Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-05-03
VERDICT WRONG
DAILY DECLARES
County Judge Criticizes Jury
in Freeing VIM. Lillian in
Metuchen Booze Case.
fBy Evening News Stan Correspondent

NEW BRUNSWICK, May g.
Judge Peter +. DAILY in no uncertain
terms. this morning showed his dis
pleasure At the verdict of acquittal
rendered by the jury in the case be-
fore the court yesterday. charging
William Lillian. the alleged Eliza
beth boctlegger. with carrying con-
cealed weapons.
He stated, this court room yester-
day Witnessed one of the worst trav-
estes of justice ever seen in this
county, in the rendition by the jury
of 4 VerGict of acquittal for William
Lillian.
II cannot understand what argu-
ment i'll tae jury room caused the
jurors to reach their conclusions as
many CO them are well known to me
and are OF very high type" said
Judge DAILY.
Thu Judge spoke of Bowers, the
garage owner, and one of the prin-
cipal witnesses for the state. being
branded as a perjurer. as we'll as the
prose ecutor and assistant prosecutor.
due to the fact that Lillians word
was taken before theirs. Judge DAILY
stated that it is a serious thing to
criticise the acts of a jury. but that
in this case it cannot be helped. He
stated that juror violates his oath.
| if he does not take the evidence. and
the law as the court gives it to them,
| ant return a verdict according to the
same.
The judge stated that the natlor
is bull: up on facts Of governmental
| law. and not by men. and stated that
the sublime principles of the county
are Quilt up through the court and
~tu L-N h.
| ferred to discharge the jury but
asmuch as it would not alone dis
grace the men but also their fani-
| lies.
The court stated that he would be
false in his duties if he did not re-
pudiate this verdict, which is against
the facts of law as brought out. He
stated that no man in this county
could take the records of the case,
20 over same, and honestly say that
William Lillian is not guilty. He
again stated that Bowers is a high
type of man and came into court
not prejudiced against Lillian. but
E a witness for the state, and told
truthful story, a. did the Metuch-
en- police chief and officer.
The judge referred to Lillian's
story that the overcoat in which the
gun was found, first belonging to his
brother or cousin, and later the in
PRODUCTION by the defense of 1, ga
rage owner from Newark who claim
I'd he owned the coat. This was
done to offset the evidence given by
the prosecutor and assistant prose-
cutor that Lillian wore a green coat
and not blue coat at the hearing,
Judge DAILY continued.
The judge concluded by saying
that violations of this kind bring
anarchy, and that although he may
not agree with some of the laws,
they must be upheld, and any
changes desired must be made
through the ballot box.
Lillian was acquitted by a jury
after about thirty minutes con-
sideration yesterday afternoon.
Lillian's defense was that he
had not worn the coat in which
the revolver was found, he claiming
that both the coat and revolver were
the property of a Newark garage
man who had repaired his car the
day before Lillian's arrest and left
the coat and gun under the seat ac-
cidentally. The garage man also
testified that the coat and gun were
his and not Lillians. Prosecutor
Joseph E. Stricken and Assistant
Prosecutor John h. Toolan both took
the stand and testified to having
seen Lillian wearing the coat in
question when brought into the
Nltuchen court. Senator Thomas
Brown represented the defendant