must feel entirely free
to call upon the Court for any aid or
assistance you may need. The Prosecutor
of the Pleas is at all times at your SER
vice, and the Court will at all times be
ready and willing to aid and assist you
in the discharge of your duties.
There are one or two matters which may
attention is called to secion SO of the
criminal act of 1898. There are perhaps
other sections which relate to the same
matter under which your action can BE-
invoked. 1t relates to the exhibition of
improper pictures by the use of the slot
machine or some other devices, muta-
scope I believe it is called, or a mutascope
slot machine These thing often come in
quick succession; the gambling slot ma
chine is now fairly suppressed and this
new instrument to some extent takes its
place. The court understands that in GER
tain portions of the county they have
crept in in a goodly number and are be-
ing made use of wherever an opportunity
Offers The police authorities / believe
are after these dirty offenders against
the law, and your inquiry is invoked to
their absolute suppression, and the
punishment of the offenders under the law
agains such indecent exhibitions.
In the performance of your duties you
will no doubt meet with much favorable
and much adverse criticism, but the
Court desires to express its confidence
that you win perform your duties in such
a manner as to ensure the proper adminis-
tration of the criminal laws, and to the
satisfaction of the Court and the public
The jury retired to the Circuit Court
room and started in business by taking
up some jail cases.