Waterbury Democrat., 1901-08-30
WARRANTS ISSUED
Fred Massicotte and the Two Peters Charged With Perjury
MAssICoTTE ALREADY CAUGHT
Warrants Also Issued For The Arrest of Prospere and Alfred St Peter Sequel to the Evidence Furnished By Them in Liquor Cases Yesterday.

Sequel to the Evidence Furnished By
 Them in Liquor Cases Yesterday.
 The city court will be an interest
 ing place tomorrow morning if the
 program arranged is carried out. This
 forenoon Prosecutor Durant issued
 warrants for the apprehension of Pros
 pere and Alfred St Peter, who, with
 Fred Massicotte. who was arrested
 this morning, and Henry Dugay were
 witnesses in the liquor cases against
 two saloonkeepers. Perjury is alleged
 against the above named, excepting
 Dugay, who was not examined i'll the
 cases yesterday morning. Who the
 complaining witnesses are has not been
 disclosed, but it is said they number
 three and are neighbors of the saloons
 keepers in question, O'Brien of Bald-
 win street and Moynihan of River
 street and Baldwin street. As Attor-
 ney Durant left town this forenoon.
 after issuing the warrants, the prose
 cution will devolve upon Clerk Me-
 Mahon, unless other arrangements
 were made. The defense will undoubt-
 edly rest upon Attorney CarnOdy, who
 appeared for the saloonkeepers yester- |
 day.
 The crime of perjury is a serious of- fense and is punishable by term of imprisonment of six months in jail or
 five years in the state prison. What evidence there is against the accused is not known, but it is said it is very
 weak, and that it will be very difficult to convict them Acting Prosecuting
 Agent Webster did not obtain from them their evidence before they went on the stand, consequently he is not in possession of anything that can be directly used against them. Perjury is contradiction of sworn testimony. It is crime very seldom committed and is doubtful if ever there was a prosecution for such case in this city before
 Massicotte and Alfred St Peter tes- l tified yesterday that they were not sure that they had been either of the l saloons mentioned during the time | they have been conducted by the pres ent owners. Prospere St Peter, who was the second witness, was positive | that he was not in either of them. Dugay was not called because after 1 Massicotte had testified, MT Webster
 threw up the sponge, satisfied that the witnesses had not told the truth and were determined not to tell 1t. 1t can | be seen therefore that the only direct and positive statement was made by l the second witness, Prospere St Peter. l The reason why Mir Webster did not examine the witnesses before going to
 court was because. it was said they ! would be eyasive and by putting them l under oath he could handle them as he | cared. If MT Webster prOsecutes, or as- I sists in the prosecution tomorrow and | conducts himself as he did yesterday, | that is to say, show personal feeling l and boyishness, he will find his rights as a, proseeutors questioned. It is 4af the pleasure of the local bar that he ] is allowed to prosecute.
 Edward Murphy was arrested this | morning charged with theft of S9 | from his friend, John Ashton. This morning also Frederick Massicotte was arrested, charged with perjury. Mas ! in the liquor cases against Michael | Moynihan and John O'Bfien, which | were discharged yesterday in the city I court. Several thimes while Massi- cotte was on the stand Acting Prose- l cutting Agent Webster threatened the witnesses with prosecution for per | jury. Attorney Carmody for the de- | fense almost defed him to arrest any | of the witnesses. Massicotte was held l in default of a bond for $1,O0O.