New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-23
JUSTICE METED OUT.
NEWTON PLEADS GUILTY TO CONSPIR-
ACY AND IS SENTENCED.
THE JURY DECLARES CONSTABLE JAMESON
GUILTY OF PERJURY-OTHER INDlCT-
MENrs AGAINST THE GRAvEsEND
I-STICE DISMISSED.
JUSTICE DISMISSED.

day i'm the proceedings growing out OF the
Cravesend election frauds Richard V. B. New
ton Justice Of the peace, pleaded guilty to one
of the indictments found against him and was
sentenced to a term Of nine months In the penl-
Tertiary and to pay a fine of 5000. Andrew =.
Jameson constable, was found guilty OF perjury
in the Court Of oyer and Termner and re-
manded for sentence.
The action of Newton in pleading guilty was
no surprise to those who have carefully watched
his conduct. and especially since he appeared as
a witness for the prosecution against Jameson
on Tuesday He has been in frequent consulta-
ton with the lawyers for the State since Nc
Kane was convicted. The successive convictions
of McKane Sutherland and Jameson showed
him that he could not hope to avoid the penalty
of his nis,ieeds and he decided to throw him
sef unon the mercy OF the Court Three in
dictments were found against Newton-two Tor
conspiracy and one for omission OF duty as
member OF the Town Board Of Gravescnd. When
the names OF the members Of the Town Board
were called yesterday for pleading to the indict-
ment Newton not in court. but the prEc-
cution said he would be there in a short time
NEWTON APPEARS IN COURT
When he appeared Deputy Attorney-General
Shepard moved that he plead to the indictment
for conspiracy found by the January Grand
Jury. Newton rose. and when asked by the
clerk Of the court how he pleaded answered:
Guilty"
Mr. Shepard said "In moving for the judg-
ment of the Court upon the plea, allow me 10
state some facts that should be known Newton
came to the prosecution In behalf OF the ele"-
teen election inspectors indicted FOR feIohy an"
conspiracy and did his utmost to induce us 10
make It as light for them as we possibly "u'
alleging that their offence was merely tecH"l' ;"
of course the prosecution could not listen -
this for n moment. Their offence was OF u
cravest character. and strikes at the foundation
Of public safety He puts no part oi the reSpo"-
sibilitv for HIS actions upon Mckane or any o'
the others. but takes the sole responsibility h'n-
self in a manly way Ills testimony mere mas
been the same "a he gave before the "r"hu
Jury.
In view of his resignation OF the once %
rus,ico 81 the Peace. and his withdrawal OF his
appeal In the proceedings for contempt oe'o''
rudre Barnard. we are willing to consent to the
dismissal OF the other indictments against MN
and that no further indictments shall be found
against him All thcsc matters may be con-
sidercd by tho Court In lenehSy III HN''s '''0
term 81 punishment"
Allrct T. jerks. former Corporation Counsel
r,,lo = nlc1 for lenicnt sentence. setting forth
,bo, Newton was a member OF the bar and that
bc had come forward in "A manly manner ana
mad admitted his wrorg-dong. Ills record was
good save for his ENHANCEMENT with the co''up
ilOn In GraVcscnd ,. d,
IuIgc Brown said that the extreme penalty ot
the crime for which Newton was indicted was was
Imprisonment for one year and me oi % %H'vV.
He was willing II consider. ne added 'ha' uilc
ard money had been saved 10 the county py
| avoiding trial. and he would Impose term oi
nine months Imprisonment and me ~ s'Vo.
and In default of payment of the me- "o' Gays
imprisonment.
To 60 To TIE PENiTENTiAlN
The term will be In the penIten,iary. Newton
| will also have to spend a term Of thirty days IN
the county Jail and pay n fine OF $50 In the con-
tempt OF court proceedings but Judge Brown
consented that the thirty days might be counted
as one month of the nine for which he sentenced
| tho prisoner NewtOn's counsel sought to nave
the whole term spent at the jail but JudEc
Brown refused this. conseniing 10 an argument
! on the question on Monday.
Newton was taken to the Raymond Street
| Jail where he will remain tomorrow by order of
the Cour, u settle up his business.
! Richard Van irunt Newton Is thirty-three
! years old. a lawyer by profession. and has been
! a member ~ Assembly for the district including
! Gravcscnd. and Justice Of the Peace In the
| town. lie is president of the Coney Island
| Athletic club and has been cIvc in arranging
its boxing matches. lie Is also much Interested
In horse racing.
The Jury before WhlCh Constable JalllhSpn WIS
| tried for perjury remained out eighteen hours
| before finally agreeing upon his guilt one jury
| man, William x. Thompson. would not agree
| with his associates until he was convinced by the
| reading Of part of the evidence that Jameson
| had pcrjurc1 himself wilfuy. The verdict was
| accompanied by a recommendation 10 the extreme
mercy Of the court on account Of the ignoranc,
| ana iiiitcrary Of the prisoner. The passing OF
sentence was deferred until Monday. The cN
| trcme penalty of his offence Is ten years in state
| Prison.
THEY ASKED THREE TIMES FOR INSTRUCTIONS
The members of the jury had considerable diff
ncuty in arriving at an agreement. Three times
| they came into court for instructions in reSaro
| 10 the way the evidence was 10 be regarded
When the court opened yesterday morning, the
urymen filed IN and Foreman Cleveland asked 4
they could throw aside the direct evidence anc
come To- a verdict upon the circumstances whicf
led up to the crime. Judge Brown replied tha
| the prosecution was bodnd To prove the case
| The vital question whether Jameson hd1
sworn to the complains. as Newton testified. oi
not as he testified himself. The interest OF eacl
| i'm the ease was to be regarded. The deienc" mac
| also set up the claim tnat Newton mad turned
| States evidence although there was nothing Il
| warrant the assertion II such were the case. y
| would weaken his evidence. The aihdavts OF the
defendant were to receive due weight. for they
either benefited or destroyed the evidence OF the
| defendant ,
ON. OF the Jurors asked whether. when the
| prisoner heard his false affidavit read In the
| proceedings before judge Barnard, ne shoud no.
| have corrected 1t and the Court SAID ne had d
right to do so, bu; not legally bound so 10 90
| Jamiesons counsel asked the Judge to charge
| In regard to Jamiesons Ignorance ON TINS SUD
| ject. and Judge Brown did so. The foreman
| asked If written evidence was TO nave the SAINT
weight AZ oral testimony. and was told that ina
was within the discretion Of the jury.
| Later the jury reappeared and called for th'
| reading OF the evidence given by the stenog
rapher who drew up JamicsOns second aiiidavit
In a half hour after hearing this' agreement was
reached, and the verdict given
John A. Cook. who Is on the bonds OF Wasn
ington r. Tuttle and William H. stewart; WIN
lanes A. Gillen for the former, ana Confa,
Stuhenbord sr for the latter went to the Sherif
Yesterday and desired t. be relieved from re
cDonsibility New bondsmen are being sought DS
the indicted men. ,,, .
II ia expected that Tax Collector Morris ano
some of the other indicted Gravesend oHlcal'
will probably follow Newlon's example ana piea6
guilty.
FOR BISHOP or ST CLOtD