The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-01-16
Conrt.


There was session of court on Friday
to receive the pleas of those who had been
indicted for various offences at the last
session of the grand jury.
The first indictment read affected Bar
clay Seeds, Samuel 0. Bills, George Ross
and John Malone, the election officers of
Pemberton township
In the bill of complaint they were
charged with accepting the ballots of per.
sons who claimed they could neither read
nor write without first making them take
oath as to their illiteracy, and permitting
others than members of the board to rem
der the assistance permitted in such cases,
which had caused rumor of marked bal
lots having been cast in that township.
The next indictment read considered
Herman Bisbing, George w. Maute,
Patrick ]. McHugh and Charles Ermisch,
election officers of the third district of
Riverside. In this case the charge was
that after the votes had been counted
which work was accomplished at about 4
O'Clock on the morning after election, the
board failed to deliver the ballot box i'm
mediately to the township clerk; that the
box had not been properly sealed accord
ing to law; that the clerks, McHugh and
Ermisch, failed to properly care for the
ballot box, and took 1t to a cigar store
conducted by Ermisch, where it remained
until the following afternoon, and it was
then delivered to the township clerk by
the man engaged In taking down the
booths.
All these officers pleaded guilty
The court said the failure to properly
deliver the ballot boxes might be a serious
matter If they were placed In the hands
OF some designing person.
Prosecutor Atkinson said the evidence
as presented to the grand jury was that
the ballot box had been disposed of as
above described. The law requires that
when voter cannot read or write he
shall make oath to that effect before the
board. and that body must make note Of
the fact. This was not done in either case.
There was no evidence to show wiIsul
wrong doing Some members of the board
were new, and did not have a thorough
understanding of their duty. The board
was told by the township clerk that it was
not necessary to bring the ballot box to
his house until the booths arrived.
Mr.. Bills, speaking for the Pemberton
hoard M ia
there was no criminal intent in their con
duct. The members of the board had
known for years that the men In question
could neither read nor write, and it seemed
unnecessary to make them swear to that
fact A general laugh followed when he
said "the more you read the election law
the less you know about it /"
From what could by gathered from the
statements made Judge Horner said he
did not think there was any criminal in
tent. If the Pemberton board had per-
sonal knowledge of the men who stated
they could -either read nor write, It
would seem foolish to make them take an
oath. The regulations adopted to protect
the ballot boxes are quite proper, and the
provisions of the law are all wise ones
Each defendant was then ordered to paw
a fine of So.
The residence of Joseph Roberts, at
Moorestown, was recently robbed by two
Italians of goods to the value of $50. To
this crime Tomaso Basilio pleaded guilty.
He was sentenced to serve four months in
the county Jail. The prisoner has bad
record, having served time in Cumberland
county and Norristown, Pa. The other
man, Mick Picitti, also pleaded guilty,
but as he bore a good character the court
imposed fine of $25 and thirty DAYS in
jail.
Other pleas were made as follows:
Charles Fl. Riker, of Burlington, obtain
ing horses from Amos K. Dubell & Son.
of Columbus, under false pretenses. Not
guilty.
DR.. Martin w Curran, unlawfully prac-
ticing medicine at Chatsworth and not
having his diploma recorded with the
county clerk. Not guilty.
William F. Kanderer, assault and bat.
terry on Nellie Alden, of Riverside. Not
guilty.
John Williams, colored, of Chesterfield,
assault on Pearl QuigleY. Not guilty
The defendant pleaded guilty to another
indictment charging him with escaping
from constable while on a trolley car en-
route to the jail.
Julius Grass, of Bordentown, assault
and battery on bis wife. Not guilty.
The criminal cases will be taken up for
trial during the week of January 80,
when the petit jury and Judge Cole will
be here.