The Penn's Grove record., 1921-03-04
Marshals'
Case Reversed
Court of Errors and Appeals
Decides Salem County Judge
Was Wrong

At the December term, 1918, a Sa-
lem County jury decided three Mar
shals of Penns Grove Borough were
guilty of ~suppressing crime and &C.
cepted brides. Clarence Fisher was
sentenced to one and a half years to
three years in prison. Cooper Sparks
six months and 500 fine, and Charles
Stiles to three months and 500 fine,
Joseph Mooney was sentenced and
served his term of a few months
while the others appealed their case
on the plea that Judge G. E. Wadding-
ton had erred in defining reasonable
doubt.
w. B. Surran, attorney for plaintiff
in error, April "a, 1919, filed a COM
paint in Supreme Court that there
was manifest error, and said Charles
Stiles says the judgment be reversed
and assigns the following reasons:
j. Because the Court allowed the
jury to consider dates of alleged pay
ments other than those named in the
Indictment.
2. Because the Court erred in de-
filming reasonable doubt as follows
at must be beyond a reasonable
doubt, and by reasonable doubt is
meant nothing more or less than that
you as the men selected to determine
this case shall conscientiously, and as
reasonable men, be satisfied in your
minds that the defendants did receive
the money for the purpose of sup
pressing this crime. If you are SO
satisfied you should convict them"
8. Because the Indictment did not
charge a criminal offense.
4. Because the evidence did not
warrant a conviction of guilty .
s.. Because the Court failed and re-
fused to point out to the jury that the
witness, Adams, was a party to the
offense, and that his testimony should
be taken with caution and considered
with care.
6. Because of manifest error
throughout the charge of the Court.
The decisions means that the cases
will be returned to Salem Court for
another trial. AS the notorious GRIM
inals on whose testimony the marshals
wes. conyicted-have gone TO parts un-
known there is doubts whether the
cases will be tried.
story OF n Ease
During the World War boom hun
dreds of criminal characters fire.
quented Penns Grove when there was
lot of easy money and easy virtue
Among the characters was a woman
who went by the name of Ruth VIII
liams. She was arrested and brought
before Mayor ]. Albert Smith and
fined $50. Later she was arrested and
put in Salem Jail. The report is that
she did not tell Prosecutor D. V. Sum-
merrill, Jr., that she made an atfl-
davit before Henry Burt Ware in
eliminating Penns Grove Borough
marshals. Ruth Williams was in the
custody of William T. Miflin, Sheriff
a business partner of H. B. Ware.
Whether true or not the reputation
was that she was kept as a stan
boarder. The other witness against
the marshals was a colored mar NAM
ed Albert Adams, then a prisoner or
the County road in the custody OF the
Sheriff.
There were two factions of the Re-
publican party and the Fishers were
in office.
Judge Clarence Cole, of Atlantic
City, is a big lawyer and is attorney
for the marshals. The reputation has
gone over the County that the Salem
resident lawyers know the jurors ano
do not intend any big lawyer from out
side the County to win cases.
The jurors convicted officers on the
testimony of convicted criminals in the
custody of the Court. Messrs Spark;
and Stiles had borne good regulations
in this region but the jurors accepted
the testimony of criminals they ha6
arrested and been fined by the Bor
ough authorities. Then Judge +. Z
Washington, after sentencing thu
marshals let Ruth Williams, the WON
an with the reputation of being
notorious harlot, go free.
Between men with heretofore gooo
repute and public officials who hat
arrested criminals and helped put
about 81 1000 in fines in the Borough
treasury, the jurors and Judge sidet
with the criminals and gave equa
protection by giving freedom.
While straining at the gnat of a few
dollars a reputed harlot said she palt
the marShalS, Salem County mas 1alle(
to convict two murderes in Penn!
| Grove since then.
Whether it be in the moral deprav
ity of attorneys, or jurors, or the
obtuseness of the judge, Salem
| County has been gaining a reputation
for legal jockeying rather than justice
By giving the political and loca
legal background the public may bet
ter understand the decisions of juror
and Judges.
Somebody Dreaming
The Salem-Standard and JerSey1nal