Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-19
LIEUTENANT ISN'T
LAWYERS TARGET
Meehan Does Very Well
Against Finelli's Question
ing in Boyd Trial.

Lieutenant James F. Meehan, Of
police headquarters, came in for a
heckling at the hands of Anthony R.
Fineli, counsel for Frank Boyd, in
Quarter Sessions Court before Judge
William P. Martin today. He came
out of the ordeal with flying colors.
Boyd is on trial for the theft of
$50 in cash and clothing and jewelry
valued at $50 from the home Of Ber-
nard Speiser, a saloon-keeper, at 80
Stone street, on the night of Novem-
Der % last At that time it is alleged
that Boyd, who was known to Spell
ser, entered the sleeping room of the
latter about 1870 O'Clock in the morn
ing and made a collection of Spell
sers wearing apparel including the
contents of the pockets. 1t is also
alleged that when Speiser awoke and
protested against the robbery that
Boyd told him to keep still or he
would blow his head off. Whether
Boyd had revolver to make good
with or not is not shown in the COM
plant or in the evidence.
Meehan got into the case through
making the arrest of Boyd at the
Fifteenth Ward Democratic Club fol-
lowing the commission of the crime.
On the witness stand today Mr.,
Finelh asked Meehan if it were not
true that Boyd had been put through
the third degree"
Mehan denied that he had and then
Finelli asked if he had been meas
ured and photographed at police
Headquarters. Second Assistant
Prosecutor Andrew Van Blareom in
terposed an objection before Nee
han could answer.
Judge Martin sustained the objec-
ton, stating that the testimony de-
sired was not relevant to the case
and that if Finelli had any COM
plant to make against the measuring
and photographing he should take
1t to the Legislature or the Board of
Police Commissioners and not to the
Jury trying the case"
Finelli then stated that he wanted
to show that Meehan committed an
Illegal act as he had made the arrest
and caused the prisoner to be meas
ured and photographed before COM
plant had been sworn out. Finelli
also intimated that Meehan had a
personal interest in making the ar
rest
Gets His Answer.
Judge Martin, who had told Finelli
several times that the questions along
that line We're not relevant, finally
said; you may have your answer
to the question, but you will have to
stand by 1t. You have been warned
by the court" Finelli then did not
seem to be so anxious for the answer.
but Judge Martin ordered Meehan to
tell whether the prisoner had been
photographed. His answer was yes"
and to a succeeding question, why"
he explained, because in all cases
where a serious charge is involved
measurements are taken and pic
ture made of the prisoner If the de-
fendant is later found not guilty the
picture and measurements are gener-
ally destroyed
Finelli then proceeded to ask ques-
tions tending to show that Meehan
had personal interest in making an
arrest, but did not get very far, as
Van Blarcom came in with TASK spe-
cifie questions"
q am not in a position to do so"
was Finelli's reply, and that phase
of the examination was dropped al
though Finelli later asked if Meehan
had not advised a settlement of the
case after he had GAade the arrest.
mo, sir,n was the reply of Meehan.
after Boyd had been arrested he
had a conference with Speiser at the
Second precinct station, at which the
latter offered to drop the complaint
If Boyd would return the stolen prop
erty. ! told both Speiser and Boyd
that we were not there to talk about
settlement That Boyd had been ar
rested and that the case must take
the usual procedure"
MIR. Finelli then dropped the cross
examina ton of Meehan without
bringing out what the personal inter-
est, if any. that Meehan had in the
waiter The case will go to the jury
1ais afternoon.