The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1900-09-11
COURT OPENS.
Justice Gilbert Collins De-
livers His First Charge
to the Grand Jury.
HUDSON BAR GREETS HIM
Homicide, Arson and Gam
bling Cases to Be Con-
sidered.

Courts opened this morning. AS usual
the Judges desks in the different court
rooms were adorned with beautiful floral
pieces-gifts of the court officers.
Considerable interest was attached to
the openeing of the Supreme Court, be-
cause it was to be the occasion of Justice
Gilbert Collins's first charge to Grand
Jury in his home county. On this account
there was an unusually large number of
lawyers and others gathered in the newly
decorated front court room when the for
mer Justice of the Middlesex+ Monmouth
Circuit took the seat on the bench SO long
occupied by the late Justice Job H. Lip
pincott. Judges Blair and Nevius ac-
companied him.
The reading of the court calendar was
interrupted shortly before eleven o'clock
by the arrival of the Grand Jury headed
by Foreman George t. Smith and Sheriff
Ruempler. The general comment of the
spectators as the September term grand
inquest formed a semi-circle in front of
the Judges desk was that it was one of
the most representative bodies ever
selected by a Sheriff in this county.
Instead of compelling the members of
the Grand Jury to stand during the
Courts charge plan had been arranged
whereby one-half of the number occupied
seats in the jury box while the others
were seated inside the rallied enclosure
adjoining.
Romeo T. Churchill, the twenty-fourth
juror, in accordance with the usual Gus
| tom, was excused by the court from serv-
| ing.
After the oath of office had ben admin
istered by Deputy County Clerk Gritten,
Justice Collins began his charge.
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury:-It is
not the purpose of the court at this time
| to make any extended charge upon the
general subject of your duties. Those
| duties are known to many of your from
| previous experience, and you are all men
of intelligence and will readily compre-
hend them. You will have the benefit
of the attendance of the Prosecutor of
| the Pleas, to whom you can apply for in
formation as to those duties, and who
| will present evidence to you. The Prose
| cutor of the Pleas is entitled to attend
your sessions during the presentation of
| evidence. it is his duty. it is his right to
be there, and you should ordinarily take
| up the cases in the order that seems most
convenient to him.
The Jail cases will naturally receive
your first attention, in order that indict-
ments may be found, or if not found that
| the prisoners may be discharged
"The oath to which you listened atten-
lively, as 1 observerd, is the best guide
| for the faithful performance of your duty,
comprehensive searching and clear in its
| provisions. Should you need instruction
in any case of doubt or difficulty come to
| the court in a bdy with perfect freedom
| aid the court will instruct you as to what
| the Law may be, and if any occurrence
during your session shall render it advis-
| able to give you further instructions that
will be done as the court finds necessity
| Il am glad that until quite recently
| there has bene no case of a particularly
| aggravated character with regard to the
personal safety of the citizen, but very re-
Gently death, due to the use of a dead
| ly weapon has happened, think only yes
| terday, and there has not been time yet
| to fully inquire into the circumstances. A
| little while ago-I think only last Sun
day week-a man named Arose was sing
| ing on his own premises and some alter
| cation occurred with his neighbors, and
as the result he was shot down. it is said
and is now dead Two brothers named
Delmonico are said to have been impli-
Gated. I am not fully informed as to the
facts. Further investigation will place all
| the facts and circumstances before you.
You will learn how that man came to be
shot, and if you find it a case without JUS
| tification it is your duty to indict and the
proper indictment should be for murder,
| leaving it to the court and the traverse
jury to determine whether a lower degree
of crime exists. If you find criminality
the indictment should be for murder as
the act was one, the probable consequence
| of which would be and was bloodshed If
one shoots another except in self defense
the fair presumption is case of murder.
Another homicide case will be pre-
sented to you which happened earlier.
Henry Heckler and Michael Hayes became
Involved in wordy alteration over the
war in South Africa and Hecker struck
Hayes with his fist, the man fell, his
skull was fractured and he died. Now,
| unless you find malice or generalization
with intent to kill the proper indictment
| in such a case would be for manslaugh-
| ter there being no act the consequence of
which was bloodshed and no deadly wea-
/ pom U6lHS QScu, puL II IiiStC was q ue-
tliberate purpose to kill, or malice, the
| Indictment might properly be murder.
| Another case has been brought to the
attention of the Prosecutors office that
Ishould be Investigated. The charge is
made that one Henry vagts set fire to a
building, in which there were people, for
| the purpose of collecting fire Insurance.
| If he did that it is a case of arson. Bodies
lwere found in the ruins. Death resulted
from the burning of that building, and If
Idt was arson it is possible that the death
Iwould justify an Indictment for murder,
tbecause where killing occurs in the per-
lpetration of arson it is murder. You will
Investigate that case carefully. The cir
lcumstances so far as the Court is in
formed are more in the mature of sus-
lpicion than direct proof, but are worthy
Iof your serious consideration.
| "You see in a community of come four
| hundred thousand souls this Is not such
a bad showing since the last sitting OF the
Grand Jury. There are the ordinary cases
Iof crime that happen in every community