The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1914-12-29

found, SO the following were all tina
could be published;
Frederick Lowden, Palmyra, neglec
of family.
Fred L. Sigmund, Chester, neglect o
family.
John Eldridge, Chester, larceny.
Mark Lippincott, William Il. Powell
George H. Cline and B. Melvin Stow
Evesham township, and William HI
Hates, Willinghoro township, failure K
file election expense statements.
The trial of criminal cases will begir
on Monday. The grand jury is in SEES
sion again today.
Thursday was the regular day to lister
to anything hat might be presented
AS usual Prosecutor Atkinson had somt
cases to bring to the attention of the
court.
Harley Gilbert and Benjamin Clinton
were charged with stealing seven chick
ems and some corn from the farm o.
Charles Wright, near Columbus. The
men live about a mile from the farm,
Clinton admitted stealing the corn but
said the theft of the chickens did not lie
at his door. He said his wife and Gil.
bert attended to the poultry business.
He admitted the chickens were found in
his house near the corn, but said they
were put there while he was asleep and
that he did not know anything about the
transaction. The men both claimed to
have been very drunk on the evening OF
the theft. Mrs. Clinton was in Jail on a
sentence for disorderly conduct. She
was brought into court and vas very
positive that the men stole the chickens.
She was willing to admit that she went
wrong once in awhile, but she drew the
line on stealing. Judge Lippincott de-
cided that both men would be better off
in Jail and he gave each of them so days.
Thompson Grant was sent to the Rah-
way reformatory. He had pleaded guilty
to stealing goods from Mr.. Petit, at
Burlington. Thompson's record was
against him. He had served three
months in the county Jail on one charge
and had been on probation for another
offense.
Fred LOwden, indicted for neglect of
his family, pleaded not guilty.
Henry Dietz pleaded non vult conten-
dere to a charge of adultery with a color
ed oma There were several circum-
stances connected with this case which
led the court to be lenient. The man had
been in Jail for over a month and he was
allowed to go in charge of the probation
officer.
Francis J.. Smith filed papers in an
action against the city Of Burlington
under the employers liability act. This
is to decide whether the city of Burling-
ton can be held under this statute for
salary of Thomas Rogan, one of its po-
lice officers who was murdered while in
the discharge of his duty. Ernest Watts
represents Burlington, and the only
point to be settled is whether a munich
pality can be held liable. The argument
will take place on January 81.
Yesterday the candidates who had not
filed their accounts of election expenses
and who were indicted by the grand
jury, went before the court. They were
represented by Clifford Powell, who en-
tered a plea of non vult for each man.
The act which provides for punishment
Of those who do not file accounts says
that the candidate who is convicted or
admits his guilt must relinquish the
Office to which he was elected. But
there is a section which provides that if
the candidate wishes to retain his Office
he may petition the court to allow him
to remain in the position. The law says
that if it is made clear to the court that
there has not been any malicious or
criminal intent in failing to file an ac-
count, or if good and sufficient reasons
are shown for the neglect the candidate
shall not be removed.
Judge Lippincott said he would hear
testimony on the cases. Those who
were before the court were William
f. Powell, assessor; Mark Lippincott
and George H. Cline, surveyors of high
ways; and b. Melvin Stow, township
committee. All of the gentleman came
from Evesham. They were all elected,
except Stow. They said that in previous
years the township clerk had come to
them with statements already prepared
and they had signed them. During the
year that township clerk had resigned
and a new nan had been appointed.
He followed his predecessors acts, how
ever, so far as the primary election was
concerned and presented the usual state
ments which were signed and returned
to him. At the general election this
clerk, who was a candidate for re-elec-
ton, was defeated, and he evidently lost
all interest in the matter. The other
candidates, with the idea that the state
ment would come along all right, did
not bother about it until notified of the
action Of the grand jury. The fact that
they did not incur any expense also
made them somewhat Indifferent.
Each man who was elected said he
desired to retain his Office, although the
surveyors of highways said they never
received any salary.
Some of the answers given by the men
while on witness stand were amusing.
One of them was asked if he had ever
been in trouble before the court at any
time and he said: Nothing except he
had been in attendance as a witness. -
Mr.. Powell, who has been the efficient
assessor of Evesham for nine years, was
asked if he had ever been in trouble be-
fore, to which he answered mo-" but
those who have had some knowledge of
what the assessor has to put up with
thought Mr.. Powell must have forgiven
and forgotten.
Judge Lippincott said he could not see
his way clear to let the men go entirely
free, and he imposed a fine Of SIS on each
one, but at the same time he said there
was nothing brought out to show that
the candidates had acted in a wilful OF
criminal manner They had been in
the habit of depending on the township
clerk, or, at least, they had allowed him
to present their accounts. This, taken
in connection with the fact that none Of
them had incurred expense had evidently
lulled them into a sense of security. The
Judge ordered that nom of those elected
should be deprived of their Office. This
was satisfactory to all. The in
which these indictments were found