The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-08-29

Judge William S. Downs of tn
Derby City court, acting in tn.
Bridgeport City court today, plainl!
indicated his disinclination to impos'
| any penalty upon the Steeplechase Isl
and men brought before him for Sun
day law violations as a result of the
activity of the Bridgeport Pastors
association.
isn't it true that it is a good thing
for the city of Bridgeport TO have this
place open on Sunday? Doesn't this
place keep large crowds of people of
the street and out Of trouble?" asked
Judge Downs, after the state police
summoned at the instance of the pas
tors, had testified that the island was
run in excellent order and that there
was nothing to critIcise in the man
ner in which it was conducted, except
the violations of the Sunday law
which brought them there.
Judge Downs did not follow the
precedent established by another VS.
iting judge when the Steeplechase
men were in court for the same Of
fence recently, and when fines Of $40
and costs were imposed. He fined
Captain Paul Boyton, the manager OF
the island, SIS and costs on one count
and dismissed two other counts lodg-
ed against him and he fined Michael
Murray SIS and costs. Boyton was
charged with the responsibility of
having the dance hall open on three
successive Sundays, July so, August
and 49,. Murray was charged with
keeping his pool room open on August
13.
State Policemen Rudd and Bridge
man testified that they visited the ISL
and on the dates in question and saw
the places complained of in operation.
On the strength of this testimony
Prosecutor Redden asked conviction
of the accused for violation of Section
1859
ATTORNEY JOIN C. cfiambella,,..
counsel for the accused, who had
brought out on examination of the po-
licemen, the location of the island,
far from churches and so situated as
to allow access to none save those
seeking Sunday diversion, then called
to the notice of Judge Downs case
in which Judge Case of the Superior
court had charged jury in the trial
of the proprietor of a motion picture
show for running on the Sabbath In
his charge Judge Case maintained
that the running of the show on Sum
dav must be such as to interfere with
some other persons proper religious
observance or to disturb PUBIC peace
or order, before it became violation
of the law
Since the Supreme court had not
taken up this phase of the trial. not
withstanding the subsequent convlc-
ton of the accused, Attorney Cham
berlain urged the court to follow the
course outlined by Judge Case, for
Island is so situated that
the alleged offences interfered with
none save those who wished to pat
ronfze the arnusem ents against which
complaint was made.
Then he asked Judge Downs to
AXE into consideration the local color
IF the action against the Steeplechase
island men. He declared that to
great many people in the city it seem
ID very unwise that this crusade had
,een Instituted against Steeplechase
island, particularly as it was being
.un by men whose experiences had
lot made them thoroughly familiar
With the probabilities of life. How
ever, their crusade, he said, was
doubtless partially successful in that
+ had made the Island so unprofit
,bIe that the poor people of Bridge
,ort will probably never again en-
ov it as a pleasure resort. 1t is not
! situation that shocks in any way
he level headed persons of the COM
nunity he argued, and the offences
Lgainst which complaints have been