Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-02-27
MINISTER ON
JURY REFUSES
TO BE SWORN
Three Policemen on Trial for
Assault on Bartender JO=
seph Syeceszny.

a tnrouS OF f1uuBdTidnS from Inc
Down Neck section, together with a
large representation from the police
department, crowded Judge Martins.
courtroom today to listen to the trial
of Roundsman John ]. Kellett and
Patrolman Peter King, of the Third
precinct. n Thomas Lynch. a special
officer, on a charge of assaulting
Joseph Syeceszny, a bartender in a
saloon at the corner of Fillmore and
Market streets. about 2:3O IN the morn
ing of January 8 last.
Rev. A. N. Stubblebine. pastor of
Bethany Presbyterian Church, a MEM
Der of the jury. refused to be sworn
in on the Bible, choosing to take the
oath by affirmation. His wish was
granted
At the noon recess Judge Martin took
the rather unusual course in ordinary
cases of ordering the jury placed in
charge of Constables James H. Reid,
Gottfried Kunz. Otto Lebert and
Thomas Burns, to see hat the jurors
were not approached by anyone.
It is hardly likely that the case will
go to the jury today, in which event
the twelve men will be locked up in a
hotter for the night.
The bartender came to Prosecutor
Motifs office the day after being re-
leased from the Third precinct sta
ton, where he had been placed under
arrest after the fight with the officers,
n made a complaint against the Off
GERS that resulted in the indictment of
the officers. He claimed that the as
sault was an unprovoked one.
The officers claim differently, and say
that Szeceszny abused them and
threatened to lick all three of them.
The bartender alleges the trouble oc-
Cured after he had refused more free
drinks to the party after serving them
with several. This Is denied by the
officers, who claim the bartender re-
fused to admit them to the saloon, but
came out on the sidewalk to abuse
them.
1t took more han an hour to select
a Jury to try the case, and before the
twelve men were finally picked Frank
e. Bradner, who represents the police
officers, had five men excused for
cause, the caase being the fact that
they had served on a petit jury within
G. year, this being against the law. In
picking out these men he was assisted
by former Under Sheriff Charles Reilly.
who sat at his elbow.
The men dismissed for this reason
were: ]. Henderson Cadmus, of Verona;
George w. Toupet, 2b7 Park street, Or
ange; Abraham 1. Seishaltz, 358 Fair
mount street; John Block, Verona, ana
Charles A. Stickel, Monticello venue
West Orange. AL these men admitted
having served during either January
or February of last year, that being In
the December term Of 1910, the present
being the December term of 1911. All
five men We're dismissed by Judge
Martin from further service on the
panel.
After Mr.. LehIbach had told the jury
that he would show that the assault on
Szeceszny was a wanton misuse of po-
lice authority. and that an innocent
man had been badly beaten because
he refused to serve free drinks to po-
licemen, he called DIR. Walter S. Wash
ington, who had examined the barten-
der in Prosecutor Motifs office the day
following the alleged assault.
He testified that Szeceszny showed
every sign or having been BADLY beaten
about the head and shoulders, and that
on the top of his head there was a con-
fused wound nearly an inch in length.
Both eyes were b~lackened, his nose
bruised and his lips SO puffed he could
hardly speak.
Szeceszny then took the stand and
told how h police had came in and
asked for a drink, which he served
them. When he asked who was to pay
for IL he was told to come outside and
get his pay. He went, he testified, and
as soon as he was outside Of the door
he was set upon by all three men. and
after being badly beaten was taken TO
the patrol box across the street from
the saloon and sent to the Third Pre-
cinct station under arrest.
He testified that Patrolman King was
the first man to hit him, but said that
Kellet and Lynch had also taken a
hand in the punching he received.
Testimony corroborative of this was
given by four men n n woman wit
ness of the fight, the four men saying
they were afraid to go to the assist
aooa oP c1ooac1vp fo. Faar rho ,ao1ioa-