The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-12-10
OH WHAT
A SNUB!
Judge Collins Totally
Ignores the Jour
nails" Grand Jury
Crusade in His
Charge.
NOP0LITICS FROM TIE BENCH
Hardly an Allusion to the
Sullivan or Clossey
Gambling Cases.
JURORS RIGHTS And DUTIES
Big Power for the Prosecu-
tor, Citizens Power of
Complaining Denied.
COURT CANNOT DICTATE
Obligation of Secrecy Ex-
tends to Witnesses
New York's Poolroom
Overflow.
COURT CANNOT DICTATE

That Justice Collins cannot be induced
to play politics for the benefit of his
party was evidenced by his fair and
straightforward address to THE members
OF the new Grand Jury at the opening
Of the December term of court this morn
ing
In view of the agitation started by the
local Republican organ because of the
decision of the last three Grand Juries
that there was not sufficient evidence in
the Gene Sullivan gambling case on
which to base an indictment it was
thought by some people that the Court
would dwell on that subject at length.
Instead, that case as well as the fraud
cry in connection with the recent cleo
tion in Hoboken are passed by with
mere reference. The charge is a COM
plete disappointment to those politicians
who hoped to make capital for next falfs
election out of their sensational ground
less charges.
The charge in the main deals with the
duties of Grand Jurors and their rela-
tions to the Prosecutor. The Court says
decidedly that the body is not obliged to
accept the legal advice of the Prosecutor.
Leakages of the proceedings of the
Grand Jury are referred to and the Court
puts complete quietus to the stand
xoI-1,, ~ Tarsax, C;tv r,opor In dafand-
ing the action of witness before the
last Grand Jury who had given for pub
lication his testimony as given in the
Grand Jury room.
The charge in full is as follows:-
Gentlemen of the Grand Jury-Not
many matters require special presentation
to you at this time. There are IS persons
in jail awaiting your action, which,
as to them, should be as prompt as the
some complaints pending which involve
homicide, but the investigation of the
Prosecutor Of the Pleas as to those ca ses
is still in progress, and any particular
reference to them by the Court which
may be found TO be necessary will be
made later.
Complaints have been made of violation
of the election law. that viii be laid be-
fore you in due course. In many cases the
facts Indicate negligence. or ignorance,
rather than criminal intent. In Jersey
City there is very little cause for criti-
cism in the conduct of the election boards,
but in the cities of Bayonne and Hoboken
there is a laxity in meeting the require
ments of the law particularly as to
registration, that is reprehensible. The
Prosecutor has in progress an investiga-
tion that will develop whether or not
there have been indictable offenses. There
are several individual cases of alleged
violation of that law in other respects,
and evidence will be offered before you
which If If comes up to the information
received by the Prosecutor should result
in indictments. There are no offenses
against popular government more heinous
than those attaining the purity of elec-
tions. for they strike at its very root
The other matters that have come regu-
larly to the court by the action OF COM
mitting magistrates are such as are COM
mon at every term, and within the range
of experience Of those of you who have
.sS-..~l5 -, f~xavS7 T,1ries The