Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1902-01-30
CUMBERLAND COURTS.
"Details of the Business Before
the Jury.
SENTENCES WERE IMPOSED.
The Third Week Finds Considerable
Business Yet to Be Accomplished
Before Adjournment.
tFrom Daily Pioneer, Thursday. Jan. 2a.l

From Daily Pioneer, Thursday, Jan. 23l
Immediately after the noon recess
Yesterday, lawyer Samuel Iredell
summed up his side of the case of the
State against VIM. Jones, charged
with an assault and battery on j.
Warren Acton, last Thanksgiving day.
Prosecutor Fithian gave the jury his
views of the case, tie Judge impaired
the law relative as to what constl-
tutes a legal assault and battery, and
the twelve men retired to tussle with
the problem of applying the facts to
the Illegal rules, shortly after two
O'Clock.
A brief outline of the case is as fol-
lows On last Thanksgiving day, J.
Warren Acton in companyTwith Frank
Souders and William Meeks went
cunning after rabbits. William Jones,
the defendant in the case, with Ches-
ter @. Young and Boyd McLain, was
also cunning. The parties met;
rabbit was shot, which both Mr.. Acton
and Mr. Jones made a claim. An
altercation ensued in which Mr.. Jones
informed Mr.. Acton that whoever got
the rabbit would have to take a good
licking first Acton was trying to
make up his mind if the rabbit was
worth the conditions put upon it by
Jones, when suddenly he was knocked
down by him; he taking the rabbit.
Jones got the rabbit, Acton got the
licking. Hence the case in Court.
The jury returned a verdict of
guilty of simple assault, after delibera-
ting about half an hour.
The Prosecutor next moved the trial
of the indictment of the State against
e Richard Buckaloo, Isaac Corson, Jr.,
n George Hollinger and Chas. Mcdaniel,
q Jr, charged with the illegal dredging
Il of oysters. The indictment was found
n at the January sitting of the Grand
Jury last year. The trial has been
H held off awaiting the decision of the
Supreme Court on a similar indict-
ment found against Isaac Corson, Jr.,
alone The Supreme Court sustained
the bill and now the trial follows.
In stating the case to the jury Pros
ecutor Fithian said that the dredging
for which these defendants were held
to answer occurred on the night of
October 30, 1900 and that it was in
the waters of Delaware Bay, north of
what is known as the southwest line.
The first witness called by the State
was Mr.. Addie Lore, captain of the
watch boat. He related how he had
seen boat dredging on the oysters
NJ grounds, north of the southwest line
on the night in question. He told
how he watched the boat all night
long and in the morning he ap-
preached and identified the parties
aboard as the four defendants. He
testified positively to seeing the. men
at work and that he heard the wind
ing of the dredges.
When Mr.. Mitchell took the wit
ness he piled many questions, curious
and otherwise, with view of shak-
ing the evidence of the State. The
3 captain stood firm throughout and did
n not permit himself to become queered
by the artifices of shrewd, sharp
lawyer.
H Mark Shull was the next witness
called by the State. Witness was on
s the guard boat "Lizzie Weaver" with
Captain Lore ON the night of October
30, 1900, when the discovery of the
n illegal dredging was made, also iden-
n tilted the defendants as the men who
q were taking the oysters and he too
heard the noise of the winders as the
dredges were being brought in.
b Lawyer Mitchell likewise put this
b witness through a critical cross-ex-
Examination, but the young man stood
&firm in his story to the State in his
examination in chief. The State
rested its case and Mr.. Mitchell out
lined the defense to the jury by say
mg in substance that the defendants
We're not guilty under section of the
aet OF the Legislature under which
the indictment was found, as that Sec
tzpn provides that oysters must ac-
tnally be taken, and that he would
Hove that the defendants took no oys-
pHrs at all. He admitted that his oil
2ts were on the grounds north of the
#pthwest line but not for the purpose
dredging for oysters but to lay in
NAlt for other oyster boats with a
zew of buying oysters caught on the
M%tern shore. The defense had
s@ten nicely under way at the time
olRdjournment at 4. 80.