The sun., 1900-06-05
MARKET CLERK
MUST PAY
BIG DAMAGES
Farmer Hall Receives a Verdict
of $500 for False
Imprisonment.
DEFENDANT NOT IN COURT
j. w. f. Hall Was Arrested While
Occupying a Market Space for
Which He Had Permit,
Taken to the Police
Station and Placed
i'm a Cell.

Great surprise was created throughout
the city last night when it became kno xn
that a jury in the Superior Court had
Yesterday afternoon found a verdict for
$500 damages against Clerk of the Mar
ket Michael Connell for false imprison-
ment and malicious charges.
The verdict was given in one OF two
suits brought by John w. Hall, farmer
OF Newark who stands in the King stree
market.
Connell had rented the same stand TO
two farmers and then arrested Hall for
not vacating the stand. The case came
up at the February term bnt Connell
Jailed to appear and judgment was given
against him for non-anpearance.
He was not present in court Yesterday
II was reported that he had expected that
the city would be compelled to stand for
any damages.
Yesterday jury of irqusition was
drawn to fix the amount of damages in
the case. The suit was for So 600 dam
ages. The first witness was William b.
Hall, father of the plaintiff, who testified
that he purchased from Clerk Connell a
permit for space in the King street
market, which was good for one year
May |, 1899, to May /, 1900-paying
81 80 for it.
The plaintiff, John w. Hall, testified
that he occupied the market space pur-
chased by his father. 1t is space 706.
Clerk Connel ordered him to get out OIL
the space and annoyed him for several
market days. Finally he asked him il
be intended to stav, and Hall said he
did as he had receipt for the space
Connell told him the space had beer
rented to party ahead of him. He sale
he would show him to another space o.
he could get out altogether and pay II
cents day.
This was on June 81, 1899, and Con
nell then ordered an officer to arres
Hall. The officer asked how much tim,
was to be given to him to vacate anC
Connell said five minutes.
Hall was then arrested, together will
his sister. They were taken away iron
their wagon and market goods, some o
which were ershable, and allowed t
remain ON the street.
They were hurried to the police sta
ton. Hall was searched and placed il
a cell. His sister was given over into Til
custody of the police station.
The arrest occurred between s and
market hour. At o'clock bo,h wer
taken into the police court. Hall wa
placed in the prisoners dock, along will
a number OF negroes and whites charged
with drunkenness, etc.
Judge Ball promptly discharged Hall
saying there was nothing against hin
and that he had violated no law.
Benjamin Foote, No. 704 King street
testified that the space occupied by Hal
was in front OF his house and that b
witnessed the arrest.
Recorder OF Deeds Delaware Clark ties
titled that he had searched the record
and found that two properties were re
corded in Connell's name. One o.
Kirkwo street between Eighth an
Taylor streets, for which 81, 600 had bee
paid, and another at Fifth and Spruc
streets, for which 81 400 had been paid
Deputy Sheriff Bradley testified tina
the salary of the clerk of the market wa
$500 year, which, with fees, would ru
up to about 81, 200 year.
Horace Greeley Knowles, attorney fo
Hall, in addressing the jury said ths