The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-02-19

the lawyers table or the comforts of the
hardwood floor. They could repose in the
prisoners pen or slumber in the foul little
box at the end of the room where the
petit jurors smoke and play cards to
keep out of court as long as possible. In
fact, the jurors must have been hard to
please if they weren't satisfied with their
beds.
Having attended first to their creature
comforts, the next thing to do was the
serious business on hand Two secre-
taries were appointed, who prepared bal
lots. 1t was agreed that every other hour
should be devoted to talking about the
case, and in the alternate house any old
subject was discussed, and the principal
topic was the Maine disaster. Not being
allowed newspapers the curiosity of the
jurors was aroused to the highest pitch,
and the first thing a juror said to
News representative this morning, af-
ter the discharge by the Court. was HAS
Mckinley declared war;"
The case in court was not threshed out
more thoroughly by argument than it was
in the juryroom, and it was one o'clock
in the morning before the "hour" dis
cussion ended. Regular pauses were
made for breakfast, dinner and supper,
and the juiciest chops and steaks, crispi-
est rolls, freshest butter and richest
coffee, from Laws hash factory, found
their way into that jury room. Nearly
all smoked cigars, and taking it altogether
their lot was by no means an unhappy
one.
This failure to reach a verdict is uni
versally regretted and News" readers
may read what people interested in the
trial have to say about it,
Ex-Judge Thomas Noonan said:-"The
failure of a verdict of not guilty is a
failure of justice. They have been talk
ing so much about perversion of justice
that you might call this failure of a YER
dict perversion or diversion of justice.
The defendants are ready and anxious for
another trial at the earliest day possible
as they have been ever since the charges
were first made, and are confident of that
ultimate vindication to which they know
they are entitled Why this jury could
not agree upon a verdict I cannot under
stand My information is, and it is very
reliable, that the jury stood ten for ac-
quittal to two for conviction, and that
from the first ballot more than major
ity of the jury were for acquittal. This
is, to all intents and purposes, verdict
of not guilty.
Former Assistant Prosecutor Joseph NJ
Noonan has been confined to his bed since
yesterday morning. He is suffering from
a bad cold which has settled on his
chest He was seen this morning by a
reporter for 1.-THE News, 'I am in
tensely disappointed" he said, "at the
result of the deliberations of the jury
I confidently expected an acquittal, and
did not believe that the jury would be out
over an hour. 1t is easy to understand
how there may have been doubt in
the minds of the jurors, but how, in the
face of the evidence any one of them
could be convinced beyond a reasonable
doubt is more than 1 can understand. I
have not yet decided on what course l
shall pursue in regard to the Evening
Journal The State cannot move a new
trial too soon to suit me. I am ready
and anxious for it, and feel confident of
being acquitted"
Alexander Simpson was seen by re-
porter for "The News after the verdict
had been rendered. He was In Sheriff
Heller's private office at the time. When
asked what he had to say regarding the
verdict he said THE verdict is a great
disappointment to me. / confidently ex-
pected a verdict of acquittal. AS nearly
as 1 can learn there was only one man
on the jury VINO SlOOQ OUT IOr cOHVlcIlOn,
and if had followed my first convictions
he would not have been on the jury at
all. I am dissatisfied with the verdict
What 1 want now is a new trial as speed
lily as possible. The sooner 1T comes the
better it will suit me. I am ready for
trial at any time. as 1 have been since
the charges were first made against me.
l don't know what else I can say except
that shall consult at once with my coun-
sci regarding the institution of a heavy
suit for damages against the Evening
Journal.
This story is told about the Court House
by close friend of Noonan and Simpson
this morning:-Lawyer Alexander Young
of Hoboken was in the office of a New
York lawyer of prominence yesterday
when in walked Beck and Buttner in
search of counsel, for the latter in his
trial for receiving stolen goods. When
Beck caught sight of Lawyer Young,
whom he recognized, he and Buttner
skunk out of the Office.