The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-03-03
Vice Chancellor Pitney Says
DR.. White Bribed Wit
nesses in Divorce and
Bribery Cases.
TEXT OF THE DECISION
Detective Spite, George Krie-
ger and Mrs. Eaton In
volyed in Conspiracies.

eo,,oa m george Wallace White. of West
Hoboken. guilty Of not only engaging -
4 conspiracy to suppress evidence III .ie
s,,if Of divorce he brought against ms
wife but also guilty of entering mo .
conspiracy to prevent a witness te-lls
the truth in the bribery case brousa ~
against him. The Court couples with the
former case Private Detective Spitz anu
Mrs. Julia Eaton. named as co-respoiid7nl
in Mrs Whites cross SUIT oeoiss
Krieger, member of the present 1raiiu
Jury. is also found guilty of conspiracy
The findings of fact in this eeiepra.eu
bribery investigation ordered by Chah-
.ceihor MCGEE and tried by the Vice Chan-
cellor were in these words
..The result is that I find, as a matter
Of fact. that Dr. White, Spitz and MIS-.
Eaton were all engaged in the enterprise
of suppressing Gi.kerson's evidence which
he was expected to give on the merits Oh
the principal case.
And l further find that Dr. White
spitz. Gerhart, Krieger and Mrs Eaton
were afterwards engaged in a conspiracy
to prevent Gilkerson from telling the
truth in this investigation.
All the parties named, except Dr..
White. were ordered to be in court this
afternoon and declare if they wished TO
be heard by counsel before the Court de-
termines the sentence. DR.. Whites coun-
sci was ex-Judge R. s. Hudspeth; the
others were not represented.
There was a good crowd in Vice Chan
cellor Pitney's Court this morning to hear
this decision. All the principal witnesses
had been subpoenaed to attend by Ser
geant-at-arms D. Edwards, who, 1t ap-
pears when serving one on Mrs. John
Eaton. had the door slammed in his face
by the sister of that young lady. Krieger
was as defiant as ever, but when the Vice
Chancellor got through with him he look
ed as meek as a lamb and considerably
scared at what would happen next.
After citing the facts in this iwell-known
case, how, after hearing on January lS
last, in Chancery Chambers, on the main
suit it came to the notice of the court
that a young man, Elias Gi,kerson, bad
received $40, or a sum like that, to stay
away from court by one David Ross and
Detective Spitz, an inquiry was ordered
Mr.. Charles d. Thompson was appointed
amicus cursal, and Mr.. David Edwards
sergeant-at-arms and testimony was TAX
en-. The Vice Chancellor took UP each
witness's evidence seriatim Coming to
that Of Dr. White, who told what he
knew about Gilkerson coming TO his house
on Sunday when the witness swore the
doctor offered him SIS to stick to him, the
Vice Chancellor said Dr.. Whites testi-
mony was expressly unsatisfactory.
The offering of money to Gilkerson, in
the corridors of Chancery Chambers, said
the court, had been proven by Gerhart,
one of DR. Whites own witnesses. 1t was
also proved that Ross openly. in the pres
ence of Lawyer Ward and others, re-
minded Gilkerson that he had received s.
from the doctor mot to know anything.
Taking up the testimony of George
Krieger, the Vice Chancellor said that his
conduct in the matter of telling Mr.
Thompson that he hadn't Gilkerson's affi-
davit, when he had it in his pocket all the
time. was not that of an upright man.
It showed, said the court, Krieger's char
acter.
ut was manifest said Vice Chancellor
Pitney, that this man Krieger through
out gave favorable gloss to everything
concerning the doctor and unfavorable TO
everything he was obliged to admit. so
far as Krieger's contradiction of Gilker-
sons story is concerned give it little
weight. l put no reliance on his testi-
mony."
The main question, summed up the
Court. was whether DR.. White gave Ross
the money to get Gi.kefson out of the
way. The story of Ross and Gilkerson
cou.d not have been concocted. as it had
been charged, and it was perfectly evident
that there had been an attempt to fright
en- them out of repeating their stories.
They could not have been guilty Of a
scheme any more than Lawyer Ward.
The Vice Chancellor then gave his find
irgs as above and in a loud voice said
Krieger, spitz. Mrs. Eaton Gerhart,
stand up
They all ooeyed and the Vice Ghancel-
lor asked them individually if they wisned
to be heard by counsel.
I'm what respect?" said Krieger
~ find you guilty of conspiracy prina
facie. You have ears; you heard what !
said I'll read it again" said the Vice
Chancellor. reading the last paragraph OF
the decision.
II wish for trial to prove my inno-
cence," was Krieger's meek response.
You, too, Mrs. Eaton, spitz Gerhart? ??
asked the Court, turning to them and they
replied in the Affirmative
Very well replied the Court, you had
better join counsel and If You are dere.
lict here you Will have to pay the cost
OF the testimony. You may consult to.
gsther and be here at two o'clock.
What about DR.. White?'' asked Judge
Hudspeth.
The Vice Chancellor said that there
were two kinds of contempt and he would
decide later whether he would impose the
sentence or send the findings 10 the
Chancellor
At O'Clock the Vice Chancellor called
the White case. Krieger was the frs,
man to respond. and he said that he asked
Judge HudsDeth to represent him, but the
lawyer had refused
couldn't, your honr," said Mr.. Hud-
Mrs Eaton Gerhardt and spitz asked
for some time,and the court ordered d
rule to show cause served on all the
that time the defendants are supposed tc
have counsel Ia court.
will deal with DR.. White later, . said
the Chancellor.
Lawyers, In discussing the case. said
the court had unquestfonable jurisdiction
and there was no appeal from tfe sen.
feuee inflicted. On all sides ii was be-
heved thai. the defendants will serve 8
term p jail.