Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-08-28
ATLANTIC CITY
JURY SCORED
BY COURT
MILITIA MAY BE CALLED
TO ENFORCE BLUE LAWS
Governor Fort Determined to
Make Popular Jersey Coast
Resort Dry on Sunday De-
spite Local Opposition,
TBy Morning journal Special Leased wirel


IBy Morning journal Special Leased WireI
Atlantic City, N. j., Aug. 27.--The
action of Governor Fort in threaten
ing to send troops into this famous
resort to enforce the state liquor laws
unless the people of Atlantic City OBJ
serve the law caused a sensation to-
day among the residents and summer
visitors. Another sensation was sprung
at Mays Landing, the county seat OF
Atlantic county, when the grand jury
absolutely refused to obey the instruc.
tions of the court to return indict-
ments against excise violators. SUI
preme Court Justice Thomas w.
Tranchard. who had been requested
by Governor Fort to sit with the coun-
ty judge was so incensed at the action
| of the grand jury that he instantly
dischargedtit with a severe reprimand.
The governors proclamation was
lsnot wholly unexpected as there has
been rumors for days that he would
resort to the calling out of the militia
| if necessary to enforce the excise laws.
Assistant Attorney General Gasklll,
who IS here assisting County Pros.
ecutor Goldenberg in the excise cases,
says the governor can call out the
troops although it is an unusual pro-
! ceeding. The governors power to de-
clare martial law, he says. can not he
questioned. Sheriff Johnson, of At
lantic City,; Mayor Story, of Atlantic
City, and County Prosecutor Golden
| berg tonight refuse to discuss the sit
uation.
Last Sunday the saloon and cafes
with but few exceptions conducted
business as usual
When the graz me into
court today Jussa. lSa, ard ad-
dressed 1t as folloys
! "I understand tdat NaH cases have
been presented to you. / have sent
for you in order that the clerk may
take the indictment"
When asked by the clerk if the jury
had any indictments to present, J, w
Salus, the foreman of the jury, said
that it had not at this time and that
| it had considered all the cases pre-
sented.
| Justice Trenchard then said that the
court would sit until indictments were
| found in the excise cases and the jury
returned. This caused a mild sensa-
tion as it indicated that the court in
tended to bring matters to head.
The jurors late in the afternoon re-
| turned and presented three indict-
ments, two against an alleged gambl-
ing house and one against a man who
is charged with selling obscene postal
! cards. Justice Tranchard read the
| bills of Indictment and finally threw
them on his desk and said:
81 notice that you have not pre-
scented any indictments for the illegal
sale of liquor on Sunday. The assis-
tant attorney general of the state and
the prosecutor of the county have in
| formed the court that they have
placed before the jury evidence which
| justifes indictments in such cases. AS
no indictments have been found II
| seems to be an indication that this
grand jury has failed in the perform
ance of its duty. The court Is forced
to say that considering the instruc-
| tions of the court the state of the law
and the evidence presented, you grand
| jurors have failed in the performance
| of your duty and have violated your
oaths of office to the state of New Jer-
sey. You are discharged for the term" y"
| Foreman Salus instantly arose and
took exception to the remarks of the
court:
"As grand jurors we feel no little
responsibility. We are willing to stand
before God and say that we feel that
we have performed our duty and have
not violated our oaths We represent
the will of the people of Atlantic coun-
ty. We feel that we are supreme and
without affront; we feel that no per-
son however clothed with power or
Office has a right~to rebuRe us in this
| manner. We az representatives OF At
lantlc county, representing $5,OOO,OOO
worth OF property do not intend that
the deliberations of this jury should
be made political capital. We want
nothing concealed. We want spade
called spade. We grand jurors triea
with all our might to have presented
before us gambling evidence which
the prosecutor of the county caused TO
be published in the newspapers but
we did not get It. At every turn we
were throttled as grand jurors"
Continuing he said that they had
been told that unless they brought in
dicements in excise cases no evidence
OF gambling would be presented to
! them.
"On these grounds" he said, I'VE
reserved the right in the final analysis
here to state that We have not been
fairly treated in thus being publicly
branded"