The diamond drill., 1919-02-08
JURY ACQUITS IN
LIQUOR CASES
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY PAID MS
COMPLIMENTS TO THEM
ADVERSE TO C0NSTABULARY
Civil Docket Was Started on We'd
nesday With the ReindI Case r
the First One up

The Jury in the Circuit Court for
the February term seemed to have IL
in for the constabulary. for in al
most all cases they refused con-
yiction unless specific evidence of
the person owning the booze or the
use TO which the stuff was put was
presented to them.
In one case-that Of an old and
persistent bootlegger-the defendant
employed no lawyer, made no de-
fsense-simply made speech in Ital-
ian which no one seemed TO under
stand, but the jury released him just
the same II should be stated, how
ever that the findings were in accord
ance with the instructions of the
court in the case for the evidence of
specific use to which the liquor was
put was not to be available.
State Ordered Men Held.
1t will be remembered that last
summer, shortly after the liquor
amendment went into effect, the state
authorities ordered that in all cases
the persons caught with liquor in
their possession be held to the court.
AS a result of this order, all per-
sons caught in the act of bringing liq-
uor into the state and against whom
a good case was had, pleaded guilty
In justice court and paid stiff
fine, for In all cases in this county the
Justices have been following instruc-
tions and assessing heavy penalties.
The fellow against whom there was
slight evidence had to be bound over
toasthe circuit court, so II followed
that only the weak cases went to the
high tribunal.
Adverse TO the C0ns;abulary.
While there was nothing on the
surface that showed any hostility on
the part OF the jury towards the state
constabulary, It looked as IL the NUT
terings heard along during the year
against outside interference in polio
ing, had seeped in TO some extent, for
there was a constant refusal to con
Wet men. although the fact that they
possessed liquor was admitted. For
example, four men occupied an auto
mobile a quantity OF liquor was
found in the car The Jury seemed
to require the fixing OF the ownership
OF the liquor upon some individual be
fore convicting The constabulary
were, OF course, unable to fix the
ownership or in cases where at
tempts were made to destroy the evi-
dence, who made the effort before
conviction was found
Trimmed Up the Jury.
The acquitals were so uniform as
the cases were tried that Prosecuting
Attorney Moriarty came 10 the con-
clusion that the jury would continue
In the course II had started through
out the session, so In the very weak
est cases he entered a nolle. so as 10
stop the expense to the county, but
before doing so he trimmed the jury
sitting In the case at the time, and
when they followed the usual course
the balance OF the cases we're set
over the term.
Civil Docket Started.
The civil docket was started on
Wednesday afternoon with the case OF
James Cummings VS.. Frank Reindi
and Wolfgang Reindl leading. This
case occupied all OF the afternoon.
the attorneys making their address to
the Jury the following morning. II
NJ. Pelham represented Mr.. Cummings
and Michael Doyle the Reindl firm.
The ACTON was brought for damag-
es resulting from the running away
OF horse sold plaintiff by the defend
ant something over year ago. Mr..
Cummings leg was broken in the
mix-up and he sued for damages.
The jury retired about the middle
Of the forenoon. and after considar-
able delay brought in a verdict of
$500 for the plaintiff.
The case OF Frank J. Heindel VS..
Barney Krom followed and occupied
two days OF the courts time. In this