Camden Daily Courier, May 24, 1895View transcription
SOME SEVERE SENTENCES.
LOTTERY POLICY DEALERS GIVEN THE FULL EXTANT OF THE LAW.
A Business Court Which Announces its Purpose to Punish Law Breakers as the Laws Provide—Tribute Awarded Where Tribute is Due.
Policy sellers felt the strong hand of the law this morning, and Judge Vroom, speaking from the bench of the Quarter Sessions Court, stated that all offenders in the same line who came before the Court would receive the most severe penalty the law allowed. Judge Vroom's language when speaking of the practice of policy selling was most severe and condemnatory.
"This Court," said he, "has fully determined to break up the nefarious traffic, and all offenders hereafter convicted will receive the full penalty of the law."
It was assizes day at the Quarter Sessions Court this morning, and four persons convicted of violating the law concerning lottery, were early arraigned before the Court for sentence. Walter Garwood, who entered a plea of nom vult contendre, was given a sentence of one year in the State prison and to pay a fine of $100 and costs. William Parker, colored, who was found guilty of policy selling, was given a sentence of one year, but no fine. Washington Ketline, who the Court designated as an old offender, was sentenced to one year in the penitentiary and to pay a fine of $100 and costs—the full limit of the law. When Mrs. Harriet Smith, of 750 Federal street, arose for sentence, she was visibly affected and seemed to know that her fate was to be a severe one. She was sentenced to one year in the penitentiary. She was taken from the court room crying and on her way down stairs to the Sheriff's office fainted. She was removed to the jail on a cot, seriously ill. Mrs. Smith has a large family, and her sentence, of course, put her in a most trying position. But she has been before the Court several times before, and evidently thought she could continue policy selling indefinitely so long as she was only fined. Lawyer Harry Scovel made a strong appeal to the Court for clemency in her behalf, but it was not heeded. Lawyer Crandall, counsel for Washington Ketline, gave notice of carrying Ketline's case to the Supreme Court on a writ of error, and Ketline was released on furnishing $1,000 bail.
Among the additional persons sentenced were the following:
William Jacobs, colored, involuntary manslaughter in causing the death of George Whittington last December, one year in the penitentiary.
David Fry, colored, who assaulted Georgiana Fry, a relative, with a razor, was given two years in the penitentiary.
"This Court is determined to put a stop to the practices of carrying deadly weapons and the indiscriminate use of them," said Judge Vroom.
Henry Thomas, colored, was sentenced to thirty days in the county jail for having stolen a pair of shoes for his walnut-colored "Trilb[?]s"
Bail was declared forfeited in the following cases: Jeptha Hickman, assault and battery, Smith Cos[?]ell, bondsman; Wm. Wright, grand larceny, Mary Scovel, bondsman; Joseph Gallagher, petit larceny, Mary Scovel, bondsman; Frank Nelson, false pretences, John Lane, bondsman.
Today practically closes the spring term of the Court of Quarter Sessions, and in reviewing the business of the term it must be said that the Court has been a business-like one from start to finish. It has been such a term as is calculated to assure the public that the best interests of all were being carefully considered and judiciously guarded.
The Prosecutor and his assistant have strongly upheld the Court in its endeavors to administer the law, and the sentences of the Court clearly demonstrate a sincere conviction and desire to suppress lawless conditions and those public evils which threaten the peace of a community. Policy dealers have been rigidly dealt with, and they certainly begin to understand that they must stop their unlawful practices or go to the penitentiary. The fees from Justices' courts have also received attention from the present Judges, and been cut down to what the Court considers just to the county's taxpayers. Despite the large volume of business before the Court, all cases have received due consideration and care. Last, but by no means least, County Clerk Barber, by his prompt and methodical care of the records, has materially aided the Court, as also has Sheriff Barrett and his assistants.
LOTTERY POLICY DEALERS GIVEN THE FULL EXTANT OF THE LAW.
A Business Court Which Announces its Purpose to Punish Law Breakers as the Laws Provide—Tribute Awarded Where Tribute is Due.
Policy sellers felt the strong hand of the law this morning, and Judge Vroom, speaking from the bench of the Quarter Sessions Court, stated that all offenders in the same line who came before the Court would receive the most severe penalty the law allowed. Judge Vroom's language when speaking of the practice of policy selling was most severe and condemnatory.
"This Court," said he, "has fully determined to break up the nefarious traffic, and all offenders hereafter convicted will receive the full penalty of the law."
It was assizes day at the Quarter Sessions Court this morning, and four persons convicted of violating the law concerning lottery, were early arraigned before the Court for sentence. Walter Garwood, who entered a plea of nom vult contendre [sic], was given a sentence of one year in the State prison and to pay a fine of $100 and costs. William Parker, colored, who was found guilty of policy selling, was given a sentence of one year, but no fine. Washington Ketline, who the Court designated as an old offender, was sentenced to one year in the penitentiary and to pay a fine of $100 and costs—the full limit of the law. When Mrs. Harriet Smith, of 750 Federal street, arose for sentence, she was visibly affected and seemed to know that her fate was to be a severe one. She was sentenced to one year in the penitentiary. She was taken from the court room crying and on her way down stairs to the Sheriff's office fainted. She was removed to the jail on a cot, seriously ill. Mrs. Smith has a large family, and her sentence, of course, put her in a most trying position. But she has been before the Court several times before, and evidently thought she could continue policy selling indefinitely so long as she was only fined. Lawyer Harry Scovel made a strong appeal to the Court for clemency in her behalf, but it was not heeded. Lawyer Crandall, counsel for Washington Ketline, gave notice of carrying Ketline's case to the Supreme Court on a writ of error, and Ketline was released on furnishing $1,000 bail.
Among the additional persons sentenced were the following:
William Jacobs, colored, involuntary manslaughter in causing the death of George Whittington last December, one year in the penitentiary.
David Fry, colored, who assaulted Georgiana Fry, a relative, with a razor, was given two years in the penitentiary.
"This Court is determined to put a stop to the practices of carrying deadly weapons and the indiscriminate use of them," said Judge Vroom.
Henry Thomas, colored, was sentenced to thirty days in the county jail for having stolen a pair of shoes for his walnut-colored "Trilb[?]s"
Bail was declared forfeited in the following cases: Jeptha Hickman, assault and battery, Smith Cos[?]ell, bondsman; Wm. Wright, grand larceny, Mary Scovel, bondsman; Joseph Gallagher, petit larceny, Mary Scovel, bondsman; Frank Nelson, false pretences, John Lane, bondsman.
Today practically closes the spring term of the Court of Quarter Sessions, and in reviewing the business of the term it must be said that the Court has been a business-like one from start to finish. It has been such a term as is calculated to assure the public that the best interests of all were being carefully considered and judiciously guarded.
The Prosecutor and his assistant have strongly upheld the Court in its endeavors to administer the law, and the sentences of the Court clearly demonstrate a sincere conviction and desire to suppress lawless conditions and those public evils which threaten the peace of a community. Policy dealers have been rigidly dealt with, and they certainly begin to understand that they must stop their unlawful practices or go to the penitentiary. The fees from Justices' courts have also received attention from the present Judges, and been cut down to what the Court considers just to the county's taxpayers. Despite the large volume of business before the Court, all cases have received due consideration and care. Last, but by no means least, County Clerk Barber, by his prompt and methodical care of the records, has materially aided the Court, as also has Sheriff Barrett and his assistants.
