The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-02
TROTTER & co. GUILTY.
The Jury Easily Decides That the
Popcorn Gang Should
Go to Jail.

Tom Trotter in State prisoni Oscar
l. Friburg. the Republican traitor, with
him. Henry Spears and Joe Buckridge
to keep them company. So said the jury
yesterday thai convicted them OF their
ballot box stufiing rascalities.
The fifteen other ballot box suffers
who have been convicted, were each
sentenced to term of eighteen months
at State prison, and the natural presump-
iion is that Trotfer aud his gang will re-
ceiye like punishment.
lt was not quite five o'clock when
Judge Lippencott finished his unbiased
ana stern charge TO the jury and that
body retired. In thirty minutes they
reached conclusion and their verdict OF
guilty was returned to the Court
When the Constable notified Judge
Lippincott that the jury had agreed, con-
stables hunted up Trotter. and mis- gang,
who had gone 10 neighboring saloons for
encouragement" aud escorted them into
Court. The traitor Friburg's face flushed
bright red when he saw the Jury file In.
Trotter neryously stroked his goates and
the two others looked anxious and expec-
taut.
'How say you, Gentlemen. Of the Jury.
do you find the defendants guilty or not
guiltyf" inquired Clerk Kelleher.
Guilty" replied Foreman Davis In a
firm voice, aud when polled the other
jurors said the same.
MR. RowE's GREAT SPEECH.
As The JERSEY CITY NEWS published
yesterday, the case was closed for the de-
PENDANTS a short time after twelve
O'Clock. Judge Lippincott ordered re-
cess for half an hour, but 1t was an hour
before Counsellor Norman L. Rowe be-
gan his summing mp for the prisoners.
:, The lawyer made the speech Of his life.
For nearly two hours he twisted and
turned the evidence that had been given,
IN the light most favorable 10 his clients.
IL was an awful hard thing for him to do
for but little transpired that was favor
able TO Trotter & Co.
Af:er reviewing particularly the evi-
dence OF Trotter and Friburg, Mr.. Rowe
claimed that the cross examination Of
these defendants had failed TO change
the direct testimony and that not word
that had been uttered during the trial by
any witness had been evidence sufiici-
emily strong TO convict. In dealing
with the evidence OF The traitor. Friburg,
the lawyer had hard work to conceal his
disgust for friburg as an individual. AS
an indicted election officer the lawyer
naturally looked after the interest OF the
client
When Counsellor Rowe had finished his
review OF the evidence aud appealed to
the jury to acquit his clients, Prosecutor
Winfield followed for the State. 1t was
well known that the Prosecutor had con-
sidered the Trotter case the most difficult
one Of the series he had tried, and his ap-
peal TO the jury to convict was awaited
with interest by the persons in the court
room. After reviewing the history OF the
election OF 1889. the Senate investigation,
and the trial and conviction of fifteen
other ballot box suffers, the Prosecutor
said:-
Look up the evidence thar has be en-
produced here--dead men as voters; men
who lived in other districts, yes, In other
cities, all recorded as voters in this pre-
clnct run by Trotter & Co. There were
men, too, who, 1t is claimed, voted from
vacant lots, stables and factories, but
whose votes were recorded by Trotter 81
Co. as carefully as the recording angel
registers each entry
WHERE GHOSTS CAST VOTES.
Look at poor old Mr.. Crowleyl He
died several years ago, as we have shown
you. but election day was a resurrection
day for him, for he walked up to the
Popcorn precinct, his skeleton form
wrapped In Its winding sheet. From the
bony hand the ballot was taken, the name
of Crowley was written in the poll-book.
and then back to the otner world went
the uneasy spirit. To the charnel house
went the. skeleton bones, and the spirit
OF Crowley could well be content, for
Tom Trotter was looking after Crowley's
right Of franchise as well, or better than
he himself could do II"
The charge of Judge Llppincott covered
exactly the same legal points that he had
determined in the other ballot box cases,
end in an impartial and judicial manner
he treated the evidence
When the defendants heard the verdict
Of guilty" Judge Lippincott said he
would sentence them on July 0. it IS not
doubted by the persons who nave watched
the case that Trotter & Co. will get the
h