Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-11
ACQU|TS JEROME
WITH AN APOLOGY
Hearing before Magistrate at
COaticOOk on Gambling
Charge Is Brief.
LAWYER THANKS The COURT
Does Not Attribute Arrest and
Brief Imprisonment to the
Thinking People of
Canada.
LAWYER THANKS The COURT

C1aticook Que, Sept S.--william TRAY
ers Jerome was acquitted tonight on the
charge of having gsrlbled on Thursday
last on the station property Of the Grand
Trunk railway here while waiting for the
Immigration authorities to pass ON the
case OF Harry X Thaw. In discharging
him the court apciog!zcd for the hurui!ia-
ton to which he had been subjected.
The hearing before Magistrate Henry
Mulvena OF Sherbrooke lasted less than
an hour. 1t began at 1885 o'clock and at
$50 the court said Sir. you are honor
ably discharged"
An attempt to hold an afternoon session
failed because the magistrate felt he had
no authority to take precedence over
James Mckee, the S0-year-old justice of
the peace who signed the warrant Tor
Mr.. Jerome's arrest. Tonight. however,
the magistrate said ne was convinced OF
his authority to act and the hearing
moved with despatch.
Joseph Reaulnc a Coa.icooh lawyer,
who said he variously rcpreaented Justice.
the people and tho criminal code inter.
rupted the afternoon session, but when
he endeaVored to renew a..a,iar tactics
this evening lie was :ulcd out OF court
When acquitted Mr.. Jcrclrc thanked the
coIrt. spoke natteiingly OF his reception
In Canada and added that he did not at
tribute his arrest and brief imprison-
ment last week to the thinking people OF
| the Dominion He took late train from
| Conticook tonight in order to be in New
York Tuesday and will return to Mon
lo,a
Thaw habeas corpus writ to be held be.
fore the Kings bench, Montreal on ION
day, September l5.
CROWD PLAINLY HOSTILE
Townspeople packed the court room
Hike sardines when the hearing was
opened tonight. Jerome looked straight
at the court and did not once glance at
the throng which in looks, grimaces and
subdued remarks was plainly hostile.
A. c, Hanson joint crown prosecutor,
opened the case with the reading OF the
complaint of Milford Aldrich. mill hand
who swore that he had seen the defend
ant playing at cards for money at the
railway station. Statutes We're quoted to
show that this was an indictable onense,
punishable with a years imprisonment.
/ Samuel Jacobs OF Montreal, who has
/ been retained by New York State in
Its efforts to return Thaw to Mattea-
| wan, contcnded that the statute APP
piled only to gambling on a public
! conveyance proper. The court took
this question un1 Ter AMUSEMENT and
/ called for witnesses
| Michael Knight, white haired. aged
/ CO. leaning on a blaCkthorn stick. said
he had seen the defendant playing "a
little game OF draw" I'm the station
yard. The defendant had been point
ed out to him as jerome of New York
did YOU see him win any money!"
asked the prosecutor.
81 saw a bill changed" answered
the witness. Il could not say who
won it"
| Fred ChesleY. a younger man than
Knight, testified on direct examination
that he had seen the defendant play
ing cards for money.
SAW JEROME TAKE MONEY.
did you see him win any?" asked
Jacobs on examination.
Il saw him take it," replied the wit
ness stoutly amid laughter.
;, Levy Moore, heavy set ami a.. re-
told the story of the poker game.
Did you see the defendant wiz
money" asked the joint prosecutor
NO sir" said Moore.
Jonathan Chesley, nearly 50 Years ole
and snow white Of hair and beard, WAS tn;
last witness. When asked If he had seer
Jerome win money, he said promptly
, Yes, sir"
Glow much?"
Cant say" replied the aged witness
Summing up the prosecution pointet
out that Dominion law h1d been enact
ed to protect the public from card sharp'
on trains, steamships and other public
conveyanCcs and that. according to The
evidence, William TroYers jerome, lat'
district attorney of New York, HAD vic
lated this law. Though vague. he con
tinued, the statute undoubtedly applied
to cailroad yards and stations ard h,
asked for n conviction.
Mr.. Jacobs did not even sum up Tor tn,
defense.
"To save the courts time" he saii Nv,
should make no statement"
. MAGISTRATE Mulvena leaned back anC
; pondcred FOR not more tran so seconds.
REGRET NOR THE INDIGNITY.
$ "In rendering Judgment" he said %
: shall be very brief. believe every
5 right-mindod man in Canada regrets ant
feels humiliation at the indiguity whicl
has been placed upon you.
at ia eXcusable neither in law nor !.
e. fact The evidence adducad at this hear
: ing gives no reasons for the charge whc
= was laid against you nor for the ndlg
; mites which YOU have suffered
1 Il believe, sir, in all the Circumstance
= you will not attribute the apparent OF
, Tense offered YOU while in n friend
country in the discharge of your dut
as a public officer to the real thlnkin
people of this community. You are, sill
honorably discharged"
8 Silence greeted the conclusion of tn
cnnrt,s remarks. Then Mr.. Jerome stoO