The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-01-11
Gene" INDICTED
Grand Jury Find 8 Bill
Against Sullivan for
Disorderly House.
ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE PRESENTED
Action Not Deemed a Refiec.
tion on Failure Of Other
Juries to Indict,

Eugene Sullivan has been Indicted and
trial jury must now determine ths
question OF his guilt or innocence Of the
charge Of conducting a pool room at his
SALOON. No. 1e9 Pavonia avenue
A. predicted in yesterdays ''News''
shortly after three o'clock the twenty
three members Of the Grand Jury. headed
by Foreman George w. Petersen and
Sheriff Carl H Ruempler. filed into court.
The foreman held in his hand one Of the
bills handed to the Grand Jury BY Justice
Collins on the occasion Of its appearance
in court a week ago. The fact that theirs
was but one bill soon caused the rumor
TO spread that Sullivan had been indicted
alone, and that Thomas Kenny and John
Ford, who the police claimed were en-
ployes Of the alleged pool room and
against whom bills had also been pre-
pared BY the court, had escaped indlet-
ment
After the roll call had shown all the
members present and usual questions had
been asked by Court Clerk Frank
OsNeill. the foreman handed up the soii-
tary Indictment Justice Collins glanced
hastily over the endorsement and a smile
nlumined his face as he saw that it was
true bill charging Sullivan with main-
tanning disorderly house, which IS the
| legal name Of any resort where violations
of the law are permitted. Within an hour
capias for Suliivan's arrest had been
issued.
1t is said that after considering the in
structions of the Court in regard to the
question of snficiency OF evidence on
L -f.fr
Jury, when it returned to it's room at 1.15
yesterday afternoon, found the true bslI
by an almost unanimous vote. To the
minds Of many this fact was not con-
strued as Indicating a belief on the part
of the jurors that the evidence was suffi-
| cient to convict, but rather that accord
ing to the Courts instructions il was
sufficient to base primo facie case upYp.
Three former Grand Juries had refused
to indict Sullivan on the grounds that tsls
evidence was not sufficient. and even the
present body so decided at previous ses-
sion. Two of the three were sunanar y
discharged by the Court before the ex1
piration Of their terms because cf thsFr
failure to agree with the Court in is W
/ lief that the evidence was sufficient
It must also be remembered that Ire
present Grand Jury had more evidences
than was presented to their predeeess--s 4
This additional evidence was procured ~
employees of Foreman Peterson. They tea-
I tifed that they had bet on horses II SUI
| livan's place, even while the Grand Jury
was considering the case against him.
The question as to whether this addti9nal
evidence could be considered was ons on
which the Grand Jury asked for theA
( Courts instructions at yesterday after
moons secret conference. It Is said thai
Justice Collins told the Grand Jurors that
| they must consider this evidence.
Fair minded people of both parties in
no way construe the action Of the De-
eember term Grand Jury yesterday az
rejecting in any way upon it's prede-
cessors. In fact the names Of the men-
hers of the Grand Jurles that have threwn
out the case are sufficient guarantee
that they acted according TO the dictates
Of their conscience.
Finance Commissioner Jacob Ringle. of
Jersey City, Republican and man Of
integrity, reputation and independence,
+ was the foreman of the first Grand jury
to consider the case. That body was
composed Of almost as many Republicans
as Democrats, and the vote that no bIll
be found had large majority
James N. Davis, a Democrat, active in
church matters and man who commands
the respect Of the community. was fore
man Of the second Grand jury TO consider
the case. This was the first body to be
summariIy discharged for its failure to
agree with the Court on the question Of
the sufficieney OF evidence in the case.
No man in business or private life in
Hudson county commands more respect
than Chas. S. Furst. He was foreman OF
the third Jury that considered the evil
denee against Sullivan and decided thar
a prima facie case had not been eStab-
lished. On this Grand Jury there were
also several Republicans. as win be re-
nernbered that body was also summarily
discharged by the Court without even be-
ing permitted to make the presentmept il
regard to the case which had been pr
pared.
TO the minds Of many the efforts Of eef
tain persons outside OF the Court and s.
partisan newspaper TO bring about the I'M
dictment of Sullivan was prompted by
desire TO make political capital for 1hs
Republicans for next falls Shrievaify
campaign The impression sought TO b
conveyed by them was that the alleged
pool room keeper was being protected
from indictment by Democratic offlciais
and this despite the undenied assertion
that Sullivan had supported the RspeD-
lican candidate for Sheriff two years aso.
The Indictment against Sullivan was
handed down to the Court OF Quarter ses-
siens by Justice Collins Immediately at
ter it was presented in the Court Of Oyer
and Terminer yesterday. It is probable
that the accused man win be arraiRusd
to plead and will be given ball for tfiRi
on Monday morning The iEnpressiea
prevalent IS that Prosecutor Erwin VIII
insist on. struck jrry 10 try the easS
sullivan's place was raided BY the police
on February Of last year. He was pail
ed in the Police Court TO await the Grand
Jury's action in S51o, Contractor Henry
Nesbitt of this city qualifying as his sure
ty in that amount.