Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-05
CIGARETTE LAW
Openly Violated in Waterbury,
 It is Said.
THE LAW AND ORDER LEAGUE

May Have to Ferret Out the Offenders
 Judge Burpee Says People Having
 Complaints to Make Should See the
 Prosecutor, not the Chief of Police
 Sheriff Rametti in Possession of q
 Number of Cases of Violation of the
 Law.
 Judge Burpee of the city court was asked this morning what he knew about the alleged complaints to the po' lice by mothers regarding the v1olatloH of the law which prohibits the seihn8 of cigarettes to boys under the age OF l6 years. The judge was out or town yesterday when the article on this mat ter was written. Judge Burpee stated that the first intimation he got of the matter was from the prosecuting ac' torney, who informed him that Deputy Sheriff Rametti had procured evidenca against eight tobacconists of having sold cigarettes to boys under the aso limit, but that the sheriff having Deen to some expense in procuring this evl- dence would not hand it over to the police until paid for it. The judge re- piled that no civil officer would be al- lowed to have anything to do with the affairs of the city court except in some extraordinary matter Where ms sef-ss vices may be of value. The city po- lice were paid for seeing that the law was obeyed It is the prosecutors duty to see that complaints made 10 him are attended to by the police, | whenever he conveyed that compla1nu l to them, and if they were derellct ne . | should inform the court and he would do the rest. So far as any complainr being made to the police, Judge buf- l pce did not know; there may and there may not have been such complaints 1 made. The proper person for one to 1 enter g. complaint to is the prosecutors l of the city court, not the chief of po- l lice, for the latter is not the judge l whether or not it is advisable to issue l a warrant. Persons. however, should have the evidence with them necessary 1 to support complaint. then, if the prosecutor fails to do his duty. the l complainant should inform Judge Bur- 1 pee and he will take whatever action l is necessary. Judge Burpee thought Ethat perhaps some woman did com- l rlain to the police about her boy smok> l ing cigarettes, and she was disap- pointed ill the reception she received. But the police were not the persons she should have seen. Nevertheless | when one not acquainted with the rules of court and of the prosecutors 1 office, has a complaint to make, the
 first place he flies to is the police IT s~H1v ,lxvr ,<,ra<scy oy-N1 ] to make the complaint and the police
 take care of the rest. It is a glarfng
 fact, perhaps there is nothing more
 so throughout the whole that this law regarding the sale of cigarettes to boys
 under 16 is openly violated, and not
 the slightest attempt made on the part l of the police to corral the violatOrS. A
 boys under 16 years of age is as liable
 to arrest for breaking this law as Is the one who sold him the cigarettes,
 and yet small boys parade the streets l every day smoking cigarettes without
 the slightest fear of taking the legal
 consequences.
 It is claimed in behalf of the chief
 of police that no complaints such as
 those referred to have been made to
 him, and that he has found the same
 to be the case with Captain Ramon l duu LltuttuSinl bOuuS. All. Ju6 Ill.,
 formation. on this point is that certain
 women did make complaint to Siserin
 Rametti and said they had failed t0
 get the attention of the police on the
 matter. It is only natural to assume
 that anyone not acquainted with the
 manner in which public peace and
 morals are guarded in this city will
 first acquaoint the police of any com
 plaint they have to make before they
 will go elsewhere. There are always
 some persons in public office who de-
 pend on the people to do their work
 for them. All of the police authorities
 from the judge Of the court down to
 the patrolman, are ever ready to sav.
 the high officials especially, ssBring us
 your evidence and we will see that
 justice is done you.'' That is what
 they are paid for doing.