New-York tribune., 1901-08-01
BLSSERT DEFENCE RESTS.
THE wARDMAN ON THE STAND IN HIS
TRIAL on A CHARGE OF Ac-
CEPTING A BRIBE

The defence in the trial OF George Bissert the
wardman. charged with accepting a bribe from the
keeper OF a disorderly house. rested its case yes
terday
The Jurors, when they entered General Sessions
after night in the Astor House, expressed dis
pleasure at not having been permitted 10 20 home.
J. II. Lewis sexton OF ST. Marks Church, was
called a witness. We wish to prove. said Mr..
Ganz 10 the Recorder that this house was run
openly. and that this defendant could have OBJ
tained evidence II he had wanted to close It.
Turning 10 the witness he asked:
Were you spoken TO nearly every day by per-
sons from No. q stuyyesant-st?" :" o..o,.. ,,r+u
the police were put on guard. and after they We're
withdrawn" He added that the women had been
on cross-examination Mr.. Lewis said he had
complained TO the policeman on post ana Inat @
soliciting from that house had then been sup
pressed.
Nettie Drexler. Of No. 1O2 Allen-st.. swore that
she was in the employ OF Lena Schmidt at the
house No p Stuyvesant-st She had seen Bissert
twice at the house-once the day a raid was
made in Nav and once about weeks before.
when he had driven the women out The witness
denied that she had heard any conversation be-
tween the Schmidt woman and bissert untl her
attention was called TO statements made by her IN
the office OF the District Attorney. The she said;
Mrs. Schmidt said. Why do you do this to me?
I paid the money l did not hear what he said
Ferdinand W. Keller Brooklyn lawyer was the
first witness called by the defence. He SAID ne
knew Lena ScnTnlOt ana Minnie huilL, WIN AoN
called at his office on October II, 1900 to buy the
house at No. p Stuyvesant-st The deed was in
the OF Minnie Kurtz. The Schmidt woman
Hugh o. Pentecost testified that Lena Sch midi
had consulted him in February, 1901, but on the
Clients were privileged declined TO say whether she
had consulted him TO have the policeman removed
Several witnesses testified that Bissert had a
good character
Bissert. the defendant, then took the stand He
he
Fifth-st station any time in September. 1900, or
that she ever spoke him about running a dis
orderly house. The examination then continued as
follows:
@ Did you ever receive any money from Lena
@ Did you ever make any agreement with her
to let her run disorderly house? A. Never.
@ Where were you that night she says she paid
the morey? A. / was at a meeting of the Masonic
O. Were you at her place on December "a a. No.
@ Did you ever have any dealings with her? A
October. November and December, 1900, and in 1901
until we closed the place up.
get IN 6 Lena sch%dt warned fe the d % oae
an5 bToke # open snd drove them % out tn
Q. Who ordered you to go there? A. The cap
Q. Did you report to him? A; Yes, and on my
nm, he put man diaoTdeTg T6eTe bouss9
We couldn't prove it on her.
@ Did you ever arrest woman out OF that
Bissert denied that the Schmidt woman had ever
said him: Il paid you money. Why do you raid
me?'
Some patrolmen corroborated parts of Bissert's
testimony.
Captain Thomas ]. Diamond the stand. said
that Bissert precinct detective; that he
had wardman. The captain denied that Lena
Schmidt had ever said to him or TO any one in his
hearing that she had given Bissert money. He In
sisted that he had regularly reported to headquar-
tiers the existence Of every disordery house in his
district. The Recorder asked him why he had not
reported No. p Stuyvesant-st. Because I did not
have the evidence make any arrests in the
house" replied the captain
Mr. Osborne unwilling submit the case
to the jury without argument. and court was
adjourned until 10 o'clock to-day.
Bissert sent back to the TombS and court
the night.