The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-04-18
JUDGE AS WITNESS
Necker's Counsel Calls Blair
and Erwin in His
Defence.
SAYS HE DIDN'T KNOW JAHR
Chief of Police of Union Hill
Says None There Believes
the Undertaken Guilty.

The unusual proceeding of the trial
! judge, States representative and counsel
for the defendant being called as wit
nesses occurred in the Court of General
| Sessions yesterday when Counsellor James
| A. Gordon, who represents Undertaken
| William Neckar in the Colonial Life In
surance conspiracy case, sought to prove
that representatives of the State had at
/ tempted to extort second confession
| from DR.. Richard Jahr by making him
believe that he would have to remain in
jail without bail while Judge Blair was
away on a recent trip to Atlantic City
unless he consented to aid the States
case by testifying against his associate
| defendants.
Ex-Judge Hoffman, who is associated
| with Prosecutor Erwin in the conduct of
the States case, questioned the right of
the defendants counsel to call the trial
judge as a witness. Judge Blair looked
surprised at this most unusual proceed
ing, but without deciding on the objection
of the States representative, asked coun-
sci what they sought to prove by his tes-
timony.
Lawyer Gordon explained and Judge
Blair, after referring to some data, with
out leaving the bench or being sworn,
announced that he had started for At
lantic City on the afternoon of February
21. He did not say whether he had in
formed the District Attorneys Office as
to the length Of time he would remain
away.
Prosecutor Erwin then took the witness
stand and testified that he had no knowl-
edge but had been informed that Judge
Blair had gone away. He did not know
when he would return.
The feature of yesterdays proceedings
was the testimony of Undertaken Will
lam Necker, one of the defendants. He
told a straightforward story of his con-
nection with the case, which seemed to
carry conviction of his innocence of any
participation in the alleged crime.
Mr.. Necker said he paid the premiums
in Whiston's policy at the suggestion of
Agent Kelly and deducted the amount
from the weekly wages of Winston, who
was in his employ. The witness denied
that he had instructed Winston how to
answer the questions propounded by DR..
Jahr at the examination. He did not be-
come acquainted with Jahr until after
their Indictment. Mr.. Necker said that
Wnen the pOllcleS were cancelied the
returned premiums were given to Whis-
ton
Chief of Police Kreiger of Union Hill
proved tarter for ex-Judge Hoffman on
cross examination. He was very positive
IN his replies, especially as to the good
reputation of Necker and the fact that
nobody in Union Hill believed him guilty
of the crime charged. He admitted that
he did not and added that his opinion had
not been changed by listening to the pro-
ceedings of the trial for four or five days.
Winston, the Chief said, asked his ad-
vice as to whether or not his wife couId
collect his insurance when he died, as he
wanted his daughter to nave it. Witness
sent for Necker and told him of this. The
cross s-examination developed into ques-
Tons the ethics OF the Union Hill po-
| lice department in which Chief Kreiger
more than held his own with the ex-
| Judge.
Police Sergeant Henry O'Brien of Union
! Hill testified to Mr.. Neckar's good repu-
tation, but would not define reputation
| very clearly.
! Mayor George Bergkamp of West Hobo
ken and a number of other prominent citi-
zens of West Hoboken also testified to the
good reputation of Undertaken William
| Neckar before court adjourned for recess