The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-02-12

States Representative Threat
ems Blows, But Is Called
to Order By Blair.
war of words between Prosecutor
and defendants counsel that seemed at
one time likely to end in fisticuffs was
| the feature of trial for grand larceny
in the Court of General Sessions yester-
| day afternoon. All morning Lawyer
Alex Simpson had been interposng OBJ
jections to almost every question asked
| by the States lawyer and in the argu-
ment that usually followed these objec-
| tions the youthful lawyer took occasion
| to indulge in personalities rejecting on
| the legal knowledge of the Prosecutor.
| Finally the latter became very much an
gered and advancing toward Mr.. Simp-
/ son with his right arm raised and his fist
| clenched the Prosecutor said
| Il will not longer submit to your in
sulting personalities. will maintain the
dignity of this court if it is possible for
| me to do so, and if l cannot maintain it
| in one way l will in another.
By this time Mr. Erwin stood directly
! in front of the opposing counsel, who
discreetly stepped to a corner of the
/ rallied enclosure of the court room to the
side of the client in whose defense the
| little lawyer had angered the Prosecutor.
| Whether Mr.. Simpsons retreat was
prompted by awe surprise it was hard
| to tell, but in a moment he recovered his
composure, and as Mr.. Erwin lowered
! his arm and stepped back in thed irec-
ton of his chair, the five feet two inches
OF the defendants counsel Strengthened
Itself to its utmost limit, and the young
lawyer, glaring defiance at the taller
States representative, said
/ THE gentlemanS threat to resort TO
does his knowledge of the law. If the
elenched fist of the Prosecutor of the
Pleas IS to -"
Bang! Bang! went Judge Blair's gavel
] another, and just as the spectators
J thought that the legal warfare that had
been in progress for about two hours
would surely terminate in a fistic encoun-
ter, That the Courts usual serenity was
disturbed by the unusual occurrence was
plainly manifest as he said
This wrangling of counsel must be
stopped Hereafter objections must be
on them. II counsel win not conduct
themselves with propriety the trial of this
Prosecutor Erwin said something about
not intending to, threaten physical viol-
ence to his smaller adversary and Judge
| Blair promptly ordered recess for half
| an hour.
This sensational incident was the cli-
max of series of wrangles in which Mr..
Simpson was the aggressor. The trouble
began almost as soon as John J. Blum
i was called to the bar for trial on three
of three gold rings, a gold watch and a
/ revolver from the small package room
of the Adams Express Company adjoin-
| ing the Pennsylvania Railroad depot in
The first tilt occurred after the defend
! ant S counsel had challenged two of the
jurors who had been called. Prosecutor
Erwin asked if he had any further chal-
lenges and Mr.. Simpson replied:--
The. jury has not been sworn yet and
until they are. or until ! have exhausted
4 erciSe that right
Mr.. Erwin stated that it was customary
for the defense to finish with its chal-
lenges before the State made any.
| Mr.. Simpson then began a dissertation
on custom not making law. 1t seemed
as If ne had come prepared for another
legal batting expedition such as the new
Assistant Prosecutor was the victim of
on Thursday last.
Judge Blair settled this preliminary con-
troversy by directing counsel to proceed
| with their challenges The States repre-
sentative was satisfied with the panel and
Mr.. Simpson said he had no more chal-
lengeS to make.
The first witness called was Webster
Depew, superintendent of the express of
flee, during the time of Blum's alleged
thefts which were alleged to cover Pc
Rod extending from September 20, 1899, to
February s. 1900.
Almost every question asked the witness
by the Prosecutor was. objected to by Mr..
Simpson, and finally Mr. Erwin lost pa
tience and appealed to the Court, claim
ing that the objections of the opposing
counsel were frivolous and offered only to
n 1af of = aa
case.
Mr.. Simpson promptly diselaimed any
intention to harass, but as the. examna-
tion proceeded but little f1eadway was
made by reason of the continuance of OBJ
/ jections.
Finally Depew attempted to tell of a
conversation at police headquarters in
Jersey City between himself and the pris-
oner. Mr.. Simpson promptly objected 10
the admission of confession unless it
was proven that it was made voluntar-
ily He quoted his authority the case of
the State vs. Roselle, which he claimed
was the latest decision of the Court of
Errors and Appeals in the matter of con-
fessions.
I Prosecutor Erwin made general state
ment of that decision as he understood it
and OF caurse the opposing counsel differ
ed with him.
Objections were again flying thick and
fast and Judge Blair was kept busy
granting the exceptions asked for by Mr..
Simpson when the States lawyer again
referred to the continued objections and
what he termed the personalities indulged
in by counsel Mr.. Erwin was plainly
excited and very angry when he turned
i on his legal opponent as told at the be-
| ginning of this article
After recess the case proceeded with al
most as many objections but fewer per-
sonalities" indulged in by the defendants S
| counsel.
Detective Larkins told the story of
Blum's arrest and the finding of some of
the stolen property in his house and pawn
tickets for other goods pawned in New
York.
The defense was general denial. Blum
claimed he was the victim of a conspir-
acy.
terday afternoon the jury after short
deliberation found Blum guilty of petit
larceny.
ARLINGTON CLUBS BALL