The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-08-12
TOO MUCH MERCY.
Judge Kenny Opposed Send
ing Any of the Ballot
Box Suffers to
Prison.
WAITING FOR HOFFMAN
What Judge Lippincott Says of
the Situation-Peshalps
New Rule.

The remaining twenty-one ballot box
suffers, who have either been convicted
or pleaded guilty, and who were to be
sentenced yesterday, are roaming the
streets OF the city today, swapping their
fingers at Judge Lippincott aud lauding
Judge Kenny to the skies. They have
been respited until September 2 at least,
and many of them are Dragging that the
respite will be longer than that-that. it
would be indefinite.
Yesterday was memorable day at the
Court House. The seventeen suffers
when they enterd the Court room and
faced Judge Lippincott did so with fear
aud trembling 1t had been whispered TO
them that Judge Kenny was dis
posed to exercise great
deal of mercy but despite the
assurance they were uneasy. They re.
membered the fate of tive nty of their
colleagues who had been imprisoned at
the Court House like rats in trap and
railroaded to the Trenton Prison, aud
they were prepared for the worst
James Seaman, the stuffer who attack
ed Prosecutor Winfield, appeared to be
under the influence of liquor and his con-
duct did more harm to the cause of the
suffers than anything that could have
happened. The plea of Scott was in
marked contrast to the action of Scanlan
and there were many who were affected
by the piteous plea he made for mercy.
PRIESTS INTERCEDE.
Among The big crowd in the Court
room We're TWO Catholic priests. Father De
COncillo, the pastor of st. Michael'S Church
of Ninth street, aud Father Ter Weart.
1t was evident that the suffers and their
friends were straining every nerve to
make an impression on Judge Lippip-
cott When the Judges reJired to their
chambers the Two priests followed them
and pleaded for some OF the prisoners
whose names could not be learned
Exactly what occurred in the Judges
private cham ber las not as yet been pub
lished, There were many rumors as
TO the sentences each Of the Judges were
in favor of, but they were ouly rumors.
JUDGE LIPPINCOTT SPEAKS.
This morning a JERSEY CITY NEWS re-
porter Interviewed Judge Lipbincott.
This is what the Judge had to say:-
ut can be understood that there is not
nor should there be any secrecy whatever
as to the differences of the uuges in rela-
tion to the judgment against the convict
ed election officers awaiting sentence.
Inc Qluerence was not between
clemency aud severity. The difference
was whether there should be any jmpris-
onment in any case or not. Judge Kenny
was absolutely opposed to and voted
against any imprisonment of any one of
them for any term long or short if he
could pay fine"
Judge LpDincott was in favor of i'm
prisonment in some cases aud in very
very few cases in favor of a fine. This
was the difference ana of course Judge
Kenny's position in the matter enoed all
discussion as to whether Imprisonment
should be the penalty or not for any OF
them.
THE CASTING VOTE.
All eyes are now turned to Judge Hoff-
man VINO is at present in Europe. 1t re-
mains to be seen whether he will sustain
Judge Lippincott The avoweu intention
of Judge hoffman in going to Europe was
TO consult physicians at Carlsbad, Ger
many, with reference to his eyesight.
Some people, however, were unkind
enough to remark that another and more
potent reason for the trip was to escape
the responsibility in the cases of the
ballot box suffers.
Before going away Judge Hoffmyn is
reported as having said that he WIS In
favor OF dealing leniently with any of the
suffers who pleaded guilty, but in the
cases of those who stood trial and were
convicted he favored melting out the ex-
treme penalty of the law.
Judge Hoffman will arrive home on
August 90. Court will convene on SEN
temDer 2, and on that day the suffers
will be in court again.