Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-07-18

lie clamor or rufnor. | am informed by
the encouragement that many of the
complaints which Will be submitted to
you for your consideration are for
violations of the statutes regulating
primaries and elections
Recommends indictments.
Upon the ton of legal testi-
mony, tending to establish a violation
of the statute, it will be your duty 10
indict the person or persons so offend
ing. You are not to try the accused
The grand jury is ali accusatory body,
clothed with qualified judicial powers.
The guilt or innocence OF the accused
OF the accusation laid against him is
not for you to try and to determine.
That has been wisely left by our system
Of Jurisprudence to another tribunal.
What you are called upon to decide Is
whether the accusation is reasonably
supported by legal testimony. II it is
so supported it is your solemn duty to
indict and IL not Their the accusation
falls.
You are not to be influenced by your
political beliefs nor by the political be-
liefs of the accused in the performance
Of your duties. tt is no offense against
the law for a person to be active and
jealous in behalf of his party. so long
as that zeal and activity are confined
within lawful bounds. II Is a com
mendable virtue in a citizen to taxi IN
active part In the affairs of COVERT
ment. 1t would be a most vicious blow
TO organized society and good morals
to sanction activity and zeal tainted
with trickery. fraud and corruption. at
the ballot-boX. as legal excuse for such
acts, because the end TO be obtained
is audable and Just. DR.. Bishop. N
his work on statutory crimes, cites with
approval the following;
DR.. Bishop Views.
1t Being of the highest Importance
that persons be elected to carry on the
government in its various departments,
and that in every case a suitable choice
be made, any act tending to defeat
these objects as, forcibly or unlawfully
preventing an election from being held,
bribing or corruptly influencing an
e~lector. receiving as an elector a bride,
casting more thar one vote. the taking
or giving of a reWardf for Offices of a
public nature. and the like. is punish
able under the criminal common law
TT is highly necessary hat the pur-
ity of the ballot box be preserved so
that the elective franchise may be pre-
served.
1T is not a Just and ample vindica-
ton Of the law, nor will 1T be a full
discharge of your duty, to indict the
weak and TO let the powerful escape.
In any case where the facts warrant an
inolctment.
Accusations against sheriff.
I'm the course of you deliberations
you will be called upon to consider ac-
cusations against the sheriff and other
public officers of this county which re-
late to the frauds. illegal voting, brib-
cry and corruption at the last primaries
n general election held in this county.
1T is represented that on the 10th OF
January last Sheriff Johnson called at
the county clerks office and asked for
and obtained the registry books of the
fifth district Of the Second ward and
fourth district of the Fourth ward of
atlantic City used at the last general
election.
ut Is represented that one, f. or f
f. Bowman had voted twice, once in
the Fifth precinct Of the Second ward
and once in the Fourth precinct of the
Fourth Nard. These two registry
books, Ii is alleged. .he sheriff took
away with him from Mays Landing
to Atlantic City. and which books n
returned 10 the clerks Office on the fol-
lowing day,
Say sheriff Took Rocks.
1T Is alleged that the said books
taken by the sheriff showed by check
marks opposite Bowman's name that
he had voted twice on election day. but
A.. s. A.. ia 49, -. -4..-w.-
by the sheriff to the clerks Office the
check mark opposite Bowman's nanlea
in Tho. registry book of the Fifth dis
trict of the Second ward showed indi-
cations that il had been erased by
somebody.
TT Is also represented that the Bow.
man who is alleged to Ia voted twice
lived in the Fifth district of the sec.
ond ward and that he voted. as the
check mark indicates. in thee Fourth
district of the Fourth ward. where he
was not entitled to vote.
Repeating IL Alleged.
at IL also represented that after the
taking AWAY of the books by the sher-
Ia from tho clerks office, the same
who, II Ii alleged. voted
twice, was suInmoued by the sheriff to
serve ns a grand Juror OF the grand
Jury summoned by the sheriff for the
last May term of the Atlantic County
oyer and Termiper. and that the snid
Bowman did so serve aud that II was a
matter OF common report before the
said sheriff had said Bow
man. that he. the said Bowman. Ind
voted Illegally and ~frnuduienuy ut the
1nsa Aua-a aI~ -.