The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-05-22

OOiu VI having SeVeTa
: chickens on Saturday morning bu
when he went to feed them the mex
/ day IL were missing. A man cam,
along and told him that Greenwood
had some chickens in his possession
which correspondent with those lost by
Deviney. The latter went to the
poultry house of Frank Ridgwav anc
found that Mrs. Greenwood had sole
some chickens there few DAYS afte,
the supposed theft. Deviney identified
some chickens as his. On the strength
of this and the testimony of Mr.. Ridg.
way warrant was issued and Green.
wood was arrested.
The defence was that the prisoner
had been raising chickens for some
time. He found that neighbor was
going to start truck patch next door
and not having the proper means to
keep his chickens home Greenwood de-
cided to kill them. He said those his
wife had sold to Ridgway were his own
property. On the day that one of the
witnesses for the state said he saw
Greenwood picking chickens, on the
strength of which heinformed Deyiney
that Greenwood had stolen the chick
ems, the prisoner said he was at Cooks
town from three o'clock in the after
noon until ten in the evening and that
he was taken home drunk. Two friends
dragged and carried him home. The
inference to be drawn from this testi-
mony was that if the man was in the
hotel at Cookstown all the time speci-
fled he could not have been seen
picking chickens at the time mention
ed by another witness.
James Mercer Davis put up strong
defence for Greenwood and the jury
rendered verdict of not guilty.
Yesterday there was a session of the
common pleas. court.
Application was made by counsel for
Mrs. Charles Gray, asking for a re.
opening of the compensation case
against Mrs. Emma L. Snyder, in or
der that the expense of the funeral
might be shown.
1t will be recalled that Charles Grav
lost his life in the Madison hotel ex-
plosion in Mount Holly. Gray was a
bartender in the employ of Mrs. Sny-
der, owner and manager of the hotel.
Testimony was heard recently bv
Judge Lippincott to determine the
compensation to Gray's widow under
the employers liability act, but there
was a neglect to bring out any evil |
dence relative to the funeral expenses.
The application to reopen the case
was granted, and Thursday was fixed as
the day for hearing the testimony.
Judge Lippincott yesterday filed his
decision in the above case, in which
he granted to Mrs. Gray the sum of SO
per week for 300 weeks.
Criminal business occupied the bal
ance of yesterdays session:
The case of criminal libel against DIR.
Martin w. Curren had been fixed for
yesterday, but Prosecutor Kelsey stated
that owing to the absence of material
witness, he would be unable to pro.
coed. This witness is not only out of
the state but is in the government
military service, so it will be difficult
to tell when the case will be moved.
1t also developed that DR.. Curran
has been accepted for hospital service
by the government, and is liable to be
called at any time.
V. g. Palmer, counsel for Curran,
thought he was entitled to know the
name of the material witness referred
to and the character of his or her testI-
mony, but the prosecutor refused to
give the information.
The court stated that as the case had
not been moved the prosecutor was not
obligated to answer Mr.. Palmers uues-
tions. The Prosecutor has control of
the case, and, as requested, it was
postponed. The state has had an op-
portunity to give DR.. Curran a trial,
and If the defendant now is called to |
military service it will be the prosecu- |
TONS fault if the defendant hereafter |
is not present when wanted for trial.
The case of the state against William |
II. Thompson, constable, was moved. |
The Indictment charged Thompson
with compromising felony and also for |
extortion of money.
Robert Peacock, counsel for defend |
ant, moved that the Indictment be |
quashed on the ground that it does not |
show a crime specifically enough to |
give his client sufficient opportunity
to defend himself. The motion was
refused
The case as outlined by Prosecutor
Kelsey and testified to by Charles B.
Lynch, the complainant, alleged that
Thompson had taken $25 from Lynch
to prevent the latter from being ar.
rested for larceny. Lynch had been
employed in the munitions depart
ment of the keystone Watch Case
Company at Riverside. He resided at
Pemberton.
One day Lynch took home a num-
Der OF small aluminium castings which
were parts of timing device for shrap-
mel shells. The parts had been reject
ed and were valueless except as old
metal. He took them as souvenirs,
and placed them in his trunk upon
arriving home. A few days later he
noticed that his trunk had been
searched and the castings removed.
Later he met Thompson, who said
complaint had been made about lar
ceny of the castings, but that he could
have the case settled for $25. Lynch
testi6edIthat he borrowed $50 from his
brother and paid $25 to Thompson.
Harry Davis, assistant cashier OF the
People National Bank, at PembertOn,
knew that Lynch was at the bank and
got check for $25 cashed, but could |
not give the date of the transaction.
James Giberson was called to show
that he aided constable Thompson in |
the search of Lynch's trunk, but it was
shown that the warrant under which |
he acted was dated January 81, while |
the alleged crime was supposed to date
in February.
After the state had finished its case |
Robert Peacock asked that the case be |
taken from the jury and that verdict
of not guilty be returned. Judge Lip |
pincott said that the indictment |
charged the compromising of larceny,
and that is defined as taking reward