New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-27
Sheriff Violated Law by
Importing SlayerS,
Says Bergen.
ASSEMBLY APPOINTS
INQUIRY COMMITTEE
Fielder Urges Roosevelt
Mayor to Ask Men to
Go Back TO Work.
Iron a S,a- Correspondent o, The Trbunsl

Iron S's1 Correspondent q The Irhlne4
New Brunswick. y. j., Jan. 26.
Seventy-fve witnesses appeared to-day
before the grand jury Of MiddleseN
County and recounted the facts sur
rounding tho shooting of striking fer
,llcr workers at Roosevelt last week.
Resulting IN the killing OF two men
and the vounding Of nineteen others.
The most important were Chief Har-
g,ncton. Of tho Roosevelt police. and
the crews Of two New Jersey Central
trains.
Mayor Joseph A. Hermann, Of Roose-
welt. was under subpoena, as was Leo
Frsisini. one Of the labor leaders. but
neither was called. Some two hundred
citizens and borough officials from
Roosevelt were on hand ready 20 tes-
tify. but did not get an opportunity.
Tho grand jury will resume its in
yestigation tomorrow. Il is expected
that three hundred witnesses. includ-
ing q large number Of strikers and Of
fccrs OF the American Agricultural
Chemical Company, will he heard
Supreme Court Justice james j. Der
gen. in charging the jury. said;
THE Sheriff appointed a number Of
persons, whom he called special dcpu-
ties. am told that these persons
fred pistols or shotguns into a com
pany of the strikers. Ii they did so
without just cause they arc guilty Of
murder. and il is your solemn duty 20
indict them for that crime and let the
measure OF the offence be determined
by the trial jury.
cit IS said that these strikers gath
cred in the streets of Roosevelt and
acted in a riotous and tumultous man
nor. 10 the peril Of the citizens of the
town. If this is so. it is an unlawful
oct. for which the perpetrators may be
punished. but by proper procedure.
Can't Appoint Deputies.
AS to the claim that these men were
deputy sherffs. under the laws Of the
state the Sheriff has no authority TO
appoint deputies except As under-sher-
IFS. who must take the oath of office
and give satisfactory bond. such un-
dcr-shcriT is empowered 10 act for the
sheriff in his absence. nut Jncrc is no
warrant iu the statute, for the naming
of any other deputy sherfs.
"Vororci. under the common law the
ID "a
dcputice TO execute Writs or 20 serve
warrants. BOO fact. anything that On"
Sheriff himself is authorized under
the laW 90 do such deputies can do.
But there il no authority in the
Law permitting a sheriff To name a
special deputies persons who are not
resident. of the county or residents Of
the state. and such custom Is not
only TO be deprecated a. against pub
lie policy. hut At i in direct violation
of the state laws. The Sheriff has no
more power 80 20 TO New York for
men to swear in a. special deputies
than YOU have or than ! have. Con-
sequently. such deputies have no
standing a. srbiters and are not en-
titled To immunity a. such.
Another matter 10 which ] wish To-
draw YOUR attention: ] have been Iu-
formed that tine Mayor OF Roosevelt
sympathizes with and encourages I'M
lawful assemblages and that he. with
the power az his command. refuses TO
call upon such gatherings TO dispense
No Right TO Shoot.
lu concluding Justice Bergen told
the jury not 10 let sympathy for one
sidc @, the other influence them. Poo
pie owning factories had right TO
employ people TO protect their prop
crty. hc said, but those hired had no
nigh. 90 shoot unfortunately into a
crowd. They should only shoot TO de-
fend themselves. the justice declared.
and II the crowd in the road merely