Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 39, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 November 1906 — THE CIRCUIT COURT. [ARTICLE]

THE CIRCUIT COURT.

The first case tried by a jury was a civil suit, in which the Newark Machine Company was plaintiff and R. B. Moffitt, of Union Tp., was defendant. The demand was for |7O and the jury found for the plaintiff but gave them judgment for only S3O. Jasper Cooper, of Keener Tp., was tried on the charge of selling liquor to a minor. The indictment charged him with selling three pints of beer to Charles Steven son, a 17 year old boy, on or about Oct. 17th. The boy swore positively to buying the liquor of Cooper and the latter as positively denied it. He also said he quit the saloon entirely on Oct. 13th. The jury gave him the benefit of the doubt and brought in a verdict of not guilty. Jasper Cooper was tried again Wednesday, this time on the charge of selling liquor without a license. The principal witness against him was the same 17 year old boy, Charley Stevenson, as testified against him in the pre vious trial for selling to a minor, and it was the same sale of three pints of beer that he testified to, and the same denials made by the defendant. Yet in the former case with the same evidence, the de fendant was acquitted and this time was found guilty, the penalty being aline of five dollars and costs. Nine of the same jurors tried this case as tried the former one. He took a stay of 90 days. Charles Dressier, against whom two indictments are pending for illegal sale also at Kersey, took a change of venue and his cases have been sent to Newton county.