Bridgeton pioneer., 1894-02-01
The JANUARY TERM.
1T rs CONTINUED ON TUESDAY
MORNING..

All the Officers of the Court and
the Jurors Take Their Places,
and the Wheels of Justice
move.
TUESDAY MORNING.
The January term of Court was con-
tinued> this morning, as announced,
when the last adjournment occurred.
The Court room was crowded. ALI
the Judges were upon the bench. the
officers In their places, and the jury
men In their seats
The spectators crowded every part
of the room. There was much interest
felt because it was expected that the
cases against the indicted License
Commissioners were to be moved.
Judge Reed took his seat with the
other judges. He appeared somewhat
changed In appearance wearing a full
beard.
1 The Prosecutor announced that he
was ready to move the case of the
State against Jacob Richman and Nor
ton Westcott, the indicted Commis-
sioners.
Mr.. Mitchell addressed the court and
presenting motion to quash the In
dictment against Richmsn and Wes'-
cott. Everybody listened to what he
had to say. He argued that the In
dictment be quashed upon the ground
that the men indicted were not nor had
not been officers If the law, owing to
the decision of the Supreme Court
which declared the Excise Commis.
sioners act was unconstitutional.
Again he argued thet the Indictment
charged the men with extortion under
color of their Office, and the fact that
they were not officers did not render
them liable under the act. Opinion
after opinion was read, and the sub
ject was most exhaustively entered in
to by the learned lawyer.
The earnestness of the Counsel indi-
Gated that the gentlemanly prisoners
were not anxiously seeking vindica-
ton of the charges that have been
made against them, but would rather
slip ont of the case through very
small loop hole.
Prosecutor Logue declared that the
argument used by the Counsel for the
defense were matters for defense of
the charge, and not for the sustainip e
of motion to quash an Indictment.
If at the proper ime the defendants
wanted to put themselves upon a de
fense that they we're not officers, then
he had abundant authorities to urge
that they could not hide from their
wrongful acts, because they are not
officers as they claimed.
The point was knotty one and
Judge Reed called his associates to
the retiring room for consultation.
Immediately the Court retired there
was big buzz In the court room. All
the lawyers we're talking about the
matter and there was much sup
pressed excitement.
In q few moments the Judges re-
turned and Justice Reed said that this
court would not quash this Indictment
but 1t should be said that at the time
the indictments were found they were
good indictments, but subsequently,
the act had been declared unconstitu-
ttonal. The court In reading the acts
OF the commissioners in Camden, had
held that the Commissioners were net
offices defdcto or dejuwe, and hence
there was an important question to be
decided. 1t was a new question, said
Judge Reed, II don't believe the
question has ever been raised In
this country. 1t could not have been
raised In England, for they do not
have any unconstitutional acts there
1t Is an important question, and
should be decided, and passed upon by
the whole Supreme Court. The Judge
thereupon said that II the Counsel for
the defense desired to certiorari the in
u'c' ment TO the Supreme Court, re-
turnable In fifteen days. the writ
would be granted.
"lll take that COURSE" quickly re.
piled Mr.. Mitchell. Bonds were pre-
pared for each of the Commissioners
In the sum of $4,000 each, and the cases
are for the present out of this Court.
A shade of disappointment was
noticed upon the faces of all In the
court room excepting perhaps the ex-
commissioners them selves, who seem.
ed happy iD their temporary escape.
Court continued its session with the
trial OF Isaac Pierce, charged with lar
ceny.
TUESDAY AFTERNOON.