Waterbury Democrat., 1902-12-09
The Man Who Tried To Bribe
 Prosecutor Durant..
BANK STREET HOUSE HABITUES

Were Fined ST and Costs and the Own
 CT $10 and Costs The Defense Put
 Up by the Accused Was That They
 Were Celebrating a Birthday Anni'
 versary.
 The only business before Judge Bur. pee in the city court to-day were the cases against Vincent Sivo for keeping an alleged house of i'll repute at 229 Bank street and Ernest Calabrasa Derino Angelo and Angelina Gianina for residing therein. Attorney Gull foile defended. The most direct evi- dence was furnished by Detective Dodds, who testified that he was in the ante-room adjoining Prosecuting Attorney Durant's office and that he heard Sivo offer the prosecutor $15 for police protection. This offer was pre- ceded by long conversation in which Sivo stated to the prosecutor that he was running the place about two months, that he was willing to pay for police protection and would give $15 now and $20 every month following. He then rendered $15 to the prosecutor. who took the money and subsequently, gave it to the detective to be used as evidence.
 The rest of the testimony was fur nished by Detective Kennaugh, Ser geant Blakely, Officers Smith and Bowling. They testified that they had heard of the character of the place from many sources.
 When --e officers got to the place, which was about 11:3O o'clock, they found three men and three women hav- ing breakfast A bottle of Mumms extra dry and a basket of grapes were on the table All of the inmates were taken to the police station except Mrs Sivo, who was too i'll to be removed, and young Jewish girl, the servant.
 The defense was that the day was Mrs Sivo's birthday anniversary and she and her boarders were celebrating it.
 On the charge of bribery against sIvo, Horace Christie was the principal witness. Attorney Durant testified, repeating practically what Detective Dodds stated above. MT Christie stated he met bartender in a saloon on South Main street first, who told him that a friend of his desired to get police protection and was willing to pay for it. He wanted to know how
 
 bartender to have his friend on hand in the saloon Monday morning and he would by that time have seen the prosecutor and tell the man all about It. He did "see0 the prosecutor about the matter and yesterday morning he went to the saloon and was introduced 10 Slvo. Then he accompanied Siyo to the prosecutors office. Sivo gave wit ness $2 for This trouble for introducing him to the prosecutor." The money was produced as evidence. The resi- or the story was told in Detectiva Dodds's evidence. Attorney Guilfoi1e moved for a discharge of the accused He said it was evident the man hod no wrong intention when he thought $l5 could influence the prosecutor. If was evident he thought it legal frans- action. It was not of his own yolitiou Slvo went to the prosecutors e. .ce. but upon invitation of friend of his If could be said that a trap had been set for the man and he walked right into It. He asked that the court be dis erect in the matter, for the minimum penalty is two years in the state prison. Judge Burpee thought it was a case TOT Jury and laughingly remarked that the Lexow committee hearings in New York showed that $2O a month was the average price for protection paid police captains. intimating that Sivo knew his business when he said he would pay $20 a month for protec- tion here. The motion for discharge was denied and then the defense began. It availed nothing and a fine of S3O and costs was imposed for Keeping place of alleged i'll repute. On the charge of bribery he was bound over to the superior court and he was or- dered detained until. tomorrow morn ing, when bond will be put on. The others were each fined $7 and costs.