The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-05-09
Court.

There was not much doing In the crimi
nal line at Tuesdays session of court, snd
the matters disposed of gave a respite &c
the panel of petit jurors, who were in
structed not to report for duty again unit
Tuesday. May 49,
May Jordan, of Riverton, charged with
embezzlement, and Weyman Beecham. OF
Palmyra, accused of stealing chickens,
were acquitted. The defendants were
represented by Robert Peacock John Il
Jones. who was said to have been impli.
Gated, was also acquitted. He was repre-.
sented by Spencer Simpson.
During the day Judge Horner notified
James M. Davis that he would deny the
motion for a new trial in the case of Jo-
seph p Fem, of Burlington, who had
been convicted of obtaining money under
false pretenses from the Uuion National
Bank of Mount Holly
Morris Harmon, colored, living on
Chestnut street, was placed on trial on an
indictment charging him with stealing 40
chickens. the property of Mrs. Joseph
johnson, of Arch street
As the total number of chickens alleged
to have been stolen could not be proved
by the state In the manner required by
law. Prosecutor Atkinson tried the de-
PENDANT for stealing yellow hen only.
There were large number of witnesses
In the case, principally on the side of
Harmon.
After the Johnsons had moved to Mount
Holly from Maryland, they became posses
sed of eighty five chickens. which because
of series of thefts dwindled to about
: sixteen. Loss of such good eating be-
came tiresome. and Harmon was arrested,
believing that he was the guilty party
Color was given to this belief from the
fact that when he visited the house of
Harmon the officer found yellow hen
which Mrs. johnson claimed as her pro-
perty.
Harmon was ably defended by James
III. Davis, who complimented William W.
Worrell for the excellence of the jurymen
he had furnished the court during his
occupancy of the Sheriff's Office, saying
there were no better jurymen in the state
than could be found IN Burlington county.
Realizing that he had an uphill fight be-
cause of the fact that twelve years ago
his client, against whom there were seven
separate charges preferred by farmers near
Mount Holly, had been convicted and
sentenced to state prison for stealing
chickens, Mr.. Davis entered the defence
of Harmon with great vigor.
When he took the stand Harmon said
that few days before last Christmas he
went to Philadelphia and purchased four
live chickens. He brought them home in
a bag with their heads sticking out. and
which may have been carried in a basket
which he had with him The chickens
were seen by persons riding on the cars
near him, and by others after he had
reached Mount Holly. All of these people
knew Harmon. and some saw that he had a
yellow hen. In regard to this particular
chicken. neighbors testified that they had
seen it running on Harmon's premises
since Christmas. There was quite a
similarity between this particular hen and
the one stolen from Mrs. johnson.
There were witnesses who swore they
heard Mrs Harmon take her husband to
task when he arrived home with the egg
producers for spending his Christmas
money for chickens.
A lock, which is alleged to have been
torn from the hennery in the Johnson yard,
was an exhibit In the case, and 1t evident
" had an important bearing on the con-
clusion reached by the jury. Mr.. Davis
showed the impossibility of the lock hav-
ing been withdrawn from wood and be-
ing In the condition that 1t was. The lock
somewhat interested the court, and upon
request a charge was made upon 1t to the
jury.
In summing up the case Mr.. Davis
brought out his full strength In pleading
to the Jury, and at times he was quite
eloquent, especially when he likened the
matter to Bible story which he drama
tized He pointed his finger at the man
who charged the defendant with the crime,
stating that the theft had been put up on