Bridgeton pioneer., 1905-07-06
THE JULY SESSION
COMMON PLEAS COURT

There was also some criminal busi-
ness, as was foreshadowed when three
young women and three men were
brought in from the Jail at the open
ing of Court.
Lawyer J. Boyd Potter made mo-
tion that the remaining cases. Of
French, receiver, be continued until
the first Monday in August, and also
that the case Of Moulson & Son
against Theodore r. Hitchner be con-
tinued until the same date. The mo-
tions were granted.
Some reports on sales Of real estate
and combinations of the same were
made, and also some orders were
granted for sales of real estate in the
settlement Of estates.
The Court granted an order to Geo.
Elmer, Esq, executor for the carry
ing out of the contract for the sale Of
the Tidmarsh farm, as was intended
by Tidmarsh before his death.
The prosecutor called up to plead,
VIM. Slater. who pleaded guilty to
larceny. He was sentenced to hard
labor in States Prison for 18 months.
Maud Bellamy pleaded guilty to
fornication. Sentence was suspended,
her people agreeing to take her home
and take care of her.
Joseph Jacobs pleaded guilty to
breaking, entering and stealing. He
was sentenced to States Prison for one
year.
Rachel E. Butler and Lille May
Ward pleaded not guilty to the charge
of stealing chickens They were tried
separately and Mrs. Wards trial be-
gun first, Mr.. Elmer being assigned to
defence. Joseph A. Bowen, who
resides just above Shiloh and whose
chickens were stolen, took the witness
stand and told about going to the
place where Mrs. Ward resided and
with Constable Hilliard made a search
of the premises.
A Mr.. Swift, he said, lived at the
house where Mrs. Ward lives. Mr..
Bowen said he lost twenty chickens
and the feathers he found at the
Swift Ward residence, concealed in
the cellar.
Rachel E. Butler was sworn. She
said she lived with Lille May Ward
and Samuel Swift short time. She
was there one night when Swift
brought chicken up from the cellar,
and he said there were three more in
the cellar like it. She lived with
Mrs. Ward eight days last April.
Sadie Butler was called. She said
she lived awhile with Swift and Mrs.
Ward. They had four chickens up in
the garret when she lived with them.
They killed five which they had in
the cellar. Swift picked them and
sold them. She said the chickens
came from Bowen's.
There is charge against Samuel
Swift, but he has not yet been called
to plead.
The Ward woman was convicted of
receiving stolen goods and sent to the
State Home for Girls, and the Butler
woman was acquitted and discharged.
Wednesday Afternoon.
The trial Of the case of the Millville
Gas Light Company against Frank B.
Sweeten and the city of Millville was
resumed before Judge Endicott with
Sir John Franklin on the witness
stand. Mr.. Franklin, in addition to
showing the breakages of the gas
mains, large pieces of which we're
produced in court, testified that the
loss of gas was from 100, 900 to $50, 900
feet per month during the months Of
May, June, July, August, September,
October and November last year.
The breaks were caused by the ex-
cavatings for the sewer pipes beneath
the gas mains, the refilling not being
sufficiently tamped solid to support
the gas mains and prevent them sag
ging, which they did thus causing a
break or spreading Of joint allowing
the gas to escape and waste.
Mr.. franklin said he had been
superintendent Of gas works in New
York State and also in Pennsylvania
before coming to Millville.
In detailing the waste of gas the
witness denied that there was a e
inch cock left open on a holder for
three weeks during the time covered
in this claim. Such thing did occur
this year. He said that d inch cock
would discharge 100 feet of gas an
hour. No gas leak had been found
in the new gas receiver in 1904. He
said, in emphasis. there was no leak
in the receiver in that year; found no
leak in 1905 which had extended back
to 1904. Did not know of any gas
that was wasted or lost at the gas
works in 1904 excepting permissive
waste used in their tests.