The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-03-20
M'CILL RAPED
Grand Jury Makes the Police
Board Presid ent Re-
tract Criticism.
POLICE REFUSED EVIDENCE
Foreman Ringle Complains
of Their Attitude Chief
Murphy's Reply.

| N
DR.. John D. McGill. president of ths
Police Board, was on the rack in the
Grand Jury room for over forty minutes
yesterday afternoon and closely ques-
| toned in reference to his recent criticism
of the Grand Jury for its failure to find
an indictment in the case of Eugene Sui
ivan, the alleged pool room keeper, whose
| saloon in Pavonia avenue was recently
raided by the police.
| Foreman Jacob Ringle and ex-Police
Judge John j. Nevin were the principal
interrogators. and at the conclusion of
the session it is reported that DR.. McGill
acknowledged that the only grounds for
his criticism were the police records of
the raid in question. He admitted that
he did not know how much of this evi-.
dence had been submitted by the police
to the Grand Jury. It is further stated
that in reply to a question by juror
that the President of the Police Board ad-
mltted that the twenty-three members of
the Grand Jury, under oath, were better
able to determine the sufficiency of evil
dence than interested police officers in
making reports that were not sworn to-
When DR.. McGill was admitted to the
Grand Jury room as subpoenaed wit
ness he was first question about the prac-
tice of the officials of the City Hospital,
which is under control of the Police
Board, in quickly removing incurables to
the county almshouse He was asked if
those thus removed did not generally die
in from one to ten days and if their death
was not fastened by exposure to the cold
weather.
The doctor was not in possession of
data as to the deaths under such circum-
stances, but when asked if tuberculosis
and pneumonia patients were not kept
side by side at the City Hospital he ad-
mitted they were.
us it not the general practice to
separate patients afflicted with those dis
eases?'' he was asked.
Eyes, but unfortunately we haven't
room enough to do that at the hospital
was the reply.
DR.. McGill admitted having given the
interview criticizing the Grand Jury for
its failure to indict in the Sullivan case.
DO you know what evidence was sub
mitted to this body by the police in that
case?" asked ex-Judge Nevin.
that based my opinion that an indict-
ment should have been found,'' replied the
doctor.
When was connected with the police
department 1 often heard evidence given
in court that was not given before the
Grand jury" remarked ex-Judge Nevin.
ST have reasons to believe that the evil
dence given before the Grand Jury in the
Sullivan case was the same as was pre-
sented in court was the answer.
''Then do we understand that you con-
slider your individual opinion superior to
that of the twenty-three members of this
Grand Jury?'
Not exactly, but I thought that q
primo facie case had been established"
DR.. McGill here said that he was sworn
tod do his duty to put stop to crime
and corruption and he was going to do it.
Foreman Jacob Ringle said: 1.-THE evil
dence presented by the police in this case
was clearly not sufficient to base an in
dictment upon. A possible remedy might
be found in reducing few detectives to
the ranks the foreman added signifi-
cantly.
IF I knew policeman who did not do
his whole duty / would willingly prefer
charges against him. said the witness.
Ex-Judge Nevin assured the doctor that
the Grand Jury would not on account of
it's oath, divulge the information that
might give a basis for such charges
Referring to the case of an officer sent
to Sutton's Music Hall on Jersey City
Heights, and making an assignation with
one of the woman performers on which
evidence the place was raided as a dis
orderly house by the police, Dr. McGill
vas asked of he approved of such
methods.
Il do not nor do I know that such a
thing was done,' was the reply.
At 3:45 o'clock the members of the Grand
Jury, headed by Sheriff Ruempler, filed
into court and handed in a batch of four
teen indictments, making eighty-seven in
all for the term.
Is there anything else that the Grand
Jury desires to present." Judge Blair
asked.
Prosecutor Erwin said:-
I understand that the foreman on be-
half of the Grand Jury desires to make
statement in relation to certain matters
which have but recently come to the at
tention of the Grand Jury
Foreman Ringle then said:-"In con-
sidering some of the various bills which
we have presented, and the charges that
have been brought to the attention of the
Grand Jury, we have been hampered
great deal bv the police 1t would seem
in some cases that the least possible evil
dence that could be brought to us has
been brought to us by the police, and even
in case which was referred to in the
evening papers of yesterday, this would
seem to be the case, and the Grand
Jury were criticised for not having done
its duty.
I assure this court that this Grand Jury
has endeavored to do its duty in it's
fullest measure, but when the police of
thisc ity have absolutely refused to give
us proper evidence, and in some cases
no evidence whatever it has been imposs-
ible for us to find indictments, and this
has occurred in number of cases, and
among others, the cases referred to in the
papers of last evening. In some cases
where we are satisfied we could have in
dicted if the evidence in existence had
been brought to us, W have ben unable to
indict because that evidence was not pro-
duced before us, and Iassure the court
that, If there had been any dereliction
of duty, it has not been on the part Of
the Grand Jury We desire to say also
that the Prosecutor Of the Pleas has