The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-09
NO ROOM FOR THUGS
IN THIS FAIR CITY
Vehement Denuuciatit q Of Highway Rob.
berries BY Mr.. Jones.
A STRONG PLEA FOR CONVICTION
District Attorney Tells Jury in the
Hicks Robbery Case That They Had
Duty to Perform Such as no Other
Jury Has Been Called Upon to Per.
form in the Present Session of
Criminal Court.

One of the strongest pleas for con-
victiOn that District Attorney Jones
has made to a jury during the present
session of criminal court was that
which he made yesterday for the con-
victiCn of John. alias Richard Hicks.
charged with assaulting and robbing
young man from Green Ridge named
Bert Cisco. lie painted the crime as
one of the most dastardly In the cal
endar and contended that 1t Is becom-
ing so frequent Of late that unless 1t Is
checked by summary and severe pun
ishment it will not he safe for a man
to walk the streets after niGhtfall. He
told the jurors they had one OF the
most important duties to perform that
any jury had been called upon TO per-
form during the present term and he
urged them, fairly begged them, to do
their duty fearlessly and fairly and
show by their verdict there was no
place in Scranton for thugs.
Cisco alleges that on the night Of
March 4. Hicks and another man
named Patrick Mullarkey induced him
to go with them on stunning tour.
They led him down near the Dickson
works and attempted tO'rob him there
but were prevented from carrying out
their designs by the approach of a
pedestrian. They afterwards caught
up to him in a field between Wyoming
avenue and Forest court and relieved
him of his money after giving him
a severe drubbing.
Hicks tried to make out that it was
Mullarke' who did the rObbing If any
was done He admitted that he had a
fight witt Cisco but denied that there
was any robbery committed as far
as he was concerned. The jury went
out at adjournment. Hon. T. V. Pow
derly was assigned to defend Hicks.
SHE WAS COERCED.
Maria f. Myers was charged by Con-
stable Daniel Healey, of Fell. with
keeping tipplng house but she was
acquitted on the technical grounds that
she was acting under the coercion Of
her husband and was therefore not
answerable. O'Brien 4 Kelly defend
ed her.
Michael Coyne, by advice of his at
torney. John J. Murphy. pleaded guilty
of assault and battery on Frank Rohan.
Coyne who is watchman at the lower
mill. struck ROhan over the head with
his club in mistake for tramp. Ro-
hans attorneys, Quinnan & DOnahOe,
argued that the Offense was serious
one as the assault had been committed
without any prOvOcatiOn, it being their
contention that the watchman had no
right to commit the assault even II the
victim We're tramp. Mr.. Murphy
stated that ROhan after being aroused
by the watchman, became belligerent
and that force had to be used on him.
Judge Archibald thought that the Of
fense was not of a serious nature and
allowed the defendant to go upon the
payment of so and costs.
Anthony MckOOlsky was returned
guilty of striking Frank MinOski, with
beer glass, during q saloon fight in
Providence. c. W. Dawson appeared
for the defendant.
On the advice Of his attorney, T. ].
Duggan, Thomas Gibbons pleaded gull
ty OF assault and battery on George
O'Neil, sr., and was sentenced to pay
fine of S. and costs.
Matthew Bredofski, of Carbondale
charged his bOarder Adam Sewestski
with usurping his marital prerogatives,
but as he could Cnly prove that the
bOarder bought beer for his wife, Dis
trict Attorney Jones declined to ask
for conviction.
QUARREL OVER CHILDREN.
George Marchell, of Carbondale, was
trleu Tot aSSaultlnS ana Datter1nS his
tenant, Mrs. Mary Hennery. but when
the evidence showed that it was just a
neighbOrly quarrel over children the
jury said not guilty and divided the
costs. The same disposition was made
of the case in which Thomas Hoban
was charged by l.. S. Bright with as
sault and battery. Attorney John Bon
ner appeared for the defense and At
tOrney A. A. VOsburg assisted in the
prosecution.
Silas Millar tried Monday for robbing
George Tucker was returned guilty yes
terday morning. Sentence was de-
ferrred.
Prosecution was withdrawn by Will
liam WestDfahl yesterday in the cases
In which Elizabeth Westpfahl, alias
Elizabeth Achter was charged with
bigamy and it's attendant Offenses and
the one in which he charged William
Mclaughlin with being concerned in
Mrs. Westpfahl's alleged evil dOings.
A caDias was issued for the defend
ant in the case of the commonwealth h
against Thomas Jordan. Joseph Shu-
malski, another corresponding de-
fendant had his bail declared forfeited
absolutely. Sullivan Mayer was SEN
fenced for costs arising out of the
last session of the grand jury. John
Mcdonald entered bail on q surety