Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1915-05-21
SHERIFF LIKELY To
Be STAR WITNESS
Houghton's Testimony Will
Form important Feature for
Defense of Strike Deputies.
THINK DELAY IS PROBABLE
More TaIesmen Other Than
100 Already Drawn May be
Necessary to Form Jury.
THINK DELAY Is PROBABLE

Sheriff Edward F. Houghton will
be one of the star witnesses for the
defense in the noted murder, trial
which will begin at New Brunswick
Monday, 1t was learned today. There
was apprehension expressed today
concerning a probable delay in the
proceedings by the fact that 1t is
likely more talesmen, other than the
100 already drawn, may be necessary
before jury of twelve men, without
any prejudicial opiuions in the case
can be secured to try the indictment
of murder against the first ten
deputies" who will be placed on
trial Monday.
Much depends on the decision Of
Justice Bergen as to whether each
side will be entitled to five chal-
lenges for each of the ten accused or
only five for the lot. II each side is
entitled to five for each man that
would give 100 peremptory chal-
lenges, which If exercised would ex-
haust the present venire of 100 men
drawn from Mercer county. Another
phase became prominent this morn
ing, which may disaualify number
of the prospective jurors now on the
panel This is the matter of opin-
ions which the men may have on
one side or the other. Though the
panel is drawn from Mercer county,
the strike case has gained such ma
ton wide attention. that, some law
yers declared today, 1t would be hard
to get twelve men out of 100 who
had not expressed an opinion or
TIC in, l,ty x1r{f 7,
or against the deputies" One of
the questions which it is believed
both sides will ask of every prospec-
tive juror is, what paper heS read
most during the climax of the excite
ment following the fatal shooting of
two fertilizer workers January 19 at
Roosevelt Their state of mind will
likely be judged great deal by sym
pathy expressed In such newspapers
which they were in the habit OF read
ing at that time.
Though practically all the officers
of the borough of Roosevelt have
been subpoenaed by the prosecution,
represented by Prosecutor w. Edwin
Florance, Assistant Prosecutor John
A. Coan and Attorney General Wes-
colt, Sheriff Houghton viii testify for
the deputies. 1t Is declared that
the prosecution would gain nothing
by having him as witness.
Mr.. Houghton will tell of having
been called on to preserve order by
the two plants of the American Ag-
rieultural Chemical Company at
Roosevelt, and how in his extremity
he engaged the deputies" through
the Jerry O'Brien agency of New
ark. How with the sanction of
Judge DAILY. it is believed, he swore
the men in as deputy sherfffs, clothed
them with the authority of the law
by giving them badges and armed
them for emergencies and stationed
them at the plants at Roosevelt to
prevent the destruction of property
and the probable loss of life by
be likely clash between the sheriff
and officials of the borough, who
sympathized with the strikers and
whom the sheriff has accused of en-
.couraging the strikers to violence by
not dealing firmly with them and dis
pelling mob gatherings in the streets
and about the plants.
There will be fifty or more wit
nesses to testify for the defense,
many of whom will be character wit
nesses for the deputies.
The defense, represented by Jo-
seph E. Stricken and former Attorney
General Robert H. McCarter, of
Newark, it Is believed, have some
thing up their sleeves" which they
will spring and which is calculated to
bring CONSERVATION into the ranks of
the prosecution. There will be many
sensational bits of evidence rem
dered, many climaxes and startling
it is believed, through
out the trial