Arizona republican., 1913-09-09
Former District Attorney of New York Is Released by Judge Mulvena After Brief Hearing at Special Night Session.
COURT OFFERS
 SINCERE APOLOGY
Says Thinking People of Canada Were Not Behind Attempt to Belittle and Humiliate Officer From Friendly Country.

COATICOOK, Sept S.-William Travers Jerome was acquitted tonight of the charge of having gambled on Thursday on the station property of the Grand Trunk railway here while waiting for the immigration authori- ties to pass on the case of Harry Thaw. In discharging him the court apoligized for the humiliation to which he had been subjected.
 The hearing before Magistrate Henry Mulvena of Sherbrooke lasted less than an hour An attempt to hold an afternoon session failed be- cause the magistrate felt he had no authority to take precedence over James Mckee, the justice of the Jeromes arrest. Tonight, however. the magistrate said he was convinced of his authority to act and the hear ing moved with dispatch
 Joseph Beaulne, the CoaticOok law yer, who was said yariOusly to have represented justice. the people and the criminal code, interrupted the after noon session. but when he endeaV- ored to renew similar tactics in the evening, he was ruled out of court. When he was acquitted, Jerome thanked the court, spoke flatteringly of his reception in Canada and added he did not attribute his arrest and brief detention of last week to the thinking people of the Dominion He took a late train from Coaticook in order to be in New York on Tues day and will return to Montreal for the arguments in the latest Thaw habeas corpus writ to be held before the Kings bench, in Montreal on Sept b.
 Townspeople packed the courtroom when the hearing opened tonight. Jerome looked straight at the court and did not glance at the throng which was plainly hostile.
 Samuel Jacobs. of Montreal. who had been retained by New York State in an effort to return Thaw to Mat tewan contended the statute applied only to gambling on a public con Veyance proper. The court took this question under advisement and called for witnesses. Michael Knight said he had seen the defendant playing "a little draw in the station yard. The court then held that Jerome had not violated the law
 Summing up the prosecution point ed out that the Dominion law had been enacted to protect the public from card sharps on trains, steam ships and other public conVeyances and according to the evidence Will liam Travers Jerome, late district at torney of New York had violated the law Though vague, he continued, the statute undoubtedly applied to the railroad yards and stations, and he asked for conviction.
 Jacobs did not even sum up for the defense.
 ..To save the courts time" he said, we will make no statement
 Magistrate Mulvena said:
 Tn rendering judgment I shall be very brief I believe every right minded man of Canada regrets and feels humiliated at the indignity which has been placed upon you. IL is excusable neither by law nor fast. The evidence adduced at this hearing gives no reasons for the charge which has been laid against you nor for the indignities you have suffered. I believe. sir, under the circum- stances. you will not attribute the apparent offense offered you while in a friendly country in discharge of your duty as a public officer to the real thinking people of this com munity You are, sir, honorably dis charged"
 Jerome then thanked the court and said he understood perfectly the cir c,,7,1StancpS of the case