The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-24
V|0LAT0RS OF The Law
Many Of Them Arraianed Before
Judges in Criminal Court.
CHARGES MADE AGAINST BAKER
Jury Convicted Him OF Assault and Bat
tcry-TimOthy DOherty Was Ills Own
Lawyer-He Was Convicted and
So Was Thomas OHOra.

Evidence unfit for publication was
heard in the first case tried in the main
court room yesterday morning. N. j.
Baker, of Mayfeld, was put on trial
for an unnatural crime alleged to have
been committed on his own child, a
little girl of tender years. The jury
found Baker guilty Of assault and bat
terry, which was the third count In the
indictment.
John Gordon was charged with pur-
loining bed quilt and a mirror from
Mary l.. Kenyon. Of Carbondale. The
value of the stolen goods was fixed at
S2O. The case occupied more time than
1t ought to and was given to the jury
at $3.50. A verdict was reached after
court adjourned and will be handed in
this morning.
The case of the commonwealth
against Thomas Thomas and John
Kirby was put on trial in the main
court room and did not proceed be-
yond the opening stage. A son of the
land of Thaddeus Kosciusko named
Albert Lepic, is the prosecutor, and the
defendants are on trial under the
charges of selling liquor without q IL
cense; selling liquor on Sunday; and
selling liquor to minors. There is also
a charge of assault and battery against
Kirby. The defendants and the prose-
cutor abide at Dunmore. Attorney II.
l.. Taylor is assisting District Attorney
Jones on behalf of the commonwealth
and the defendants are represented by
Attorney Joseph O'Brien. All of the
cases will be tried together.
Family Affair.
In No. 2 court room, where Judge Ed
wards was on the bench, the first case
called was against Patrick and Annie
Mckeon. The prosecutor was Patrick
Shay aud the charges against the de-
PENDANTS were assault and battery and
malicious mischief. Assistant District
Attorney John NJ. Harris prosecuted
the case and Attorney Joseph O'Brien
appeared for the defendant.
The trouble arose in the Fifteenth
ward, where all the people concerned
in the suit reside. The prosecutor al
legged that McKeon and his wife threw
stones at his door and accentuated the
mischief by throwing similar missiles
at himself and wife. The oath of the
prosecutor was that the stones thrown
by Mr.. and Mrs. McKeon broke in the
windows and doors. You're a liarw
shouted some one from among the de-
fendants witnesses, and Tlpstaff Rit-
ter with his usual alacrity promptly
elected the disturber. The jury found
the defendants not guilty and directed
the costs to be paid one-third by the
defendants and the two-thirds by the
prosecutor.
Timothy knew the Law.
A defendant who imagined that he
was smart enough to plead his own
case and able to fool the attorneys on
the other side was Timothy Doherty,
of Priceville, charged with assaulting
John Jagursky. Attorney George s.
Horn assisted Mr.. Harris in the prose-
cution and Doherty pleaded his own
case. There is a saying among he
lawyers that "A man who pleads his
own case has a fool for a client" The
jury found the defendant guilty and
recommended him to the extreme
mercy of the court.
Miss Nellie Mahady, of Archibald,
a young man named Thomas O'Horo,
the author of her shame. The jury re-
turned the young man guilty in man
ner and form as he was charged in the
indictment.
George Tanning, of the North End,
was the next defendant before Judge
Edwards. A care-worn individual
named George Franz was the prosecu-
tor. Attorneys John F. Scragg and
James Mahon appeared for Tanning
and Attorney C. IL. Soper for the COM
monwealth.
Larceny by Bailcc the Charge.
The defendant was charged with
larceny by bailee, but he will in all
probability escape a conviction. Last
Yuletide Franz called at the Tanning
domicile and his intention was to have
good time. The pail was rushed with
a vengeance; but Franz was not salts
fed. They Were not coming swift
enough for him, and SO Franz gave
Tanning, 1t Is alleged, $50 bill and
told him to buy keg of beer. Fan
ming, the beer. or the change did not
put in an appearance, and after wait
ing two hours Franz went out to
search for the bailee. Franz had no
witnesses but he swore that he found
Tanning in saloon having a glorious
time on the $50.
The defendant and his wife and two
children swore that Franz was drunk
and that he gave the greenback to
Mrs. Fanning's brother and not her
husband. The jury retired at Ais to
deliberate. Tanning is the man whose
family was in such destitute circum-
stonces Ia OF fo1l when all hnt hi,ocaIf