The Penn's Grove record., 1919-03-14
Queer Legal Kinks
When An Accessory Goes To
Prison and The Principal Goes
Free There is A Mystery
RUTH WILLIAMS SET FREE

L ~ ~ SOOP1L
Sparks, OF Penns Grove, as the States
stan witness, received her sentence on
FRIDAY morning for keeping a disor-
money to protect the girls place that
both Fisher and Sparks were con-
victed.
Ruth had been confined in the coun-
ty jail about three and a half months
ana in view of this, sentence was sus-
pended upon her promise to return to
ner home IN Colorado and lead a better
ME.
The girls father was in Court when
Judge Washington disposed OF the
case.-Standard and Jerseyman.
Jail Treatment Created Comment
10 relieve the anxiety of some per-
sons in Penns Grove who have been
misled by stories circulated in their
town, it is well to state that Ruth
Williams, the young woman who testi-
fed last week, is confined in the coun-
~ Jail hospital. She was taken there
when she contracted the flu and was
under the care OF the county physician.
Besides the usual Jail furniture she
has her trunk and her Victrola, all the
property she owns in the world. She
is being treated no better, no worse,
than any other well behaved inmate of
the institution.-Salem Sunbeam.
The Judges Charge
When the Marshals were sentenced
Judge Washington in his remarks to
the defendants said in partA As police
officers you took AN oath to honestly,
faithfully and impartially enforce the
laws of the State and ordinances of
the Borough of Penns Grove, but you
have been convicted by a 12-man jury
of ~suppressing crime. If police per-
form such acts as those of which you
have been found guilty it is impossible
posed to be a trusted servant of the
public, but when he fails, as you have
done, there is no law nor order. The
public at large has more interest than
anyone else. Society must be pro-
tected, especially the beyy and girls,
and an example must lde of you
as a warning to others who may be
tempted. The underworld don't care
about society so long as they get the
protection such IS you gave. Society
expects officials to do their duty and
when they fail they must be punished
commensurate with the crime. The
people of Salem county expect me to
send proprietors of speakeasies and
disorderly houses to State Prison or
the reformatory. What must they ex-
pect me to do with you who have been
convicted of allowing such places to
be operated ? There is only one
thing to do and that is send you to
prison.-Standard and Jerseyman.
A Little Legal History
Pauline Guiseppi was sent to Salem
Jail for thirty days by a Penns Grove
Justice on the charge of being a disor-
derby person. She was released be-
fore that time and returned to Penns
Grove. She confessed criminal con-
n~ection with Italian men who accused
Mayor J. A. Fisher of protecting
Crime. Judge Coles, attorney for Fish
er asked for proof that crime had been
committed.
In common law crime must be prov
ed before an accessory "a be con-
victed. But uncommon laws are now
very common.
The jury disagreed after hearing
testimony from all six Italians thru
interpreters, on a case instigatd by a
person who had personal financial diff
terences, with Mayor Fisher.
More History
For two years many criminals were
sent to Jail by Penns Grove magis-
trates. The taxpayers of Salm coun-
ty paid their board and several went
practically free, because of technical
tiles raised by attorneys and the lack
Of witnesses after weeks OF waiting.
Penns Grove taxpayers went down IN
their pockets about $4,000 to pay mar
shals to arrest criminals from whom
only a few dollars were collected and
from those sent to Salem nothing was
received. The Mayor and Council had
new ordinances made imposing tines
up to $50 on the advice of lawyers.
About fifty cases were fined and about
$1,000 collected from criminals to help
pay the cost of police protection. ).
A. Fisher got both the Democratic and
Republican nominations and was elect
ed on the promise to make raids on
talked of criminals. He and his
brother Clarence Fisher made more
raids and collected more money than
ever in the history of the Borough.
But every man has his personal, po-
litical and financial enemies and the
more criminals arrested and fined the
more enemies made to have Interior
motives for revenge.
Ruth Williams was arrested by Bor-
ough Marshals and fined $50 and cost
by Mayor j. A. Fisher, the extreme
limit of his jurisdiction. Can any one
but believe that criminals convicted by
public officials would not have an Ill
teriolH Tive to testify against public
OF ZEN TREY could mitigate pun
if ereby when convicted OF a
sLN1 crime?
ssay4 injured physically or NOR
aly'~y more by a police taking a few
dollars, than by a criminal transfer
ring money to an attorney who may
get such q person free from punish
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