Perth Amboy evening news., 1910-09-09
EZRA SWEET
SENT &c
MUST STAND
Judge Lyon Refuses to
Change the Decree of
the Court.
TWO YEARS IN PRISON
Strong Delegation Goes to
the County Seat With
Big Petition.
STRlCkER MAKES PLEA
Judge Expresses Regret But
Insists that Duty as Judge
be Fulfilled.
TWO YEARS IN PRISON
STRICKER MAKES PLEA
Special to the EVENING NEWS.

Special to the EVENING NEWS.
New Brunswick, Sept. 9-Despite
the efforts made to have Judge Lyon
change the sentence he imposed
upon Ezra T. Sweet for keeping a
disorderly house and selling liquor
Illegally, he, this morning, refused
10 alter his position in the matter.
Inc sentence to serve two years in
state prison must stand. Two petit
tons, signed by upwards of $50
public officeholders and business
men of Perth Amboy were laid be-
fore the court this morning wien
Joseph e. Stricken, appearing for
Sweet, began his plea to save the
convicted man from a term in pris-
on. A delegation of about ten BUSH
ness men appeared in court and
through Albert Leon, as spokesman,
asked for leniency.
Judge Lyon sat on the bench and
heard the p~leadings. After Lawyer
Stricken and Mr.. Leon had spoken
ne ske IT anyone else had any
thing to say. There was no re-
Spouse and the court then rendered
It's decision, denying the motion and
giving its reasons why. 1t came as
a heavy blow to Sweet. However.
ne is going to continue the fight to
save himself from prison.
In pleading for the former hotel
keeper, Mr.. Stricken referred to
Sweets trial. He said he understood
mat W of the jurymen that on
Vlcted Sweet had not been fully sat
1stied with the evidence presented,
but had been guided by the other
Jurymen in rendering their verdict.
he stated it was evident that the
jury had not anticipated SO heavy a
penalty being imposed, as is shown
by the fact that some of the jury
mems names appear on one of the
petitions asking for a more l~enient
penalty. The lawyer proceeded to
tell of Mr.. Sweets business career
and Of his family. He stated that
his client had never been in trouble
before on such charges and that his
family had suffered considerably by
the notoriety given this case. He
stated Mr.. Sweet has a mother who
Is eighty-fiye years old and she and
her grandchildren have had to share
in the disgrace.
He told Of Mr.. Sweets financial
loss and of what he had already suf-
fered through the raid that put him
out of business. He referred to the
fact that Sweet had to sell his for-
mer place of business only last week
at a sacrifice of between four and
five thousand dollars. He told Of
the sentiment evident in Perth Am
boy in favor of reVoking the two
year sentence, which he proceeded
to prove by the presence of the del
egation of Perth Amboy business
men in court.
Mr., Stricken read the petitions
~favoring Sweet. They were signed
by most every public oficehoIder in
Perth Amboy, including the highest
city officials and members of the
Board of Excise Commissioners.
Albert Leon, a furniture dealer Of
Perth Amboy, spoke for the visiting
delegation. He made pleas similar
to those previously made by Mr..
Stricken. Among those in the dele
cation with Mr.. Leon were City
Clerk Wilbur LaRoe, Victor Main,
County Clerk B. Nj. Cannon, j.. c..
Donehue, Street Commissioner
George Adair, Frank Hilsdorf and
George H. Fullerton.
After the court had extended an
invitation to others to speak, Judge
Lyon spoke. He said he fully real
ICED the force of the petitions and
held respect for the petitioners, but
could not grant the motion to make
any change in the sentence upon
Sweet. He stated that he would
rather be a signer of one of the petit
lions than be in his position on the
bench deciding the matter.
Judge Lyon said Sweets case had
been given thorough elaboration
before the sentence had been i'm
posed and since then he had been
informed of the circulating petitions
through the press, and had again
given it elaboration. He stated hat
1t was not only the testimony given
at Sweets trial that had given him
cause to take the action he did, but
stated he had received other infor-
nation warranting him to extend
the penalty he did. He said he had
been informed that immoral women
were at Sweets place in Perth AM
boy and that Sweet kept a d%isorderly
house, and, that altogether, he had
arrived at the conclusion hat Sweet
harbored n of the most demoraliz-
ing places in Perth Amboy. He told
of having heard testimony and hay-
ing been informed of gambling at
Sweets place and referred to a case
of a man in court here once who
testified that he could not pay a fine
imposed because he had lost all his
money in a gambling game at
Sweets.
In conclusion Judge Lyon said he
realized it was the hardest penalty
he had ever imposed and even
though he knew Sweet and his fam
lily he had to let the sentence stand.