The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-10-12
Spies MEMORY BAD.
Liquor Dealers Acquitted Of
Sunday Selling on the
Young Sleuths' Tes-
timony.

One day last week the dealers in policy
had a field day in court. Today the
saloon keepers who are under Indictment
for violating the Sunday law, had their
innings. There were eighteen of them.
The Rev. DR.. John L. Scudder, represent
ing the Law and Order League, and DIR.
Chambers occupied seats in the audience
and listened attentively to the trials.
Allan L. McDermott represented the de-
PENDANTS. The first defendant called to
h bar was Michael Farmer, who keeps
a saloon at No. 34 Second street. City
Clerk Michael ]. O'Donnell testified that
the defendant has a license for the sa-
loon. and Police Captain Kelly testified
that the defendant is the proprietor Of
the place.
The i%nforrner in the case was Hugo Rit-
ter, n he proved to be a very stupid
witness. He was employed by. the Law
and Order League TO obtain evidence
against saloon keepers. He testified that
on Sunday May "a, he went into Farm
er's saloon, bought a glass of beer, paid
for 1t and drank 1t. He went in through
the hallway. A couple of men were in
there drinking beer. The defendant was
not there. His brother, who was tending
bar, served the beer. 1t was about ten
o'clock in the morning when he went into
the saloon.
~Mr. McDermott suggested that what
was done during the defendants absence
could not be made ~chargeable to him.
Mr.. Winfield replied hat If he did not
produce sufficient evidence to convict the
defendant the jury could acquit him.
Mr.. McDermott put the witness through
proved TO be SO stupid that he could not
tell what kind of beer he drank. He
said 1t was beer which would make a
man Intoxicated.
at didn't intoxicate you, did it?n asked
Mr.. McDermott.
No" replied the witness; but I felt
Felt the effect of one giassa"
You were drunk before you went
there, weren't your
No, sir; I had only three glasses"
My pastor"
mo, your capacity?"
about twelve or fifteen glasses"
Who employed you to do this work."
The Rev. Mr.. Woertz.'
Who paid your"
1.-THE Law and Order League
They paid for going around making a
Mr.. Winfield tried for Ave minutes to
get the witness to tell what kind of beer
he drank, but his efforts were In vain,
and in a tone of disgust he told the wit
ness to step down from the stand.
Thomas Farmer, the proprietor's brother
and bartender, was called to the stand,
but could not remember where he was
or what he was doing on May "a. Mr..
McDermott argued that the defendant
could not be held because it had not been
shown that he had sold any beer, author
lied its sale, or was cognizant of 1t.
MI. Winfield made a strong argument
for p0nufaffon Tho iiiru oauttittoI tho
defendant.
John Glenn and Frank Bassford. the
firm of Bassford & Glenn, of Nos. 3 and 5
Exchange place, were next called to the
bar. This is one of the cases in which
the evidence was procured by private de-
t~ectives from New York. They made a
tour of various places and when whiskey
was served one of them emptied some of
it into a small vial, which was sealed,
marked and kept as evidence.
Joel s. Harris took the stand. He was
one of the detectives. but he could not
identify any of the places, he said, with
out referring to the memoranda he and
his partner, John e. Thompson, made.
The witness produced the memoranda,
but on being examined by Mr.. McDer-
mott it proved to be only a copy of the
original memoranda. and the witness was
not allowed to refer to ii. That spoiled
his value as a witness and Mr.. Winfield
told him to step down.
Detective Thompson took his place. His
memory was a little better. He testified
that he and Harris bought drinks on
that Sunday. He took beer and Harris
took whiskey. The drinks were served
by a bartender named Joe. The witness
did not see either of the defendants in
the place.
Detective Harris memory was refresh
ed by the testimony Of his partner and
he was able to remember that he and his
partner had drinks.
Joseph Jordan testified that he is bar
tender in Bassford & Glenn's. When ask
ed If he sold any drinks on that Sunday
he declined to answer. The case was
submitted to the jury on Judge Hud-
speth's charge.
Patrick McArdle was being tried when
the Court ordered a recess.