Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-08-28
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.

''NoN't ~ VII Oa''NNNJ w
spite Local Opposition,
IBy Morning journal Special Leased WIrel
Atlantic City n j, Aug. 27.-Thc
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 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 lnstruc.
| tiOns of the court to return mdict
ments against excise violators. Su.
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
discharged it with severe reprimand
The governors proclamation was
not 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 GaskHl
who is here assisting County Pros
ccutor Goldenbcrg i'm the excise eases.
says the governor can call out thc|
troops although it is an unusual pro
ceeding The governors power to de
clare martial law, he says, can not b.
questioned. Sheriff Johnson of At
. .,
City and County Prosecutor Golden
berg tonight refuse to discuss the sit
uation.
Last Sunday the saloon and cafe.
with but few exceptions conducted
business as usual
When the grand jury came into
court today Justice Trenchard ad-
dressed it as follows;
Il understand that all cases hav,
been presented to you | have sem
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 ana THAI
it had considered all the cases pre-
sented.
Justice Trenchard then said that the |
court would sit until indictments Wer'
found in the excise cases and the jury I
returned. This caused a mild sensa
tion as it indicated that the court in
tended to bring matters to a head.
The jurors late in the afternoon re
turned and presented three indct |
mcnts. two against an alleged gambl |
ing house ana 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:
q 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 ana
the prosecutor of the county have in
formed the court that they have
placed before the jury evidence which
iustides indictments i'm such cases. As
no indictments have been found il
seems to be an indication that this
grand jury has failed i'm the perform
ance of its duty. The court is forced
to say that considering the instTc-
tions Of the court the state Of the law
and the evidence presented, you grand
Jurors have failed i'm 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.
Foreman Salus instantly arose and
took exception To tho remarks of the
court
As grand jurors We feel no litucI
responsibility. We are willing to stand
before God ana say that We feel that
we have performed our duty ana have
not violated our oaths We represent
the will Of the people of Atlantic coun-
tv. We feel that we are supreme and
without affront: we feel that no per
SON however clothed with power or!
office has q right to- rrhulle us i'm this
manner. W. as representatives, of At
Iantic county. representing $',00O.o0o
worth Of property DO not intend that
the deliberations OF this jury should
be made political capital We want
nothing concealed We want a spud"
called a spade. We grand jurors uie7
with all our might to have presented
before us gambling evidence which
The prosecutor of the county caused toi
be- published in the newspapers, but
We did not get it At every turn we
were throttlcd as grand jurors.
Continuing he said that they had
been told that unless they brought in-
Iiccmcnts iu excise cases mo- evidence
1f gambling would De- presented tol
hem.
con these grounds" Do said. "wo
.ceerved tho right 600 the final analysis
lcre 10 state that We have not been
-airlv treated in thus being publicly ;
branded" '