River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-09-11
JEROME ACQUIIItU;
APOLOGY RENDERED
MAGISTRATE SORRY FOR HUMiL-
lATIoN DEFENDANT HAS
UNDERGONE.
EVIDENCE is INSUFFICIENT
Thaw Bases Some Hopes for Release
on Charge of irreguIarity Which
May be Lodged If First Con-
tention Fails.

Coaticook, Que, Sept. 10.-Apo&ogiz-
Ing for the humiliation to which he
had been subjected, Magistrate Mdlve-
ma freed William Travers Jerome of
the charge of having gambled on last
waiting for the immigration board to
dispose of the case of Harry X. Thaw.
Hearing is Short.
The hearing lasted less than an
hour, and at the end of that time the
court said, Sir, you are honorably dis
charged"
Jerome thanked the court and spoke
fakeringly of his reception in Can
ada. He declared that he did not at
tribute his arrest and Imprisonment a
week ago to the thinking people OF
Canada. Jerome later left Coaticook
for New York. He will prepare him.
self for arguments on the latest ha-
beas corpus writ, to be held before the
kings bench, Montreal, Sept. 10.
Crowd Is Hostile.
TownspeOple packed the court room
when the hearing was opened Every
and the bold among the auditors ad-
Vanced in semicircle about the coun-'
sci table and perched at the sides Of
the bench upon which the magistrateI
sat. Jerome looked straight at the
court and did not once glance at the
throng, which in looks, grim faces and
subdued remarks, was plainly hostile!l
A. G. Hanson, joint crown prose-
cutor, opened the case with the read
Ing Of the complaint of Milford Aid
rich, mill hand who swore he had
seen the defendant playing cards for
money at the railway station. Stat
utes were quoted to show that this
was an indictable offense, punishable
with years Imprisonment.
Jerome Is Acquitted.
In rendering judgment" Magistrate
Mulvena said, Il shall be very brief
l believe every rightminded man in
Canada regrets and feels humiliation
at the indignity which has been placed
upon you. 1t was excusable neither in
law nor in fact The evidence adduced
at this hearing gives no reasons for
the charge which was laid against
you, nor for the indignities which you
have suffered.
Il believe, sir in all the circum-
stances, you will not attribute the ap-
parent Offense offered you while in a
friendly country in che discharge of
your duty as public officer of the
real thinking people of this commun-
ity. You are, sir, honorably dis
charged"
irreguIarity Hope of Thaw.
Notwithstanding to J. N. Green
shields, of Thaws counsel, one of the
main hopes of the defense, aside from
the fight against the immigration act
itself, is an illegal irregularity in the
proceedings taken by the immigration
officers. 1t is contended that they did
not have formal order to take Thaw
In charge, which the defense claims
is necessary under the act when the
alien affected has been in the country
ten days.
Thaw had been in the country more
than 15 days when he was surrendered
to the immigration officials and T. r.
e. McInnes, K. c., has made an affi-
davit that the immigration men took
him in charge without proper author
ity from the minister.
He states that before the board of
inquiry he demanded that E. Blake |
Robertson, assistant superintendent of
immigration, produce this document
and that the latter declined to do so.
A Second Reason.
The second reason, cited to Judges |
Gervais and Cross in the informal APP
plication made by Thaw's counsel be- |
fore the matter was brought into |
chambers Friday, was the unconstitu.
tionality of the act
This third point is the misuse of the |
act to supplement and aid the en-.
forcement of the law and order in |
New York state
"Thaw's chances of ultimate free |
dom are better now than they have
been at any time since he was first ar |
rested on a charge of murder" said |
Mr.. Greenshields. The immigration |
act full of holes. 1t is a disgrace |
to Canada"