Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1900-01-04

"Well, 1 told them they might take
some in certain Places" replied Clay

poole.
swell, after there was a strike kicked
up about this, you opened the creek,
didn't your"
"Well I opened it.'
"And then you closed it again didn't
your" asked Sheppard
"Well, when Mr.. McDaniels told me it
was against the law, 1 closed it," said
Claypoole.
"Oh, you DIDN'T know the plainest pro-
visions of the law, eh? Had to wait until
the other commissioner told your" said
Mr. Sheppard
Mr.. Claypoole eft the stand without
answering. AS Mr.. Claypoole went
down, Mr.. Sheppard called after him,
"You opened it up just before election.
and closed it Immediately. 1 see," but
Mr.. Claypoolewas discreetly silent.
The testimony against Shull was given
by Nickerson and boy named William
Bidwell. 1t was about the same story
that Nickersontold against all the other
defendants.
Mr.. Sheppard shook things up some in
his cross examination of Nickerson. He
finally, after good deal of backing and
filling. said he did not have any promises
of immunity fiom prosecution for his
evidence.
Bidwell said he had talked over the
cases with Nickbrson before any arrests
were made. MI Sheppard and Mr. Ire
dell smiled sign fcantly.
Shull was hello for court.
Mr.. Iredell represented Sylvanus
Grace upon the same charge. The ev :
dence was the sane and Grace was held
under 5000 bail.
Justice Meyer, had his second days
investigation inp the matter of illegal
longing Thursday afternoon, and it was
fruitful sitting.
The court room was pretty we'll filed
up with the tofgers and their friends
during the AFTERNOON and every body took
keen interest in the proceedings.
Samuel Iredel had the defense of
nearly. all the men charged yesterday
afternoon, and hewas up against rubbers,
for positive testimony was offered by the
witnesses present,d by the prosecution
through the counsel of the Shell Com
missioners, JosepbH. Powell.
The defendants who appeared before
the Justice Thursday afternoon were
William Spencer, Samuel Hammers, Will
liam Sears. Charles johnson, Jesse Bar
rett, William Bidwtll, Chester Nicker
son, William Weldon Aoram Borden and
George Campbell.
Spencer was the lone star who was dis
charged owing to lack of svidence against
him; Bidwell aud Niclerson pleaded
guilty, while Borden and Campbell
waived hearing.
| The Shell CommissionG, David Clay
poole was present again lie was just as
i'll at ease as ever. The fsct is, it is con
tended that Mr.. Claypool, is in good
deal of trouble. He has always posed as
a great friend of the toneers and is an
officer of the organization AS friend
of the tongers he has tried t, hold up the
complaints made against item, but as a
she'll commissioner he must lend them 10
Jail. That's Claypooles troubles. When
he planted he shells in Badk Creek, on
the Drum beds he closed the Sreek. That
was against the tongers fo. the time.
When he closed the creek he was obliged
to watch the shells, and he employed Off
GERS to do the watching. Thaofficers did
4 their duty, and that made nore trouble
for Claypoole for they found evidence.
On the ninth day of last November the
officers employed by Mr.. Claypoole made
complaints against bunch of these peo-
Pile, but the warrants were not served
until week ago. Then Oaypoole could
nsf~t hold things any longer, and the two
buckets of water that the Mikada of
j Lawrence township had been attempting
to balance upon his spare shoders, came
tumbling down.
The testimony Thursday afternoon
against the various defendants was about
the same sort given by the same people.
The strongest was the testimony of R.
G Nickerson and William Bidwells
Toese two were in the same business and
both pleaded guilty.
From the batch of testimony there has
been CLEANED story which IS something
like this.
There was rich picking for the tongers
on the Drum Beds, and they made a raid
upon the good things there. 1t appears
as if the raiders had carefully planned the
whole scheme. They went at night,
and went in string, each boat towing
another boat by cable. The leader was
a small boy named Bidwell. This looks
| like pretty slick work upon the part OF
somebody. If anybody was swooped
down upon it would have likely been the
boy.
The defendants were all charged with
two crimes. One longing illegally, and
again with the violation of the rough Gull
law. The positive evidence was that
these men, excepting Spencer, did tong
and further that nobody .culled their
catch because it was too dark.
During the hearing of Barrett there was
something of a sensation. Nickerson,
the star witness for the prosecution, said
that he had been approached by Barrett,
/ y ~<cco u \