The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-28
JUSTICE DIXON PRODS JURORS
HAS INDICTMENTS PREPARED
FOR THEM TO CONSIDER.

Tells Them the Meaning Of the Latin Wore
'Iynoramus' and the English Word O,
the Same Sound-The Result Is Feel
ing Of Uneaslness Among tho Police
The Hudson County Grand Jury appeared
before Supreme Court Justice Jonathan
Dixon in Jereey City at his invitation yester.
day and listened B. lecture on its duty in
the matter Of pooroom investigations.
The jury recently indicted Jerry Murphy
for operating poolroom at 81 Newark ave-
nue., around the corner from police head
quarters. The evidence on which the true
bill was found was furnished by DR.. Arthur
J. Walscheid, foreman Of the jury, and
Newton Lawrence, another member. who
got into the place without any trouble and
managed to lose SIS on horse which came
In last. The jury also adopted resolution
directing Prosecutor OF the Pleas William
Il. Spear to draw up true bill against Chief
OF Police Benjamin Murphy and Capt.
John Cody OF the First precinct for mis-
feasanoe in permitting poolroom to run.
A few days later the jurors decided not to
indict the chief. but did not reconsider the
action taken in the case of the captain.
Justice Dixon referred to the existence
Of Jerry Murphy's poolroom. and said that
he feared the jurors had not done their
duty.
But there is another matter Of still more
serious import deserving your very grave
attention and consideration said the
Justice. This establishment was within
a stones throw, earshot Of the principal
police station OF Jersey City. 1t has been
there for months, perhaps years"
The Justice said it was the specific duty
Of the police to use due diligence and zeal
to ascertain where crime Is being COM
mitted.
The chief Of police is at the head Of the
police department. There is a captain in
that precinct next subordinate to the chief,
and there are sergeants and patrolmen
and detectives upon that beat Is there
any one of them who would not seem to
be guilty OF wilful disregard of public
II have requested the prosecutor of
the pleas to prepare indictments such
as I think ought to hs presented by you,
which Of course, are t. be laid before you,
subject to your judgment and upon your
responsibility.
4 shall be here two weeks from to-day
and shall then expect that every one OF
these indictments be returned into this
Court of Oyer and Terminer, either indorsed
as true bills Or lse indcrsed as bills not
found tO lG true. Al q ynt. are 10 determine
wha: the nature of tina. Endorsement shall
b., you are 70 determine on your con-
sciences and by your judgment under
oaths and on your honor whether the in.
dorsement upon these bills, or any of
them, shall be a true bill. or not found TO
he true bill.
Under the old English law they had
a Latin word ignoramus. meaning that
the Grand Jury did not find this to be
true bill. That word is both noun and
verb, and take care, gentlemen. that it
it be not truly applied TO any one Of you
as noun. AS verb it means We do not
know; as a noun you know what it means,
but do not let 1t be applied to any one OF
you justly"
The Justices charge created a feeling
Of uneasness among the police last night.