Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-07-29
NEWLY Welded
LAWYER JAILED
SeIig J. Mendes Fined $50 for
Contempt of Court by
Judge Hahn.

Judge Hahn.
Insisting upon what ne termed his
rights" Selig j. -ldendes, a lawyer,
with offices in the Firemen's build
ing, was adjudged in contempt of
court and fined $50 by Judge Hahn
in the Third precinct today. While
the lawyer was in a cell in default
of the fine his client, Isaac Meyer
son. of 172 Ferry street, was held in
$500 bail on a charge of assaulting a
policeman and also fined $25 and
costs of court for violating the city
ordinances.
The outbreak of the lawyer and his
arrest following threw the court and
station house in an uproar, and
Judge Hahn ordered both places
cleared before proceeding with other
cases. Mendes objected to Court Off,
Ger Van Houten's handling when he
was arrested, and a tussle was i'm
minent. Meyerson, confused by the
events of the morning, refused to
plead to the charges against him
until he could again see his counsel.
|
threatened to bring proceedings to
have Judge Hahn impeached be-.
cause he refused to take complaints
of atrocious assault and battery
against Captain Peter ]. Christie
and Patrolman Conrad Rauscher.
He declared that the court had no
discretion in the mattefNpnd should
entertain the complaints which were
to be made by Meyerson. Judge
| Hahn replied that he would take the
risk of impeachment and would not
take the complaints against the po-
| lice officers.
The trouble that had it's culmina-
ton today had it's start when Cap
tain Christie and Patrolman Rausch-
er placed Meyerson under arrest for
obstructing the sidewalk in front of
his place of business June 49, Meyer
son, it is alleged, assaulted Captain
Christie and then the patrolman who
had gone to his superior's aid. In
| the mix-up Rauscher used his billy
on the storekeeper's head. Meyer
son made his escape and was ar
rested the following day.
Rsuscher Prefers Charges.
Rauscher preferred charges of as
sault and battery against Meyerson
and the latter preferred the same
charges against the policeman before
the Board of Police Commissioners
| The board exonerated the officer two
weeks ago. The case was postponed
several times, the last two times be-
cause counsel, Mr.. Mendes, was on
his honeymoon. He returned only re-
Gently and was able to proceed with
the trial today.
After swearing a public steno-
grapher whom he had hired to take
the evidence the lawyer asked to be
allowed to make the counter COM
plants of assault He said that the
complaint against his client had been
taken without any previous exami-
nation into the evidence and so should
the complaints against Captain
Christie and his subordinate. After
lengthy talk on the law on the
subject Mr.. Mendes declared:
ut makes no difference whether a
man wears gold buttons or civilians
suit, complaint should be taken
against him for an act of this kind.
| Your honor has no discretion in the
matter, you must listen to my charges.
Failing to do this, you hold yourself
liable to impeachment"
81 take that chance. / will not take
the complaint" answered the court.
Rauscher admitted that he had
struck Meyerson over the head with
his billy" in f-defense, after the
man, known to him as Morrison, hit
him. Mendes moved that the COM
plant be dismissed because 1t charged
Morrison with the offense. 1t was a
mistake in the names, the court held,
and as Meyerson had been identified,
he denied counsels motion for dis
missal. Captain Christie testified
that the defendant had told him he
had ito d much to say in the
precinct and had used vile language.
Your honor, I insist that you hear
me in this matter. There are going
to be complaints taken or I'll never
enter this courtroom to plead another
case" broke out 'Mendes in loud
tone. you must, or I'll know why
he repeated, and then kept on talking
| despite the judges caution.
| ou diC llAiCo |OV lOI COIltIlpl VI
court and remanded until the fine
is paid" said the indignant nfagis-
trate to Mendes. and then directed
that he be slated" and locked up
| Mendes protested. but his pleas were
unavailing. Later he was released to
telephone to his advisers, McCartel
& English.
Captain Christie, after court, de-
clared he had been approached with
promises of release from assault
charges to be made against him If he
would drop the prosecution of the
complaints against the merchant. He
said Mendes had been to see him or
several occasions about dropping the
charges, but he refused to do so.
Mendes is 2S years old and live.
at 2s Stratford place.