Bridgeton pioneer., 1901-01-24
The January Term Brought to
a Close on Friday Last.
SEVERAL GO TO PRISON.
The Findings of the Grand Jury
Resulted i'm Several Pleading
Guilty, Thus Saving Expense of
Trial.
IFrom Daily Pioneer. Thursday. ran. Ill

[From Daily Pioneer Thursday, fan. II.
The Court went along yesterday
convicting accused as fast as they
came before the bar for trial.
The big auditorium was crowded
with persons who took a great in
terest in the proceedings.
John Newkirk's trial was started
yesterday morning and was ended
just after noon. Prosecutor Fithian
had very little trouble in establishing
by various witnesses that Newkirk
had tampered with witnesses who
had been subpoenaed against him be-
fore the Grand Jury.
Newkirk, it was shown, wanted
hese witnesses to go before the
Grand Jury and periure themselves
by declaring they had never bought
of him less than two crates of beer
at one time. When this was estab-
lished, Prosecutor Fithian rested the
States case.
There was no defense. Waiter HI.
Bacon, who with Samuel IredelI,
represented the defendant, addressed
the Court, and asked that the matter
be dismissed. Mr.. Bacon contended
that there had been nothing corrupt
shown by the State. Judge Trench
ard refused to take the case from the
jury, and the argument began, the
defendant offering no testimony
whatever.
The jury retired, was out but a
little while, and returned a verdict
of guilty.
William Bell, charged with larceny,
was next put upon trial. Bell is not
a stranger in the Courts here. A
year ago or more he was sentenced
for receiving stolen goods.
Bell was brought in from jail, and
his defense was looked after by
George Elmer, who had been assigned
by the Court for that purpose.
The act proven against Bell by the
State, was simply sneak act.
Sheppard Coombs, of Millville, told
the principal story, and was backed
up by his twelve year old sister.
Here is Coombs' story: On the 10th
of December last, he was driving a
baker wagon for his father, and col
lected SO which he took home and
laid upon table. His little sister
was there, and just as Coombs was
leaving the room there was a, knock
at the door. Coombs told his sister
to go to the door, and he went on
out.
The little girl said she went to the
door and admitted William Bell, who
was acting as an agent. The money
was upon the table at the time. BY
direction of Bell she went to another
room to call her mother, and when
she returned the money had disap-
peared. Nobody else was in the
room but Bell.
About that time, George Ammell
said he was with Bell and noticed
that he had money, how much he
didn't know, but quite bunch of
coin.
Bell was his own and only witness.
He admitted that he was an agent,
and said that it might be possible
that he stopped at the Coombs home,
although he did not know sure. He
denied positively, however, that he
took the money.
Upon cross examination Bell ad-
mitted that he had previously plead
guilty to having stolen goods in his
possession, but said he did not steal
them. He said further that when he
was before the Mayor of Millville
upon this charge, that he had denied
being in the neighborhood of Coombs
house.
Officer Frank Bullock, in rebuttal,
said positively that Bell, at his hear
ing, had positively declared that he
was not in that neighborhood.
The case went to the jury in this
way, and verdict of guilty was soon
reached.
There were no other cases moved
yesterday because of the Illness of
James S. Ware, who is counsel with
Samuel lredell IN several assault
cases.
The Prosecutor announced that he
had three more indictments to move,
and because of illness of counsel for
defense in several indictments, other
cases would have to go off for the
term.