The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-06-09

Judge Clinton r. Savidge, of North
cumberland county, who Is presiding In
court room No. g. this week, unbos-
omed himself of some very pointed re-
marks yesterday morning, when a jury
for a third times in as many days re-
turned a verdict of not guilty In an IL
legal liquor selling case in which the
evidence of the commemorative side
would seemingly warrant a conviction.
Ii was following the finding of not
guilty in the case against Stanley Ben
nett, of Van Buren, avenue, that the
judge made his comments.
"You might as well shut down the
machinery Of your courts altogether"
he said, when you wouldn't convict on
such evidence as was presented in this
case. 1t seems you prefer to take the
word of this defendant against that of
the officers and in the face of GER
titled copy of an internal revenue IL
cense, issued to this man. Such a
license is taken out for no purpose
other than running a speakeasy."
The judge hesitated for a time and
then launched forth upon an extended
ment of the community who are wont
to get into court. IF you had as
much experience with them as / have
had" he went on to say, "you would
not place much credence in their testi-
mony. Ninety-nine out Of every hun
dred of them perjure themselves on the
witness stand. We have as good Po-
landers and Hungarians as any other
class of citizens, but they keep out Of
the courts. 1t is the kind who are
continually coming into our courts that
! have referred to-"
JURORS DISAPPEARED.
The Jurors to whom those remarks
were particularly addressed shifted
about rather uneasily, while the judge
was talking, and when he had finished
scattered as expeditiously as they
could gracefully, without seeming tc
be fleeing, and then for an hour or SC
tried to ease their minds by cricicising
the judge.
Possibly Judge Savidge's utterance
regarding the apparent futility of keep
ing the machinery of the courts going
was extreme but there are, It would
seem, fairly good grounds for an argu-
ment. For instance there were II cases
set down for trial during the past five
days and 60 of them tried. Out OF
these sixty, there were six convictions
and in almost every one of these six
| instances the conviction was due, main
ly to circumstances altogether foreign
to the merits of the case.
In one of the instances, another mar
came in and admitted the crime after
the defendant had been found guilty
so this reduces the number to five.
George Gardner, of Archibald, who
was acquitted of arson, Thursday, was
tried yesterday before Judge Kelly for
receiving stolen goods. County Detec'
| tive Leyshon was the prosecutor. Z.
1t was alleged that Gardner melted
boys to steal brass and then bought IL
from them. The particular offense with
which he was charged yesterday was
the receiving of $50 worth of brass
] seats and couplings stolen by a boy
named William Murray from Probst's
mill, on the mountain side at Archibald
The boy testified that Gardner sent him
| to steal the brass and gave him ter
cents in cash and credit of $3.50 on a
revolver which Gardner had previously
sold him. Michael Manley, another boy
testified to having seen the stolen brass
in Cardner's possession.
DENIED THE STORY.
Gardner denied the whole story, and
said it was a scheme concocted by
young Murray to gain clemency fol
himself. The jury was out at adjourn.
ing time.
The Murray boy was a co-defendan
of Gardner in the arson case of the
previous day. They were acquitted or
a technicality.
According to County Detective Ley
shon, Gardner has trained his own boy
and three others, Manley, Murray ant
Frank Siddons, to steal for him. Youns
Murray says Gardner wanted them t,
set fire to Probst's mill, after they
robbed it. that all trace of the thief
might be destroyed. They, however
were afraid to do this, the boy says.
Juries were out at adjourning tim'
on the cases in which embezzlement 4
charged against b. S. Ketchem, forme
secretary of the Brotherhood of Rail
way Trainmen, and p. H. Gilgalon
formerly agent for the Rogers com
pany, wholesale Whiskey dealers. Tht
defense in each case was to dispute tn,
| accounts.
Jennie Dougherty failed to appear t,
prosecute Kate Ginley and Rose Lar
kin, of Dunmore, for larceny and re
celving, and verdict of not guilty wa
directed TO enter at the cost of tn
county. Katherine Angelic, of Ole
Forge, escaped being tried for obstruct
ing the execution of a legal process
through the failure of Constable job,
Lance, of the Fifteenth ward, to an
pear against her. The costs were placed
on the derelict constable.
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