The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1899-06-27
Prisoners Sentenced.

Several prisoners who have been con
fined in the county Jail for some time
were sentenced on Saturday
The first men to receive attention at the
hands of Judge Gaskill were two duck
thieves. They gave the names of James
Phillips and Arthur Hughes. They were
charged with stealing ducks from man
named Bunting, near Moorestown. The
court Intercepted them closely with ref
erence to their past life and found that
they were of the tramp species. In pass
ing sentence Judge Gaskill said the
tramp is becoming too numerous and toe
dangerous to allow his offenses to go un-
noticed. He gave each of the men two
years in the state prison..
Anthony Stevenson was sent to state
prison for one year for breaking into the
cellar of Charles T. Woolston in Pember.
ton township.
John G. Hippenstiel, the defaulting col
lector of Beverly township, was called
upon to plead to the indictments charging
him with embezzlement, malfeasance, and
other acts. His plea. was non vult con
tendere. Prosecutor Budd accepted the
plea and HippenstiePs counsel addressed
the court in behalf of their client
Ex-Judge Wescott spoke first. He said
he had no hesitancy in asserting that with
careful defence hope might be held out
to the accused for escape from conviction.
There was an unqualified absence OF
criminal intent. There had been a lack OF
care and some measure of carelessness,
but not a particle of criminality. The
money taken had been restored, and SO
far as the acts of this man acting as a de-
terrent upon others that was already ac-
complished To send him to prison would
not be a warning to others any more than
it now is. Hippenstiel is already pun
ished. Broken down in health it is doubt
full if he would survive term in prison,
and Judge Westcott hoped the court could
see its way clear to impose fine.
George NJ Bacon added few words in
behalf of Hippenstiel, calling attention to
the fact that in this case there had not
been any alteration of the books as in an
other case. He referred to the law govern
| ing the term of imprisonment in cases OF
this character and contended the limit was
two years, but he, too, pleaded for fine
Prosecutor Budd said there was no nee
essity for him to refer to the facts in this
case as they were perfectly familiar tc
the court, but as allusion had been made
to another case he desired to speak or
that point 1t was true the books were
not changed by Hippenstiel but he made
false statements to the township commit
tee claiming he had paid certain sums in
to the treasury when he had not done SO
In the case referred to the accused had
promptly given himself up while Hippen
stiel had fled from the state, and had moi
returned until sent for.
Judge Wescott took exception to these
statements and said the Prosecutor was
in error, and the latter officer at once sug
gested that testimony be taken on these
points and have the court determine on tht
matter. Judge Westcott, however, dis
claimed any intention of rejecting upor
the Prosecutor, and the case proceeded.
Judge Gaskill, in pronouncing sentence
said there was no necessity to refer to the
crime nor to multiply words which would
be painful to himself and to the prisoner
He sentenced Hippenstiel to the state
prison for two years The prisoner was
very calm and took the sentence quietly
His wife and mother were in court anc
were much affected.