The Mount Holly news., 1917-11-27
TUESDAY. NOVEMBER 27, 1917
Random Remarks.

Some people in Burlington county
are wondering what it takes to get JUS
tics when life is taken. Two iuries
have decided that the killing of two
children were accidents. In the one
case 1t was shown that the driver Of an
automobile was using the public high
way without the lights required by
law. and that he knew that he was so
using the roads. 1t was shown at the
coronei's inquest. but for some reason
1t was not brought oat at the trial,
that he was driving without license.
He struck wagon and killed child,
but "it was an accident" and he is al
lowed to escape any punishment
In the other case man drove along
public highway where there were
children crossing. and he mangled, in
q terrible manner, a little boy. He
was running car with a cutout wide
epen and he knew it was in that con-
dition, and he also knew that one Of
his horns would not blow, but he kept
on running and the result was IAN
accident" In this case there was
difference OF opinion as to the rate OF
speed the car was going, the witnesses
for the state being children who did
not have proper conception of speed,
while the defence had worked that part
up by securing adult witnesses and
making the comparison of speed by
practical examples. The defendant,
In his examination, said he was run
ming the car from 20 to % miles an
hour, but he also said that he meas
ured the distance from the turn in the
road and found it to be three-tenths of
q mile, and he made an experimental
run and it took As seconds to go over
the portion in question. Calculate for
yourself and you will see by the de-
fendant's own testimony, that he
must have been running at the rate of
"a miles an hour.
The juries have said that these two
men are not guilty, and the.verdict
must be accepted, although as stated
at the beginning OF this article, many
are wondering what is required to get
justice when life is taken.
The Court Of Errors and Appeals
has decided that man who, while in
toxicated, drives an automobile, may
be sent to Jail by a recorder or justice
OF the peace. The opinion was brought
out by the appeal of man who lives
In the upper part OF the state, who
claimed that If there was any offence
he had the right to be tried by jury,
after indictment. This the higher
court declares is not the way to pro
ceed. This ought to be a warning to
automobile drivers, but it is question
whether it will be, for when "whiskey
is in wit is out" Not more than four
nights ago man was seen In Mount
Holly in front of his automobile SO
drunk that he was not capable of driy-
ing the machine. He was noticed by
sevefal. but we have not heard of any
arrest having been made, possibly be-
cause the gentlemen referred to did moi
sea the man driving.
1t Is peculiar what positions jurors
take in criminal cases. They seem to
want to be court and jury and the fact
that q man may receive severe SEN
tanoo uooD1s ~ haxo v,oo.< ..,Q,ooo ::
determining the guilt or innocence OF
the accused than the evidence or the
oath taken have. In both OF the man.
slaughter cases, last week, there was
general expression that the defendants
were guilty, but in one case it was
thought 1t would not do to send 'ssuch |
. nice man" to jail. In the other case
there were said to be nine automobile |
drivers on the jury and they consider
cd what might happen to them-thai
they might have a similar accident, in |
fact one OF them is said to have struck |
q child not long ago. In another case
. jury brought defendant in guilty.
although the vote showed an equal di |
vision on the subject. The argument,
that turned the tide was that the man
had been in Jail for four months and If
ne was declared guilty he would prob |
ably get two more months, while if |
the jury failed to agree the man wonld
again be put on trial and might get a |
much heavier sentence. SO those who
thought he was innocent turned their
vote to make him guilty so that light |
sr sentence might be imposed, which
was the result.