Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-11-09
MANY RIoxcLrsrs ARRESTED.

Scene Near Savin Rock Yesterday
Indignation of the Men Arrested
The Spot an Unfrequented Path
Near the Woods.
About fifty young men from the Rovers
and the New Haven Wheel clubs rode
down to Bridgeport yesterday morning, in
parties of eight or ten. They returned in
small groups and in the afternoon while
passing through the Savin Rock section of
West Haven thirteen of them, consisting
of seven men from the Rover club, one
from the New Haven club and three from
the Bridgeport club, the latter of whom
were returning home from trip to this
city, were arrested by Chief of Police Peck,
assisted by Constable Crane and one other
constable. A man and boy who are not
members of any club, and who were also
riding bicycles, were also arrested. All
were charged with violation of the law re-
lating to the use of sidewalks by bicyclists.
The place where all the arrests were made
is near the Rock, back of Railroad grove,
and the bicyclists are loud in their indig-
nation, saying that the arrests were wholly
uncalled for and that they were riding on
a small foot path by the side of the wood.
not sidewalk, and infrequently used by
passers by. They say that this path has
been used all summer by the bicyclists on
the way to Bridgeport or Merwin's Point,
and nothing has ever been said or limited
at hitherto forbidding the use of it.
Those arrested were taken to a house
near by and arraigned before Justice
Adams, the boy crying piteously. Among
those arrested belonging in this city were:
Captain George Smith, Charles johnson,
Lieutenant A. T. Downes, E. S. Hopkins,
Edward Leslie, A. D. Burgess, R. G. Par
malice and J. d. Gallagher, all of the
Rovers' club and w. P. Weaver of the
New Haven club: The names of three
Bridgeport men and the other man and
boy are not learned. An offer was at once
made by the justice to settle the case on
the payment of costs, but three of the
men, Messrs. Weaver, Parmalee and Hop
kins, insisted on trial. They were tried
and fined the fines and costs, amounting
to 81 OF in each case. Others were fined as
follows: Burgess, johnson and Parmalee,
$6.76 each; Downs and Smith, $3.50 each.
The path, the bicycle men say, was not
over 500 yards long, and besides being in
the back woods, as it were, was only an
impromptu affair made by people passing
that way, not wishing to walk in the
street. There has been talk of repeating
this law for some time, and now this step
will probably revive anew feeling which
has been manifested in the borough, that
the law was unnecessarily severe and
ought to at least be modified.
A West Haven gentleman said last night
that very likely these arrests would form
the basis for test question on the pro-
priety of the law, and that it was doubtful
if West Haveners generally would sustain
the arrests, as the spot where they were
made is such an out of the way place where
few people pass, especially at this time of
the year; and as far as he could learn, the
bicyclists have avoided the sidewalks all
through the populous and inhabited por-
ton of the town-in fact, having adhered
strictly to the law until they reached the
secluded and little used path almost in the
woods.
An incident is related in connec-
ton with the arrests by members of the
clubs, which is certainly interesting. Just
before the bicyclists who were arrested
reached the path in question, Mr. Andrews
and his wife, the latter former West Ha-
ven lady, appeared in view of the officers
and riding bicycles and just behind them
were Messrs. Mills and Robbins of the
New Haven Bicycle club. One of the off
GERS, Mr.. Russell, stepped up gallantly,
warning the party to obey the law. They
all alighted from their silent steeds and
after passing the officers re-mounted the
bicycle and continued on their way home
ward using the path for riding on which
the bicyclists who come just behind were
all arrested