The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-06-08
DOUBLE ACQUIqqAL.
jury Disregards Miss Hausehe's
Evidence Against Ward
Judge and Prosecutor
Angry.

The present panel of jurors which start
ed in business yesterday captured the ad-
miration of Judge Hudspeth or Assistant
Prosecutor Noonan The jury which tried
Robert Ward yesterday for entering the
apartments of Miss Rebecca Hausche,
of No. 16S Coles street, on April 20, with
intent to steal, acquitted him. Lawyer
Alexander Simpson, who appeared for
Ward, made an impression on the jury
by producing the defendants wife on the
having her testify that she had three
other childre nand they were all depen-
dent on Ward for support. If the testi-
mony of Miss Hausche was worthy of be-
lief, Judge Hudspeth said there could be
no doubt of Wards guilt. The young
woman caught him in her apartments. to
which he had gained access presumably
by means of tools which were found in
his possession. Ward said he was ar in
surance agent, the young woman said,
although he was really a carpenter; he
gave two false addresses and he made
several contradictory statements.
The verdict of the jury was a surprise
to the Court and the Prosecutor. and
they both took occasion to make some
indirect but forcible comments on it in
the next case which was tried, which
was the case of John Hogan for break
ing, entering and larceny. Ward was
tried again in the afternoon for the lar
ceny of a fountain pen which was found
in his possession when he was arrested on
Miss Hausche's complaint. William H.
Dohrman, of No. 315 Pavonia avenue,
| testified that the pen was hrs property
and tina it was part of the proceeds of
a sneak robbery at his house. He identi-
fed the pen by some peculiar marks.
Ward claimed that he had the pen for
two years and his wife testified hat her
husband a a pen just like it. The jury
acquitted him.
1t is understood that Ward will now
be tried for having burglars tools in his
possession.
John Hogan was tried in the General
| Session Court in the afternoon on W in
larceny. On May 80, 1896, a Pennsyl-
vania Railroad freight car was robbed of
a silver pitcher, four hand mirrors and
some other articles. After Hogan was
arrested his house was searched for the
been stolen from a New York, SusQue-
hanna and Western Railroad car, which
was broker open on October Is, 1896, were
III l4o L4oA2hs lAAOS9So
were present. from Middletown, Conn,
and testified that the pitcher and other
articles were shipped from the Middle
EFT & Co. of Philadelphia. Testimony
was produced to show that the car ar
rived in. this city and that it was broken
open and the goods stolen. 1t was
SHOWN that the defendant offered to sell
the pitcher to a man named Morris.
The defendant admitted that he had the
stolen property in his possession, but said
that 1T WAS Ojypn TO him nv Oscar Wal
lace, who has since been killed in a rail-
road accident. He also said that Wal
lace had given him a quantity of other
goods.
In summing up, Assistant Prosecutor
Noonan, with the Ward case in mind,
said that it seemed impossible to get a
conviction no mater how conclusive n
convincing the evidence against the de-
PENDANT All that the layer for the de-
fence had to do was read a poem to the
jury and his client was acquitted.
Judge Hudspeth, also having the. Ward
verdict in his minds eye, said it was
the duty of the Court to impress on the
jury their duty to the defendant. to the
State and to themselves. 1t was their
duty, he said, to weigh the evidence
carefully and give a verdict according
TO their oaths and their consciences.
There would be 10 protection to the
community against criminals If guilty
men are to be set free through a feel
ing of sickly sentimentality. Crimes are
not usually committed in the open day
dered in accordance with the evidence
n the circumstances. The jury rem
dered a verdict of guilty after deliber-
ating six hours.