Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1922-01-09
SP0FF0RD IS
FREED BY COURT
Indictment Against Him Dis
missed by Judge DAY.
Not Sufficient Evidence

NEW BRUNSWICK, Jan. 9-At
the conclusion of the states case
against Harold Spofford, who was
placed ON trial in the county court
this morning on an Indictment
charging him with breaking and en-
tering the court house here by night
with the intention to steal, entry
by day and entry without breaking
with intent to steal. f. M. Ritchie.
attorney for the defendant moved
for a verdict of acquittal. Judge
Peter f. Daily granted the motion
oontending that as the case stood 1T
that time there was not sufficient
evidence to find the defendant guilty
| of any of the three counts of the
| indictment.
Officer Curran was main witness
| for the state, and his story was cor
| roborated by officer Bates. George
Hush, who conducts q taxi business
in New Brunswick, testified that he
rented a car to Spofford on the night
in question from o'clock until 2
O'Clock. Siofford declaring that he
was going to a party at Oak Shades,
olice officials identified several cans
as the ones found by Curran at the
rear entrance to the court house.
Assistant Prosecutor John e. Too
Ian presented the states case relat-
ing the activities of Snotford on Sen
tember 90 and 23. The prosecutor
0 oned by saying the court house
had been used to store ten barrels
of alcohol which had been confis-
Gated by the authorities Then the
report of Officer Joseph Curran of
the New Brunswick police was re-
lated which started by the checking
of q suspicious looking aCtom ubile,
md the stopping of an automoh le
near the court house ayehal hours
when three Or four men were seen
TO climb out carrying packages.
The men, officer Curran's report
stated went toward the basement of
the court house, and upon his ar
rival on the scene he found that this
automobile was the same one as that
which he checked when it passed
earlier in the night. Further inves-
tigation revealed several five and
ten gallon cans wrapped up in bur-
lap bags at the entrance to the base
! ment door of the courthouse.
officer Curran's report goes on to
say that he notified headquarters
and another officer was sent to the
scene, and that the two remained
around until o'clock in the morn
ing. Some time after midnight, Of
| ficer Curran relates, he was passing
between the Jail and the courthouse
and Henry Bach, one of the jailers
| asked who was there. The officer
declares that Spofford was standing
alongside of the jailer. Some time
later. the officers report states, he
saw Spofford going between the Jail
and the courthouse in the direction
| of tho street
According to the officers report
! Spofford was followed to the corner
| of George and Paterson streets
where he engaged in conversation
with Officer Bates. Upon Officer
Curran's arrival at this corner, it is
| declared, officer Bates introduced
| Spofford "as a man from California
who wishes to see you"
Spofford solicited the aid of Cur
ran, it is said, to get the alcohol
| from the courthouse a barrel at a
| time, the stuff to be placed in cans
and after all the barrels were emp
| tied the wood to be burned so that
all evidence would be destroyed.
| According to Officer Curran's report
he agreed to meet Sponord in Room
| 1S of the Albany hotel during the
morning of the 23rd. When Curran
Continued on page ~
p A Hdwe for Alabastine,