Morning journal and courier., 1888-03-01
United States Circuit Court Jud
Sblnman.

Tsss COURT RECORH.
United States circuit Court = Judge |
Shlpman,
Most of the criminal work of the term was
performed yesterday. All of the persons
brought in for trial plead guilty. The first |
case taken up by District Attorney Stanton |
was that of A. V. Nylen, the Bridgeport
postofice clerk who embezzled sos. Mr.. |
Stanton said he didn't care to have Nylen
sent to State prison and Judge Shipman
made the penalty ten months in Jail and
fine of $705, the amount the accused stole.
Another United states Mail Case.
The attention of the court was next direct
ed to John Neubauer of Bristol, who was ac-
cused of unlawfully obtaining and secreting
the mail of c. A. Way & Co. Judge Ship
man considering that the costs in the case
amounted to 1926 decided to infiet the low
est fine and lei him off with the payment of
| 81 and costs. His wife was implicated in the
| transactions but the against her was
nolled.
COunterfeiter Gets Two Years.
William Atkinson, the Waterbury counter
feiter, pleaded guilty to making and dispos
| ing of spurious coin. His counsel, Attorney
Wood, introduced several witnesses to testify
| to the previous reputation of the prisoner.
An uncle in telling what good young man
| the prisoner was said that he twas conversant
with all parts of the scripture" at which
| statement an amused smile lowered over the
prisoners face as if he had heard a good joke.
| Judge Shipman sentenced him to two years
in prison. Deputy United States Marshal
| Lovejoy will take Atkinson to Wethersfeld
on the 1925 train this morning.
Internal Revenue.
The bond was called in the case of Frank
Allen, who did not show up. He resisted a
deputy United States marshal who tried to
arrest him for violating the internal revenue
law on the Danbury fair grounds in 1886.
He was captured in Brooklyn and arraigned
before United States commissioner there
and bound over to the district court of this
State.
Liquor Case.
The case against Michael Henrietta of Dan
bury, charged with having liquor in I'M
stamped packages, was settled out of court
Cigars.
The case of John Costello, the tramp who
made cigars and sold them without stamps in
Fairfield and Litchfeld counties, went over
until the next term. Mr.. Stanton explained
that the collector wanted him for witness
against many others who had violated the
law in similar fashion. The case of Joseph
keenan,, the sixteen year old boy who robbed
Reed & Hughes mail box in Norwich, was
also continued.
John r. Sammis, Case.
The case of John F. Sammis, the Ridge
field postmaster who appropriated some of
the government funds in his keeping, came
up in the afternoon. Sanmis was not pres-
emit, but his counsel entered plea of noll
coiIerdere, which is practically the same as
pleading guilty. Judge Shipman inflicted
fine of $50 and costs, amounting TO sol.
Cases Which Go Over.
The other cases on the docket in which no
action was taken go over until the next term.
The petit jurors were excused as their SER
vices were not needed and the February term
of the United States Circuit court, criminal
side, was at an end.
Superior Court - Civil Side - Judge
Fem.
The Munson will case was resumed yester-
day morning AS has been stated Frederick
Dale is making an effort to prove that Mary
Ann Munsen was of unsound mind when she
made her will. The testimony given in the
case before this court is of a similar nature
to that brought cut before Judge Robertson
in the Probate court last year when the con-
test first began. Mrs. Charles MunsoH said
she made a memorandum of the fact that
Frank took Mrs. Munson down to Judge
HOLSTERS Office for the purpose of making
her will. In her opinion Frank had some
influence over his mother. When cross
examined by ex-Judge Stoddard she said that
at the time of the will she was opposed to
making it because she thought all might not
get an equal share.
Mrs Harriet Peck testified that the old
lady had superior education, but
that she was of forgetful turn of mind and
did not consider her a fit person to make a
will.
DIR. Francis Bacon testified that persons
faculties are generally impaired when they
are under the influence of stimulants..
DIR. Charles A. Lindsey corroborated DR..
Bacon.
Charles Munson, brother of the late Dr.
Alfred Munson, testified that Frank was
very active in his attention to his old moth
err He made memoranda of the peculiar
transaction that he had observed during the |
absence of Charles Munson in New Jersey.
He said that in an interview with Mrs. Nun
son the old lady complained to him
because Frank had never made any
account and she didn't know how her money
was spent. The witness said the complaints \
began long before 1877.
After recess Mr.: Munson took the stand
again and resumed his testimony. He said /
that prior to 1880 he had noticed that Mrs. |
Munson's memory was sadly impaired; in i
consequence, as he thought, of her intemper-
ate habits. According to his best judgment |
in May, 1880, Mrs. Munson was not mental |
ly strong enough to make a will. At that I
time she was in the habit of drinking large /
quantities of liquor. After the death of |
Mrs. Munson he had held conversation |
with Frank in reference to the will Dur /
ing that conversation Frank had said |
that he was willing that Frank Dale should |
have a share of the estate, but he wanted the |
will probated SO that he would not be obliged |
to render an itemized account of his acts at |
the time he was the conservator of his meth |
er's estate. Judge Stoddard objected to the |
admission of the testimony. Judge Fem re-
marked that if the testimony struck the jury |
as it did him he did not think Prof. Baldwin /
would want that evidence. 1t seemed to him /
that the testimony went to show that Frank
did not desire to deprive any heir of share |
of the estate. Witness further stated that he |
had lived with and in the past had been sup
ported by the Munson family for ten years. He
was not aware that the late Mrs. Munson had
even been obliged to consult memoranda to
refresh her recollection when cenversing up
on matters of importance. He considered
her q woman of unusual ability and uncom-
mon activity. Shortly after Mrs. Munson
made her will she had acquainted him with |
thu fact and had informed him that she had |
left the Dales out in the cold. He had re-
monstrated with her.
CITY Court Criminal side Judge
Pickett.
Violation liquor law-William Splitter |
$40 fine and $16.95 costs; James Maroney,
continued to March 5.
Burglary-John Farley, continued to
March 8.
Non-support of wife-James Lee, eontin-
ned to March 1; Theodore McLane, 80 days
in Jail in default of bond of 500 to pay his
wife 81 week for six months.
Breach of peacs-Edward Washburn, SIS
ine and $12.26 COSTS Nicholas Franco, So
line and $11.52 costs.
Cruelty to animals-Charles G. Hosmer,
s5 fine and $6.42 costs.
William Matthews, judg- (
nent suspended; Peter Toole, 80 days in |
ail; Nicholas Franco, nelle; Oliver P.
Coates SO fine and So 40 costs; Augustus Wigs I
ram 81 fine and So AZ costs