Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1915-08-21


recorded in New Jersey in many
years was brought to head at Hack
ensack on Monday last, when Judge
William M. Seufert declared the bond
of former Postmaster George ii.
Hurd. of Haworth, forfeited in the
sum of $4,000.
The Hackensack Record OF Tues
day last had this to say of the case:
Prosecutor Thomas J. Huckin
moved that the bond be forfeited
after saying that Hurd's bondsmen
had been notified to produce him in
court Tuesday for sentence, but ne
was not present.
Hurd, who was out on $4,000 bail
furnished by John J. Zabriskie, of
Haworth, and Daniel A. DeVires, OF
Carlton Hill, was convicted on May
% last, of improper relations with
Miss Martha L. Conrad, seventeen
year-old girl, who was in his employ
for a number of years. The trial last
ed for week and was participated
in by number of prominent men
and women of Haworth, who were
really at the bottom of the exposure.
Hurd was secretary of the National
Postmasters' Association and promin-
ent in the affairs of the organization.
In support of the position of coun-
sci for the defendant, of whom E. c.
Irion was one and former Prosecutor
Wendell j. Wright the other, Mr..
Iron made a statement to the court in
which he said that Mr.. Wright and he
had done everything possible to get
Hurd to return for sentence.
Lawyer Irion said he had sent three
kilograms to Hurd at Eureka
Springs, Jasper and Harrison urging
him to return and from all accounts
the kilograms were received.
Counsel further assured the Court
that neither he nor Mr.. Wright had
been compensated for their services
in the trial of the case, but were
liable for various expenses incident
to the trial. Mr.. Irion assured the
Court that he, Mr.. Wright and the
bondsmen would aid the Court and
Prosecutor in every way possible to
locate the defendant Hurd, and
would furnish the Prosecutor with all
information that they had in their
possession, as to his present location.
At the suggestion of Judge Seufert,
Prosecutor Huckin said he would ex-
haust every means possible to bring
the fugitive back for sentence, and
the bondsmen declared they were
willing to pay the expenses of an
officer to go for Hurd and bring him
here.
1t was said that Hurd claimed to
own 800 acres of oil lands in Ar
kansas, worth $500 an acre, which he
received through government grant.
The handling of this case has been
the cause of great deal of harsh
criticism. It's Importance was so
great that every one wondered why
the bond was set at a such redicu-
lousy low figure.
The New York Evening Post on
Wednesday last had an editorial COM
ment on the case which follows:
A gross miscarriage of justice, in
it's way almost as depressing as
the Frank case, because the offend
ers here are officers of the law, is
the outcome of the George H. Hurd
trial in Hackensack, to which we
have before called attention. This
wretch, the ex-Postmaster OF
Haworth, was found guilty of Sc
ducing a young girl. The best
citizens of the town, men and wo--
men. befriended her and pressed
the case. When he was found
guilty, he was not only not clapped
into Jail, but was allowed to be out
on only $4,000 bail For some
mysterious reason, his sentencing
was postponed from May % to
June7, to June 81, to July Z, to
July 81 to August 7, to August
II, although it was known for a
large part of this time that he was
out of the State. OF course, when
the Judge finally acted yesterday,
all trace had long since been lost of
Hurd, and the State has nothing
to show for its efforts to punish a
dastardly criminal save beggarly
$4,000, if that can be collected.
ms surely OuSHC W IeSulC III an
investigation, both by the Bar AS
ISOLATION of New Jersey and the
Legislature. If the judge who fixed
the bail and permitted the post
ponements while the prisoner es-
capped can be shown to have abused
his authority, or yielded to i'm
proper influences, his punishment
should be swift and certain.
The principle cause for complaint
is that the man Hurd should have
been allowed out on bail at all, fol-
lowing his conviction. The New
York Evening Post clearly states this
part of the case. AS gross miscar-
riage of justice the Hurd trial was a
mere fsasco, as results proved. OF
course, no one is to be blamed. 1t
just couldn't be helped, that's ALL
Judge Seufert, when approached by
a "Palisadian" reporter in regard to
the disappearance of ex-postmaster
L L..