The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1902-12-19
CRIMINAL COURT

In Church, Saturday, 9th.
CRIMINAL COURT.
=. The jury,,in the case of Joseph Akcrs
charged with violating the local option
law returned Il verdict of not guilty. Nc
Nabb and Harlan for State, ]. ]. Archer
for defense.
The jury i'll the case ofGeorge Guy, wh'
was charged.with violating the local..op
ton law, was unable to agree and was
discharged by the Court on Friday morn
ing. after remaining outpaall night. Nc
Nabb and Harlan for State, Carver for
defense.
Francis NJ. Farr, charged with violat-
ing the liquor law ofIIavre dc Grace, was
tried before jury on Friday. Verdict not
guilty. N1cNabb and Harlan for State,
Young for defense.
John NJ. Mitchell, charged with violat-
ing the local ..option laN., WAS also de
clared not guilty by a jury. McNabb
and Hopkins for State, Young for defense.
On Monday morning, Benjamin Cox,
a negro man charged with. assault with
intent to kill former town baliff Blaney,
was tried before a jury. He was con-
victed of common assault and sentenced
to the House ofCorrectionfors six months.
On Wednesday morning, the parties
who were indicted at the September term
of Court, charged with permitting gamb-
ling on their premises, by allowing the
use of slot. machines, plead guilty. There
were fourteen cases in all and minimum
fine was imposed by the Court with. the
distinct understanding tkat the machines
were to be Immediately removed beyond
stated, in no uncertain terms, that if any
similar violations came before him he
would impose the highest penalty, in
Guiding the confisticationo of the property.
States Attorney McNabb made rapid
inroads on the criminal docket this week.
His largest stroke was the disposal OF
the slot machine cases. This means their
effectual Punishment from the county
and the States officer deserves credit for
taking the summary methods that. he
did II. getting rid of them.
Silas Z. Griffith, charged with violating
the local option law, stated that he had
discontinued the business and a plea of
guilty was accepted in two cases. The
sentence was suspended for one year on
the representation Of the defendant that
he would not again engage in this bust
ness.
:. The case of Lawrence Forwood, charged
with violating the local option law, was
then called :. The prosecuting witnesses
in this case were the two detectives. Louis
Vein and John Sperzcl. In the trial of
the case, the State gained distinct point |.
by the ruling Of Judge Waters i'll which .
he admitted as testimony, copies of the /
Internal Revenue license book, showing |
that the defendant had taken out gov
eminent license for the sale ofnalt liquors. |
Rev. George W. Evans, a clergyman of |
Bel Air, was then called and testified that ,
he had made copy from the book of the
Collector of Internal Revenue and this |
showed that license had been granted |
to the defendant. \ number of other |
witnesses were then examined to testify !
10 the general character of the place. DR.. .
Penniman, of Baltimore, stated that he |
had made an analysis of malt liquid !
which had been brought him by Louis
Vein and that it contained about 3 and I
and 80 per cent. alcohol.
Detective Vein testified that he bought !
four bottles of ambrosia at the Changers !
Hotel on the Sth day of last August. He !
and Spcrzel each drank one bottle and he !
gave the other two bottles respectively !
to Dr. Penniman and Prof. Tonry. On |
cross.examination the dciensr's lawyers /
brought out Veins private life,, with |
which the public are already familiar.
Detective Sperzel testified to the pur-
chase made by DetectiveWein. He was also |
subjected to a severe .cross-examination.
Captain Humphrey was the first wit
ness called for the defense. He testified in
a very direct and positive manner and at |
times much feeling was shown between |
he and MIR. Soper, one of the Anti
Saloon Leagues attorneys. He said
that neither Vein. or Sperzel were worthy
of belief and that this impression was |
formed after thorough investigation of
both parties. A number of other wit
nesses were also called who said about |
the same thing. II. Sapp Scarboro stated
that he was in the employ of the traver-
ser from the first until the last of
August, which included the time that the
alleged purchase was made, and that
while Vein had been in the place two
times he did not get anything. The de-
Tense here rested its side of the case and |
a number of witnesses were called to testi- !
fly to the good character of the States
witness, Sperzel. These included Rev.
James Bowers and J. Ross Diggs,.. of Bal
timorc