The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-02-05


FAILING to appear in a Philadelphia
court at the time his subpoena called for,
Philadelphia physician was fined $40
for contempt. He did not relish the pun
sented the physicians excuse, which was
that he had patient, child, sick with
diphtheria He felt it his duty to visit the
child, and said he believed death would
have resulted had he neglected his patient.
The Judge who inflicted the fine is report
ed to have said "a doctors first duty is
to the commonwealth. and it is better that
patient should die than that the common
wealth should be treated with contempt. !"
The Judge did soften to the extent of re-
hitting the fine, saying he was not aware
of the serious nature of the case, but add
ing the words above quoted This Judge
should join teams with the Jersey justice
whose decision on the value of human
life created so much comment at the time.
1t is not likely, however, that the fear of
being fined will prevent any physician
from attending to his duty if he thinks a
human life is in the balance. He will
probably decide that the Commonwealth
can wait. and he will be upheld by all
who have any human kindness in their
nature 1t is pity that some of these
Judges who seem to have such regard for
the commonwealth and the dignity of the
law, cannot be put in a position which
would give them chance to realize the
effects of some of their brutal utterances.
SLOT machines have caused much dis
cussion in this county the past week, ow
ing to the announcement by Judge Gaskill
in open court that these contrivances must
go. The idea was held by many that the
order referred only to the applicants for
license to sell liquors, but all doubt on that
point has been removed by the notification
of the Prosecutor that slot machines are
not to be used in any place. In Mercer
county hotel keeper was indicted for
running these machines in his place. He
was not even given warning as the Bur-
lington County men were. In Pennsyl-
yania court last week thirty four licenses
were granted with the proviso that the
bars should close at 1890 every night, and
no liquors be sold after that hour. In
Bristol recently, minister declared, in a
sermon, that there were a number of speak
easies in the town. Judge Yerkes presides
over the courts there, and he lost no time
in for !, nix,scf ov,I
him to get his information together for the
action of the grand jury. AS result
resident of that place was, on Wednesday,
sentenced to pay fine of $500 and to i'm
prisionment for eighteen months, for fur
nishing liquors to persons of known intern
perate habits, to persons visibly affected
by intoxicating drink and for keeping
disorderly house In imposing sentence
Judge Yerkes said it must be understood
that the provisions of the law against fur
nishing liquor by sale, gift, or otherwise,
on days prohibited by law, to minors, per-
sons known to be of Incorporate habits,
or to persons visibly affected by drink, ap-
plies to a case where a number club to-
gether and purchase liquor for their own
use, where any of them are in the prohib-
tied class. The fact that liquor is pur-
chased by contribution eliminates any
question of hospitality in the case. I'm
stating this position, and by the deposi-
lions of this case the Court purposes that
it shall be known in every alley and by
way of Bristol and the other boroughs, |
and in every nook and corner of this coun-
ty, that, as matter of law, two or more
minors or two or more drunken loafers
cannot meet together and chip in or con-
tribute to buy liquors for their own use or
the use of any of them, and thereby evade
the penalties of the Seventeenth Section of
the act of 1877. In such case each is guilty
of furnishing to the other, and upon con-
viction will receive the severest punish
ment. We now give notice that hereafter
if it shall appear in the course of any trial
that any licensed dealer furnishes liquors
to such persons or their representatives as
clubs or under any other name, the re-
lewal of license will be refused to such
dealer as an unfit person without further
no+ioa