The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-03-15
HOW GOOD We ARE
Police Officials Tell Grand
Jury How Free the
County Is From
Law Breakers,
SUNDAY VIOLATIONS VERY FEW
To All Outward Appearances
All Saloons in Jersey
City Are Closed.

lHefe was SOid lace galore III the SOuft
House corridor yesterday afternoon. At
times portions of it drifted into the Grand
Jury room only TO come out again after
a brief intervals. 1t was worn by police
chiefs and captains from the different
municipalities of the county who had
come in response TO subpoenas to tell the
Grand Jury how free from law violations
| their respective bailiwicks were.
So pretty were some of the tales told by
these disciples Of gold lace that the Grand
Jurors must have become inoculated with
the belief that this county was most SIN
gularly free from violations of any sort;
in fact that even the most trifiing in
fringments of the law were not permitted
| at all in some Of police jurisdictions.
For instance, from the testimony of the
! policemen the members of the Grand Jury
who reside there must have. become inn
bued with the idea that it was impossible
TO obtain a drink in a saloon on the Sab
bath day. Their recollections of seeming
ly successful attempts in that direction in
the past must have made a species of the
Christian Scientist of them, for they
surely were persuaded by the statements
of the blue coated guardians that those
efforts which seemed so real at the time
were but imaginary.
While the Hoboken and North Hudson
overseers of the peace and their superior
officers did not paint such glowing pic
ture of Sunday conditions in their juris-
dictions they surely satisfied the grand
inquisition that it was at least difficult
thing on the Sabbath day to quench ones
thirst with ones fayorite beverage, or
stimulate ones energies with ones favor
ite stimulant, where they were empower
ed to enforce the strict provisions Of the
law.
As to other violations of law, such as
policy, gambling, barmaids. etc, the
Grand Jurors must now be fully SATISFIED
with the belief that no such things ara
longer tolerated in the northern section
of the county.
Then, when 1t came Bayonne's turn,
Mayor Seymour. of that city. painted for
the edifcation of the grand jurors such a
brilliant word picture of Sunday observ-
ance there that one of his inquisitors felt
constrained to check the loquaeious chief
executive long enough to inquire if even
trolley cars were permitted to run in the
southern city of the county on the Sab
bath. Mayor Seymour, with characteristic
truthfulness, but with blush of shame,
was obliged to admit that this infringe
ment Of the ancient blue laws was toll
Grated.
The object Of the grand jury was to get
a general idea of conditions existing in
the various municipalities, especially as
to police regulations for locating and sup
pressing questionable resorts and prevent
ing illegal practices The result Of their
inquiries and personal observations Of the
individual members will probably be sum-
married. in presentment that will be
handed into court when the grand jury
asks for it's discharge, which may be on
Friday next.
The first witnesses called were the Jer-
sey City police commissioners, Messrs-
Mitchell, Tilden and McGill. who were
questioned along the line of the general
discipline of the department for detect
ing violations of the laws. Chief Murphy
and the captains of the various precincts,
in reply to questions about the observ-
ance of the Sunday closing law, told con-
sistently that to all outward appearances
all the saloons of the city were closed
They were questioned particularly by
Foreman Peterson and Prosecutor Erwin
about alleged violations of the law in ref
erence to the sale of liquor to minors, and
answered that the law was enforced and
violators punished when detected. As to
disorderly houses, they were sure there
were none.
Chief Murphy said that when Grim p
were reported to him, he acted promptly
on the information. Questioned about
crap games, the chief said that wher-
ever number of colored men gathered
there was bound to be a crap game,
but it was suppressed as far as lay in the
power of the police.
1t is also said that Captain Cody, John
p. Kelly, John Kelly and Wohleben were
asked about places in their respective
precincts said to be frequented by policy
men looking for plays
Police Commissioners Daab, Capelli and
Lally. Chief Donovan, and Captains
HAYES and Tanning, of Hoboken, told
satisfactory stories of the suppression Of
ALI known violations of the law. They
were asked about the barmaid evil,
whether pool-rooms existed, and If there
was any policy gambling going on in the
city. Their replies evidently convinced
the Grand Jurors that conditions there
were as good, il not better, than in other
sections OF the county.
very much wanted man was Chief
Patrick Brady, OF North Bergen. He did
not respond when his name was called,
and Constable Michael Kohl, who had
been intrusted with the subpoena for him.
was called into the grand jury room to
explain. Kohl told how, after repeated
futile efforts to find Brady, he had turned
the subpoena over to Constable VIM.
Heinz. who had been equally unsuccess-
fal.
The head of the North Bergen police
Is especially wanted to explain the dis
crepancv between his written report to
the Prosecutor and the conditions that
Assistant Prosecutor yickers and other
Representatives of the Prosecutors office
found existed in his bailiwick on the oe-
casion of their visit there ON last Sum
dav evening. It is understood that road
houses at which dancing and other forms
az entertainments were permitted were
allowed to run wide open. and we're FREE
auented BY girls Of tender years. The
Grand Jury win make another effort TO
bring Chief Brady before them before
theif Official term ends.
Mayor John zeiler. of Gutenberg, told
the Grand Jurors that he was not the
head of the police department. Of tho
Counfys oldest and smallest town. He
was asked II there were ~ rambling