Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1899-06-15
IN COURT.
Criminal Cases Before Judge Trenchard
Monday Morning.

NAonuay shAorning.
Criminal Court, with Judge Trenchard
! on the bench, was held Monday. at
the Court House, several prisoners in the
Jail having petitioned for trials without a
jury. The prisoners were brought in
and pleaded as follows
Daniel Adams, small boy, breaking.
entering and stealing, guilty.
William Bell, grand larceny, guilty.
Judge Trenchard questioned Bell as TO
his former convictions, and he admitted
that he had been convicted in Trenton of
passing gilded cent for gold dollar,
and served time in Mercer county Jail.
Bell said when he stole the money he
was under the influence of liquor, and
was tempted to steal the money by sup
posed friend of his. According to Belps
story the money was taken from a dive,
where he was shaving good time"
Edward Devine, stealing, not guilty.
John Mooney, stealing, guilty.
John Murray, stealing, guilty.
Devine was placed on trial, with Surro-
gate Bray assigned by the court, as his
counsel.
The three men were charged with steal.
ing a ham from the Port Norris hotel,
1t was shown that Murray took the ham
from the hotel kitchen, passed it over the
fence to John Mooney, and Divine was
with the latter. Then all three men went
off together, taking the ham.
Devine said he knew nothing of the
stealing, and Mooney and Murray, who
did steal the ham, both said that Devine
had nothing to do with the theft, and did
not know it was stolen.
The session of Court Monday after
noon was a short one, but it was very i'm
pressive to number of young men and
small boy.
The trial in the morning and the plead
ing guilty of four persons left five per-
sons to dispose of by Judge Trenchard
when he appeared upon the bench in the
afternoon.
William Bell, the insurance agent
who pleaded guilty to stealing money in
vineland, was brought in from Jail. He
was we'll dressed, and talked nicely.
In answer to the Courts questions
Bell said he had been committed to Jail
on the 5th day of May last. Judge Trench
ard then said: "Your record is very
much against you. If you ever appear in
any Court again in this situation, you
will be sent to the penitentiary for a
term of years. You have pleaded guilty
to larceny. The sentence is tnat you be
committed to the County Jail for period
of six months from the date of commit
ment,
Dannie Adams. the little Millville boy,
who was before the court for stealing,
was sent to the Reform school. Judge
Trenchard said to him that the Court
understood that he was inclined to be a
bad boy, and beyond the control of his
mother. 1t was demed necessary that
the lad should be placed under restrain
ing influence.
The Court said that there was no diff
Guilty in concluding that Edward Divine
was guilty of completely with John MUIR
ray in stealing ham from the Port Nor
ris hotel. Divine said he came from
Paterson, Murray said he was from New
York and John Mooney said he was from
Philadelphia. Judge Trenchard asked
each one of them if they would 60 cut of
the county and stay away if he gave them
choice. Each answered that they would,
These men had been committed to the
county Jail on the third of May, and the
sentence was sixty days from the date of
commitment.