The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1902-02-13
Ferdinand Heintz Tell !
Why Ingram Was
Not Indicted.
COULD NOT SEE PROSECUTOR
In a Sharp Letter the Com
missioner Replies to the
Journals" Vicious
Criticism.

ss4reaf and Water Commissioner feroi-
ns,d He;nfze has today sent to the Jer-
sew city journal the following ietter'-
To the Editor Of the Evening journal
sir-Mv attention has been called to the
editorial in your paper Of the issue o.
Tuesday. February II, in which you crili-
Give fhe position / have assumed IN the
Ingram case. So that the facts may pe
set fairly before the public ] ask you 20
r,,hish the following statement
n tho first place, no threat OF prose-
c,,t;on was made to Mr.. Ingram to induce
bi,a 10 resign. nor was any promise made
n him that the matter would be droppeo
if he did resign. by the Board Oh 0'iee.
and Water Commissioners, or any q
them, or by ANYBODY acting Tor tnen.
When Mr. Ingram's SHORTCOMINGS "sle
discovered he was given nearing ~
she Board in Committee of the Whoie, :.
the termination of which he was to'u
that he would be informed OF the oe
c.s:on of the Comniss o1lers later an"
tbaf in the meantime If he desired a pup
lie hearing he could have one. Inc Gay
after This hearing / told him the Boaro
demanded his resignation he agreeu y
give II provided he were allowed to re-
main until April J. I told him l woulo
communicate this suggestion to the Com
4n;ssioners and apprise him of their de-
cisson. did so. The Commissioners re-
fused to make terms with Mr.. Ingram and
demanded his resignation forthwith wnlch
wac given.
On Tuesday. February 4, called at the
Prosecutors office to lay the case before
him. did not go before the Grano Jury,
NOR attempt to do so. Under the cnarge
to the Grand Jury made by Justice Col
lins at the opening of the December term
# would have been wrong for me 10 40
so. and even - / had conferred with tne
Grand Jury or any member Of Il, tney
would have no right to act until the mat
Ter was formally laid before them by the
Prosecutor. On February the Prosecp-
tor was not in his Office. I talked with
Mr.. Clark, the clerk of the Grand Jury,
who appeared to act for the prosecutor,
and told him would be at5the office OF
the Prosecutor again the next day, at
half after nine.
Al nine o'clock on the morning OF
Wednesday. February 5, Mr. Ingram
came to my house and In the course OF
the conversation he tod me that. the
Prosecutor had sent for him and that he
had seen him on Monday, February ),
and had told Him his side of the case
I called at the Prosecutors office as I
had arranged. Immediately after this in
terview with Mr. ingram. Again he was
not in. and ! was told by Mr.. Clark that
should see Mr.. yickers. the Assistant
Prosecutor. This I declined to do, be-
cause Mr.. Ingram-s interview had been
ion of
Prosecutor in sending for a man sus-
perfed of what might be a crime, and
making no effort to see an important wit
ness for the State in the matter, made
me insistent in seeing the Prosecutor him
self. I left word with Mr.. Clark that l
would call to see the Prosecutor at any
time he might request it, that as lived
just behind the Court House where his
ofice is, it would be no trouble for him
10 send for me, nor for me to come, and
that / was anxious to go over the matter
with him.
I have had no word from the Prose-
cutor's Office since. After TWO visits to
the office without result I felt my request
to be sent fer TO be a courteous one.
had the right to assume that in the in
vestigation of an alleged crime. the Prose-
cutor. without request, would send for
those who might be important witnesses
for the State / also assumed that If the
Prosecutor himself requested a confer
sence with the person charged with or I'M
der suspicion Of having committed a
crime, he would be willing and anxious
to meet those who would be called as
witnesses before the Grand Jury. My r.-A-
preston has been that not the person
charged with crime, but those knowing
OF it's commission. would be requested to
appear before the Grand Jury, and so
that the Prosecutor might have the facts.
as we found them, ] called a his Office.
In View of Judge coilins's charge to the
Grand Jury, 1 felt that I would be going
beyond the law to attempt to see them
or any Of them, except through the inter-
ventfon Of the Prosecutor. ] am etill
Mating for subpoena or request to
testify.
fee that I am reasonable in asking
you to give as great publicity to this
statement as to your editorial comment
on The case of last Tuesday.
Yours very truly
FERDINAND HEINTZE.
Commissioner.