The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-08-15
Sweeps Streets
Ten Years Free
For Love Of 1t
Then Is Assaulted fol
Working for Nothing
Hugh Connor's Queer
Fad

East Forty-fifth street, has a hobby
After his days work and his supper
are done he takes a broom that ne
bought himself and goes out and
from Fourty street to Forty
six street. First he cleans off the
sidewalk, casting the sweepings into
the gutter. Then going into the road
way he begins at the middle and
sweeps toward the sidewalk and gath
esr the stuff into little heaps.
To prevent the wind from scatter
ing the dust he brings out watering
can which he owns and vets down
the heaps SO that they may remain
intact until the street cleaning carts
come around in the morning.
81 know of my own knowledge that
he has been doing this for ten years
or more. 1t is his hobby" Alderman
Thomas F. Baldwin said to Magistrate
Herbert yesterday in the Yorkville
court, where Connors was prisoner
Connors never sought employment
ON the city street cleaning force, nor
did he ever ask the department for so
much as the price of his broom. He
is a laboring man and is said to be OF
steady habits. The storekeepers have
got so used to finding a clean sidewalk
in front of their places mornings that
they regard it as provision Of ma
Eure. But many of the sweeper's
neighbors hold that it is immoral to
work for anything but money. They
renonat dajted with Connors, but lit
was no use. @
His custom has been to go out at
II O'Clock at night 1t TOOK him two
hours to do his nightly job. He was
sweeping away late on Saturday night
when Alexander Brennan, a young
plumber of SAT Second avenue, came
along. The plumber was a bit I'M
steady on his feet.
Hey, you! What do you mean by
taking the bread out of another mans
mouth? S'pose we all work for nothing
who's going to pay the rent?" said the
young man to the sweeper.
60 long and mind your buiness and
let me alone" responded Conn ors, as
he went on swinging his broom.
Brennan seized the broom and after
short struggle got it away from the
The sweeper picked it up. Then tbs
plumber again tried to take it from
him.
While the two were struggling Po-
liceman Zela1na of the East Fiftyfirst
street station, who had been watching
them, arrested both. The plumber is
husky young man and objected to
overruled by the policeman, who had
his nightstick with him. The plumber
had a bandaged head when he appear
ed as a fellow prisoner with COnnGrs
in court later. 1t seems that he must
have fallen down and hit his head.
The policeman charged both with
fighting in the street, but when the
Magistrate questioned him said that
Brennan had done all the fighting.
The other man had tried to retain
possession of the broom and thus help
ed to create a disturbance
Don't you think he had a right
to hold on to his broom?" asked the
Magistrate.
Commons explained that he had gone
sweeping when the young man came
along and took his broom from him.
He didn't mean to fight. He was OPP
posed to rowdyism, he said
Alderman Baldwin came forward and
said that both men were his constit-
uonts. ConnOrS was a sober and in
duotrioI4 man. Brennan also was a
hard worrying young man and was the
principal support of his family.
Tho Magistrate was inclined to let
both go when a man among the spec
factors demanded that something be
done about Brennan's cut head.
e'The policeman says Brennan fell
down, but I saw him hit Brennan with
his club" said the man.
give his testimony. He said he was
Thomas Doyle, neighbor of the Bren-
nan family.
"Aleck did nothing but take \the
broom away from this man." said the
witness when he got in the chair
What right had he take away the
broom?' came back his Honor.
what right has this man to be
working for nothing? For years he's
been doing that. He sweeps the dirt
upon into little piles and works better
than a regular city sweeper. It's a
shame said the witness.
IT wish there weSe more men in
this city like him. said the court.
Who gave you or Brennan the right
to interfere with him?''
The witness persisted that Connors
was deserving of ohastisement for
working for nothing, and Brennan be-
gan talking i'm the same way.
81 had intended to Jet you go, Bren-
nan, but because Of your attitude and
that Of your friend I will fine you 3d."
Il o<tcyf To Nd h