Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-08-08
COLBY CUTS A CAPER.

Admits That IL Is After the Almighty
 Dollar and Wants to Know What His
 Enemies Can Do About It.
 The continued case against Michael Cooney, charged with violation of the screen law, was the first on the docket this morning. Officer Dean, who had visited the saloon yesterday under instructions from the court, testified that small portion of the saloon could not be seen from any of the windows. Four witnesses for the de- fense swore that the whole interior of the saloon was plainly visible from the outside. Attorney Donahue, who appeared for Coo ney asked for the immediate acquittal of his client, but Judge Cowell said he would de- eide all the cases together Saturday morn ing. Thomas Glynn of 75 Baldwin street was represented by Attorney R. A. Lowe. He had complied with the law as far as was in his power, by throwing open the doors and curtains.
 Hon Stephen w. Kellogg appeared for Thomas O'Connor of 239 South Main street, whose case was next called. General Kellogg said he had known his client for over forty years, and that never before had he been brought before a court for violation of law. He had thrown open his blinds, raised his curtains and complied with the law. 'If Colley's zeal
 is ill the cause of temperance, said the general, ''it is mistaken zeal. If he is after his fees merely the commissioners should remove him within twentyfour hours and all the cases should be thrown out of court" Agent Colley retaliated by acknowledging that he did "want the fees and so did Kellogg when he was younger and needed them" MT Kellogg explained that he criticised Colley for bringing fifty complaints before the commissioners ex- plained the law.
 John Sandom, Ill Cherry street, was the next victim Officer Dodds was the witness for the prosecution. He testified that the interior of Sandom's saloon could be seen fairly we'll, but as in all the other cases there was partition. Attorney Donahue appeared for the prisoner and once more claimed that partition was not device, taking Webster as his attor- ney.
 James Hapenny, whose saloon and gro cery store is in basement on Bishop street, was the first prisoner to be repre- sented by Attorney O'Neill. Officer Blake ley testified that there was no window in the partition between the grocery store and saloon of Hapenny Sunday night, while three witnesses swore that large window had been cut in the partition Sat urday night. Attorney O'Neill made strong argument on points of law and cited number of cases of a similar nature to strengthen his argument He claimed that dealer could sell liquor in rear room up stairs room, if allowed to do so under the terms of his license. Tho Middletown correspondent of the Hartford Times explains the condition of things under the new law in Middlesex county as follows The county commis- sioners, accompanied by the chief of police, paid an official visit to a number of the saloons in this city Tuesday after noon, for the purpose of inspecting the location of the bars and partitions, to see if the new screen law was being com piled with. As near as could be ascer- tained, the commissioners take about this view of the situation: The saloon keepers have paid their licenses for one year, which was done before this law was passed, and the commissioners feel delacacy just now about ordering bars changed and partitions removed more than what has already been done by the saloon keepers.
 The commissioners were struck very forci ply, however, with the opinion that the big signs, etc, displayed in the show win dows, which take up so much room, ought to be removed during illegal hours and so notified the different proprietors. It is their opinion that this is one of the prin cipal reasons for the law being passed. Probably they will not order many changes at present, but when the present licenses expire and applications are made for the renewal, the saloon keepers will have to look out then, for it is understood that the commissioners calculate to make clean sweep of any and all screens, par titions and other devices, before granting new licenses.