The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-01-06
Justice Potts Decides the
Lawyer Was Disor-.
der1y at the Gen.
tral Station.
DELIVERS LONG OPINION
Commuters Have No Right to
Interfere No Matter What
0utrages the Rail-
road Commits.

Counsellor John B. Bissell of Elizabeth,
who was arrested one week ago yester-
day at the Central Railroad trainshed for
attempting to force Joseph Shepperd, a
private messenger of Elizabeth, through
the gates after he had been intercepted
by special officers of the railroad, was
given a final hearing in Justice Potts
court this morning. He was found guilty
of disorderly conduct, but sentence was
suspended. When the case was called the
court room was crowded with commuters
and others interested in the controversy
between the express messengers and the
railroad. Mr.. Bissell reviewed the oc-
currence which resulted in his arrest
ard introduced half dozen witnesses
who testified that it was the excited
crowd that caused the disturbance and
not Mr.. Bissell.
In giving his decision Justice Potts
cited the fact that the police of this city
were sent to the trainshed to preserve
order and to see that travel was not OBJ
structed.
''The police were not In any way inter-
ested in the outcome of the trouble said
Mr.. Potts. s'When Joseph Shepperd, the
boy messenger, left the ferryboat, walked
trainshed, he was followed by an excited
crowd. The boy was intercepted by an
officer of the railroad and told that he
had no right to board train with the
packages he was carrying. The crowd
jeered and the defendant, who had hold
of the boys arm. demonstrated with the
police
The Court reviewed the stormy scene
y -11~ ~-<f
showed that Mr.. Bissell was the disturber
by reason of having contended that the
boy had a right to go on the train.
".All this time the crowd was growing
larger and becoming more excited. The
police under Captain Cox endeavored to
restore order but to no avail. When the
passageways became blocked Captain
move On. He did not do as requested,
So notwithstanding that he was told over
to preserve order. The crowd
Ing foremost fi most in in It Mr.. Bissen became a
disorderly person and made himself ha-
BILE to arrest and punishment for that of
and it is the. duty of the police to. pre-
serve. order there. and that was not ac-
been arrested. The question in tilis case
is g. simple one, and the rights of the
parties in the controversy existing be-
tween the railroad express company and
commuters do not enter into the matter
when Mr.. Bissen had protested thar
the messenger Shepperd had a right On
the~train he should have retired and not
created disturbance. as the rights of
the boy could have been fully protected
in 8. civil suit in q. higher court. There
is no disposition on the part of the Court
to impose severe penalty on the defsnd-
ant, who is a reputable lawyer of Eliza
BETH
AT this point Justice Potts read the dis-
orderly person act, found Mr.. Bissan
guilty and suspended sentence.
The commutets were disguised and left
the court room grumbling
After hearing the decision Chief OF
Police Murphy announced that. he would
send no more policemen to the train
shed. He believes that the war is at an
END, and that the commuters will abide
by Justice Potts decision IF there is
another outbreak men will be sent to
the trainshed every afternoon until ore
der Is again restored and travel over the
road not interfered with.