The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-13
SUPREME JUSTICE
FLAyS ATLANTIC
CITY OFFICIALS
Judge Trenchard Says Gambling
and Sabbath Violations
Were Ignored.
COUNTY GRAND JURY
is SEVERELY GRILLED
Neglected to Return Indictments
on Good Evidence, Says
Court.
rsnsc,al to the Ey.nins star

oPtSAhh W hO IfNLaA a.
MAYS LANDING, Oct. BIN his
charge 70 the grand jury today, Su-
preme Court Justice Trenchard severely
arraigned the officials of Atlantic City
who had failed to enforce the excise
laws and the Atlantic county grand
jury which had failed to find indict-
ments in such cases when sufficient evil
dence was submitted.
Speaking of the failure of the grand
jury to indict. Justice Trenchard con-
tinued:
"Forcible and s%candalous illustration
of this truth was given in August last
when public officials of this county and
of Atlantic City testified under oath
that they did not and could not enforce
the criminal laws because of the failure
of grand jury to indict when ample
evidence was presented.
1T am informed that there will be evil
dence laid before you of the sale of in
toxicating liquors on Sunday and of
gambling in its various forms. With
respect to the sale of intoxicating liq-
uors on Sunday, the New Jersey crimes
act provides that 1t is a crime. That is
plain, n so long as the law remains
the same, final. 1t is plain, too, that
the criminal laws of New Jersey apply
to Atlantic City and must be enforced
there as we'll as elsewhere. We are not
concerned with what some people wish
the law to be. We have to do only
with what the law Is, and that 1 have
stated to you"
Duty of Jurors.
TT will, therefore, be your plain duty
to find an indictment in every case
where the evidence shows sales on Sum
day at any time within the past two
years. With respect to gambling, the
law is also plain. The crimes act also
provides that gambling in its various
forms is a crime. Thus section 65 pro-
vides that any person or corporation
that shall habitually or otherwise keep
a place to which persons may resort
for gambling in any form, or aiding,
abetting or assisting therein, shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor. 1t is not
necessary that the offense be habitual.
One offense Is indictable. There will
be laid before you gambling chips.
boxes containing money used in. the
gambling, together with other gam
bling implements and devices alleged
to have been captured by the officers
in their raids"
II need to mention specifically but
one other matter. 1t has lately been
brought to the attention Of the court
that certain provisions of the election
laws are either misunderstood or will
fully disregarded.
Election Defects.
1.-THE election laws provide in effect
that after the election the boxes with
their contents shall be delivered to the
city clerk, but without the keys. The
purpose of the law is to prevent both
the box n the keys being In the
hands of a single individual. 1t APP
pears that lately some of the election
officials In Atlantic City have delivered
to the city clerk both the box and its
keys and that they were both received
by the city clerk. If this important
provision of the law was wilfully dis
regarded It subjects the offenders to
indictment. If, however, 1t was inno-
Gently lone because of a mistaken view
of the law this public mention will be
probably sufficient TO prevent a repe-
tition of the offense."