Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1900-01-18

disorderly house, but John s, Mitchell.
who was associated with Samuel Iredell
Tor the defendant, was out OF town, and
he was willing to allow the case to 90
over until morning. There we're no other
matters to occupy the attention of the
Court, and recess was taken for the
remainder of the afternoon
Wednesday Morning.
There was pretty big school on in
Court this morning. when Judge Trench
ard took his place on the bench. The
particular matter of interest that occas.
loned the outpOuring of spectators. was
the trial of the indictment against Joel F.
Pierce, the we'll known Justice of the
Peace. of the Second ward, upon charges
of the illegal sale ofliquor, and maintain
ing disorderly house.
Previous to this trial Judge Trenchard
announced that he would deny the
motion tor new trial for William
Polhamus, convicted of larceny. Judge
Trenchard said he was not prepared to
say that there had been any irreguIaritv
IN the jury sending out for a reading
glass, and he certainly did not feel that
the use of the glass by the jury had
preJudiced the interests of the defendant.
The Court took this occasion, however. to
caution the constables not to communi-
cate to the outside without promptly
bringing the matter to the attention of
the Court
There was some clever sparring be
tween counsel in selection of the jury.
The State came within one of exhausting
Its challenges, while the defense excused
seven of.the jurors called.
Belford Candy. Newport oysterman.
was the first and only positive witness.
In October. 1898, Candy said he was in
Pierce's place. He bought a soft drink
and asked the Justice if he had ANYTHING
stronger. A pint of whiskey was
promptly produced, but whether it was
handed 10 him by Pierce or a woman
named Shaw he did not remember. but
he remembers distinctly that Pierce took
the money. The price for the pint was
ftyf-five cents.
John Brown and John Moore said thew
had frequently Clipped in a pot and
bought beer out at the FARMS and took
1t to the house of Joel F. Pierce. where il
was drank. Pierce seldom Clipped in
the fund, but would furnish horse and
wagon to go after the beer, sometimes
the party would give the money to Pierce
and he would go after the beer.
Samuel Housand, in most vindictive
manner, said be had repeatedly given his
wife money for drink and had watched
her go directly to Pierce's place and
would see her come with the beer and
would never again see the money.
Housand further said he had seen his
wife go frequently to Pierce's place, she
would go ia sober and come back drunk.
Other people he claimed he had seen 90
in sober and return intoxicated
The defense was in a small compass
Pierce said he never sold LIQUOR or beer
to anybody. He denied positively that
he had sold any liquor to Belford Candy.
He remembered that Candy came to his
place once, but did not get anything in
I toxicating He admitted that three times
! he had gone after beer for Brown and
+, Moore, and it was drank upon the prem
ises. The Justice denied all the soft inn
I peachments made by Samuel thousand.
( and declared that Mrs. Housand had
never! drank anything in his place. and
had never seen her drunk.
! John Moore said that last Octobar a
I year ago he saw Belford Candy in Joel
/ Pierce's place, and denied that Candy
had bought whiskey in Pierce's place
! upon that occasion.
There were large number of other
witnesses called by the defense, all tend
: ing TO show that Mr.. Pierce had never
sold whiskey, beer, or general drinking
about the place. The case went to the
jury in this manner.