Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-03-26
THE LIQUOR TRlALs.

On Friday. the 2lst inst an Information was
flcd against VIM. Sewert for selling intoxisa-
ting liquors contrary to law, and the defendant
arragned before Judge Barton for trial. He
was granted time to procure counsel, and having
secured the services Of James Jamison, Esq, in
that capacity, the trial proceeded in the after
noon, d. d. Holdridge, Esq, being the counsel
for the State. The object Of trial 10 usually
supposed to be to secure justice but Mr.. Jami-
son seemed to act in this case upon the theory
that its sole object was to screen the defendant
endeayorcd to have an Illegal pleading entered
upon the record, in order doubtless that the case
might be tried upon false issue and thus be
declared irregular and consequently null and
void. in the court above. The plaintiffs coun-
sci wa, not to be caught in this manner, howsy-
er, and Mr. Jamison then entered a plea Of
former conviction for the same ofense, at the
same time declaring it to be false plea lie
evidently made it for the purpose Of securing
better opportunity for "skullduggery." At
this stage of the proceedings the court adjourn
ed. On Saturday the trial was resumed. A
jury having been impanneled Mr.. Jamison used
every artifee to be found in the catalogue Of
shrewd and inscriptions lawyers to bciog them
and to get before them false issue. The legal
question before the jury was . former acquittal,
and as the defendant produced no proof the jury
brought in a verdict against him. The defend
ant now called for . new jury to try the merits
Of the ease, which was granted.
The new jury was not impanneled until late
in the afternoon, and the court consequently ad-
journed until Monday morning at . o'clock. We
should have mentioned that before the frst jury
was impanueled the defendant endcavored to So
cure change of venue from the County Court
proceeding highly complimentary to the legal
erudition Of the defendants counsel!
Mr.. Jamison had now tried nearly every ex-
pedient to create or pick flaw in the proceed
ings, but there was yet q single chance left
possibly he could invaldatc the evidcnce-he
might make it appear that the bourbon whisky
drank was " bourbon bitters" or watch with cat
like vigilance for the omission Of some date or
name. The witnesses were produced, and their
evidence was given in With such straight for
wardness and particularly that in his closing
pea MI. JamisOn uau no resource out 10 slang
the Good Templars and temperance men gener>
ally. From such q source rs the defendants
counsel only foul stream was expected to Aow,
and everybody present would have been surpris-
ed had he confined his observations within the
bounds Of deccncy. The counsel for the State
closed the case in lucid speech, and . verdict
Of guilty vas soon rendered against the defend
ant upon tho three counts contained in the in
formation. Judgment was entered up against
him for 500 and the costs, which amounted to
over so. Mr.. Jamison is u shrcwd lawyer, but
be found il Mr.. Holdridgc more than his match,
and he must acknowledge that for once justice
has trtumphed over legal trickery.
On Monday afternoon In Information was
fled before Judge Barton against Adalph
Leytsc for the same crime. He plcdsd guilty
and fined so upon each Of the three counts con-
tanned in the information, and costs.
On Tuesday. the sams process vas gone
through with in the cases Of Van r. Blondin. and
Bernard Yeager and on wednesday in that Of
Chatbes schwartz.