The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-05

grand jury which next week will pass
upon the allegations which have BEEN
are being and will be made during the
next several days by the representa-
tives of the Mems union of Green
Ridge, who have undertaken to vim
dicate the liquor laws and those against
gambling and prostitution
Edward Williams, miner, Scranton
Alfred Harvey, manufacturer, Scranton.
James G. Brady, watchman, Scranton.
Patrick Martin, farmer, Covington.
c. H. Acc, laborer, Lchigh.
Samuel Jurkovits, hotel, Scranton.
Owen Melvin, laborer, Scranton.
Morgan Jones, clerk, Scranton
Lewis Meyer, carpenter, Scranton
Thomas J. Handley, law student, Scranton.
Leopold Lutz, car builder, Scranton.
b. ID. Hughes, miner, Scranton.
Richard s. Roberts, miner, Scranton
Michael lIenngan, milkmsn, Scranton.
John Paddcn, miner, Scranton.
Frank Wagner, contractor, Dnmorc.
Fred Wcichc lahorer, Scranton.
W. A. Colyin, farmer, Benton.
\. q. Gilmore, gentleman, Scranton.
Theodore Fuller, agent, Scranton.
John j. McGowan, painter. Jcrmyn.
B. T. Jayne, manager, Scranton.
Howard Wolf, surveyor South Abingdon.
1t is quite likely that not less than
seVenty-five cases instigated by the
Mems union will be presented for the
consideration of the jury. Forty-three
warrants have already been sworn out
and information in many others are
being prepared. Judging from the evil
dence adduced at the three prelimi-
nary hearings before Alderman Full
Ter, the agents of the union are fully
prepared to substantiate their charges.
DOES AWAY WITH LEXOw.
This unexpected extra work does
away with the continuation of the city
hall LeXow, which was counted upon as
almost a surety. City hall, however,
will figure extensively in the liquor
cases in an indirect way. The cru
saders declare, without reserve, that
their purpose in beginning the crusade
was not only to vindicate the law, but
to show the negligence of the author
tiles by proving that the law can be
Vindicated. If the jury fails to take
cognizance of this in its comments on
the weeks deliberations, the crusaders
will be very much disappointed.
One of the leading men of the cru
sade said to a Tribune man, in COM
menting on the carrying out of the
work in which they are taking the in
itiative:
DO not for a moment think we pro-
pose to stir up lot of bother and then
let 1t go at that. We are not blind to
the fact that we have cut out some
very distasteful work for some offic-
ials and that they will accept 1t with
very bad grace, to say the least The
officials will do their work faithfully
and unfalteringly, or we will know the
reason why"
District Attorney Jones said on the
same subject: at is an awkward time.
to be sure, to undertake this sort Of
work, but that cannot interfere in any
way with this department doing it's
duty. This office has been criticized
because we did not undertake the
work. My answer to these criticisms
is that the duty Of enforcing the liquor
laws lies in the first instance with the
constabulary. If the constables do
nothing the district attorney is power
less, and when the matter is analyzed
the people whose negligence is respon-
sible for the election Of incapable con-
stables are to blame for the failure to
enforce the law"
SMALL NUMBER OF TRANSCRIPTS
From the small number of transcripts
so far returned it is judged that the or
dinary criminal business will not in
terfere to any great extent with the
consideration of the crusade cases
Only two homicide cases are to be
dealt with and neither is OF a. serious
grade They are the Nolan case from
Carbondale and the Sopczok case from
this city.
The Nolan killing occurred April IL
last. James Nolan and his father en-
gagged in an alteration and the son
struck the father on the head with the
butt end of rife, with which it is
claimed the father had attempted to
shoot the son. In the other case, the
killing, if it was such, was the result
of scuftte between the deceased Jo-
seph Sopczok and his fellow laborer,
John Kusba, at the blast furnace on
April IS.
They had an apparently friendly
struggle over the possession of a crap
pling hook during which Kusba showed
SopczOk about and finally pushed him
down. When he was picked up he was
dying and in a few minutes passed
away. The fall was not violent enough
TO cause death, it is contended and the
supposition is that he died from heart
disease.