Bridgeton pioneer., 1884-10-16
CUMBERLAND COUNTY COURTS

CUMBERLAND COUNTY COURTS.
-CHEESMAN CASE CONTINUED.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER STH.
John Cheesman was called for de-
fense, and testified to the presentation
of several bills by the heirs; said he
took exception to the bill presented by
plaintiff at the solicitation of the widow
and her son John; said that plaintiff,
at last term of Court, never said that
there was the slightest intimation of
an agreement between the father and
son in regard to the payment of rent.
Then witness went on and gave lucid
explanation of the circumstances which
attended the settlement of the estate,
and also stated that the plaintiff did
not present his bill until long after he
(the executor) had supposed there had
been an amicable arrangement among
the heirs in regard to an ultimate set
tlement. Plaintiff was again called to
rebut an allegation which had been
made by Mr.. Cheesman, and then the
case rested.
Prosecutor Hoagland commenced
summing up at 1.15 o'clock. He took
the miscellaneous bill and dssected it
with a legal knife, and when he got
through with it there apparently wasn't
anything left of it. He arraigned the
plaintiff for pretended affection for his
father, and then charging him for every
little act of kindness done. The Prose-
cutor then closed by saying that the
defense did not object to paying what
was legitimate, but they did object to
paying what they considered to be an
eXorbitant and unjust bill.
j. L. VanSyckle, Esq, began his ad-
dress to the jury by saying that it was
pity that the father of the plaintiff
was not here or that his spirit could
not confront John Cheesman and say,
PAY this honest debt" Mr.. Van
Syckle was pathetic and argumenta-
tive as well. He claimed that the
plaintiff was the only child who stood
by his father in his old age, and that
it was the purpose of the executor to
swell the revenue of the estate in order
to benefit the other children who never
did anything for their father. Mr..
VanSyckle closed his summing up and
asked of the jury a verdict for the
plaintiff.
Judge Reed then commenced his
charge to the jury in the Slough
Cheesman case. The Judge went over
that part of the testimony which re-
lated to an alleged agreement between
father and son in regard to compensa-
ton, after the old gentleman's death,
for the use of the house and lot. The
Judge said it was possible that the
special legacy of $4OO was intended to
compensate the son for his kindness
toward the old gentleman. In closing
his charge, the Judge said that if the
jury believed that there was an agree
ment they should find verdict for the
plaintiff for five years and nine months
Immediately preceding the old gentle
mans death. The jury then retired.
The case of Morley VS.. Jones was
called. This was matter regarding
a lien. There was no defense, and a
verdict for the full amount claimed
(about 5000 was rendered for the
plaintiff.
The jury in the Slough -Cheesman
case returned verdict for the defend
ant. Last term this case was decided
in favor of the plaintiff. The Court
granted another trial. The second
trial, as will be observed, has been dis
astrous to the plaintiff.
Court adjourned until Tuesday next
at 10 o'clock.
The Grand Jury, after session of
two and half days, finished their de-
liberations this morning, and returned
sixteen bills of Indictment.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18th
Court convened at ten o'clock. The
list of jurymen was called, and all but
a few answered to their names. J..
Boyd Nixon (of Potter & Nixon) pre-
sented report of Commissioners in re-
gard to land of certain Mulford.
The Prosecutor then called off list
of those who had been indicted by the
Grand Jury. Most of them plead guilty.
One case for maintaining a nuisance