The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-11-15
THE DRUNKEN JUROR.

THE DRUNKEN JUROR.
One OF the Jurors in the stokes Case
Arraigned for Contempt of Court
He is Charged with Visiting Gam
bling Dens and Saloons During the
Progress of the Trial.
A crowd gathered in the Court of
Oyer and Terminer in New York city,
on Monday, to hear the proceedings IN
the case of James Delos Center, tho
eighth juryman in the Stokes case, who
has been arrested for contempt of
court. The charges are that while he
was serving as juryman in this case,
and alter leaving the court and going
to the Astor House Office, he was accus-
toned to go out through the Barclay
street door, and 60 around to the low
est dens In the city, staying out all
night, and talking everything about
the case.
On opening the proceedings, MIR.
Hummell, Center's counsel, asked for
an adjournment, that he might consult
with his colleagues, and, pending the
hearing of the case, asked that the bail
of the prisoner be fixed at a moderate
amount.
Assistant District Attorney Allen,
| after an examination had been waived,
| said that in regard to fixing the bail he
| did not know how far the Court was
conversant with the facts; but he
would say generally that the oral evil
dence and the affidavits which he heard
read before the Grand Jury presented
| fragrant case of contempt of Court.
Mr.. Hummell-'' Whatever he did 1t
was in company with an officer ap
pointed by the Court to take charge of
| him. He never was on jury, except
in this case, and he served on that to
the best of his understanding"
Judge Davis said that the offence
charged was misdemeanor, but it was
of graver character, and it was i'm
portant that there should be no oppor-
tunity to evade inquiry. He should
| therefore fix the bail at So, 600.
HARRY HILL AS a CoNsERvAToR OF JUS
| TICE.
| Among the affidavits which support
the complaint is that OF Harry Hill,
who states that Center. whom he has
known eight or nine years, came to his
place about the first night after the
/
| He was with a Deputy Sheriff and was
intoxicated. He spoke about the case,
and said that one man had sold him
self for $500; that Stokes brother
told him he had got man to do what
he wanted for $500. He said he had
| been riding i'll a carriage with Stokes
brother. He came the second night
with an officer and four or five friends.
| He said he had been to Coburn's and
was going back there Homer Lane
was with him. He had great deal to
say about the case.
Officer John w Hunt states that
Center asked him to allow him to at
tend to his business. He told him to
get permission from the Judge Cen
ter spoke to the Judge, and gave him
| (the officer to understand that he had
permission. Mr.. Center took him to a
place which he found out was a faro
| bank, in Houston street, and put down
some money, and won before he would
leave. The affidavit goes on to emu
merate various places to which Center
took him,-to such places as Harry
Hills, Reddy the Blacksmith, a
| liquor store III Varick street, and SINH
| lar establishments elsewhere. The off
Ger swears he never heard Center speak
of the Stokes case.
| STATEMENT BY THE ACCUSED.
Mr.. Center made the following state
ment to-day to a reporter regarding
the charges against him: /" l am the
sole agent here for a certain brand OF
wines, and must visit drinking places
to push my trade and collect money
due me. [ had no idea that Ill visiting
these places | was committing con
tempt of court. One of the Deputy
Sheriffs was with me, and if he knew
it, he should have told me so. Now |
am a drinking man, and when visiting
these places, of course, drank. My
oath as a juror was to render a verdict
on the evidence, and there was nothing
III the oath about drinking. If [ had
known that | was doing wrong, l would
not have persisted in it SO openly
Tom, Dick and Harry might have said
to me Ill joke, How is the trial pro
ceeding 2 and may have answered, but
don't remember what / said