The Portland daily press., 1897-06-03
THE MUNICIPAL COURT.
Forrestal Found Guilty of Assault on His
Wife.

In the Municipal court, yesterday,
Joseph H. Forrestal better known as Joe
Foster, the polo player, pleaded nolo con-
tendere to the charge of assault and bat
tery upon his wife. William H. Looney,
ESQ, appeared as counsel for Forrestal.
The wife, young woman quiet in man
ner, and still bearing beneath her right
eye the black mark made by her husband
when he struck her in the face, last Sat.
urday afternoon, was called to the stand
to tell just what had happened. She an
swered the judges questions distinctly
and clearly, telling how she had been
obliged to go to work after the close of
the polo season to support the family and
how her husband had objected to her
working in the Union station restaurant
where she was employed in the pantry.
Saturday afternoon, he again made objec-
tions to her employment and when she
told him that she should continue in it,
he struck her in the face. Then holding
her down on the bed, he brandished
bread knife over her. He did not touch
her with the knife. Mrs. Forrestal said
that there had been trouble before when
her husband had been drinking but none
SO serious as this.
Officer Greeley, who arrested Forrestal,
described how he had been called to the
house by man who said that Forrestal
was killing his wife. "When I had got
half up the stairs" said the officer II
met the lady who boarded there. She
said that he was killing her and had
better be quick. went into the room
Forrestal was standing by a window pull
ing down the curtain. Mrs. Forrestal
was lying on lounge holding her hands
to her head and crying. Forr estal wanted
to know if had warrant and l told
him no. Then he told me to get out but
I said I guessed I would stay little
while. put the irons on him and sent
him i'm
Mr.. Greeley said that Forrestal did not
appear like a drunken man. He could
walk all right His appearance was more
like an insane PERSONS. On a previous
occasion, when Mr.. Greeley had been
called to the house by Mrs. Forrestal who
said her husband was bent on smashing
up the furniture, the officer did not feel
that he could swear the man was drunk,
although Forresta1 said that he had
drunk nine glasses of whiskey during the
day in question. When Forrestal was
given chance to make plea for mercy,
he bore out these statements of the officer
saying that two glasses of liquor would
make him ''crazy like
Judge Robinson told Forrestal that an
case. The judge asked what assurance the
respondent could give that if released he
would not repeat the offence. Forrestal's
statement was a long explanation of how
he had tried to get work and failed and
how for the last five weeks he had taken
care of the children night and day. He
said that he had taken the Kelley cure
four years ago and had not drunk until
recently when he returned to Portland.
He could remember taking only two
glasses of beer on Saturday. Forrestal
denied that he intended to cut his wife
with the bread knife and declared that he
loved her
Judge Robinson, in imposing sente nee,
said to Forrestal that he was surprised
that man so intelligent and with such
devoted wife should be guilty of the
offence. Mrs. Forrestal had interceded
for her husband but in imposing sentence
the judge took into consideration the fact
that it must be understood that the law
could not be violated. He wanted Forces
tai to remember this and hoped that he
would cheerfully serve his sentence and
come out determined to conduct himself
properly in the future.
The sentence was 90 days in the county
jail and a fine of SO and costs.
Mr.. Looney, counsel for Mr.. Forrestal,
appealed from the judges decision.
Forrestal's brother will come from Bos-
ton hiss'morning and furnish bonds for
his brothers appearance.
Other cases were as follows:
William A. Donovan; search and seiz-
ure. Fined 500 and costs. Paid.
D Amos Ashnault; search and seizure.
Fined 800 and costs. Paid.
Maggie e. G. Forrest; night walking.
Sixty days in the county Jail.
Thomas G. McDermott; intoxication.
Thirty days in the county Jail.
John Beresford; intoxication. Fined IS
and costs.
John Shea and John o Brion; intoxica-
ton Each fined 10 and one-half costs.
Timothy Daley; intoxication. Thirty
days in the county jail
Joseph HI Mcclure; intoxication.
Thirty days in the county Jail. Fined IS
and costs.
BERTHE Chase; intoxication. Thirty days
in the city house. of correction.
Thomas Devine; intoxication. Fined
S. and costs.
Inspection of the Signal Corps.
Inspector General E. E. Newcomb of