The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-06-22
MAN
 FINED $25 FOR
 NEGLECT OF SON
APPEALS FROM JUDGMENT AND WILL FIGHT CASE IN
 HIGHER COURT.

Fairfield, June 22.-Refut1ng the testimony of his II year old boy and that of neighbors that he had not provided for his son, Frank Marok, arrested on Thursday for neglect of his son, appeared before Judge Bacon Wakeman yesterday afternoon. Neigh bors stated that the boy had been neglected, had been kept out of his home and was compelled to seek sleep in a barrel in the back yard. After the hearing Justice Wakeman the accused took appeal under bonds of $150 to the next term of the Con- mon Pleas court, criminal side. In imposing the fine, Justice Wakenaan said: "The fathers duty is not pas sive but active. It is the fathers duty to the state to bring up his child so that he shall not be a men ace. It is my belief-that the father has neglected his duty to permit the child to suffer-
 Marok's neighbors were severe in their condemnation of his unnatural treatment of his son. Some of them stated that the boy was compelled to or no clothes, and was constantly at their doors begging for food. One neighbor stated that on several morn ings she had seen the boy arise out of barrel, his bed for the evening. Others had seen the lad chased out of his home by his stepmother.
 It was between sObs that the boy repeated his story of Wednesday af- ternoon. At that time the youngster was before the same court for theft
 He plead guilty by the courts order and will spend the remainder of his minority at the school for boys in >Meriden. The little fellow, he ap- pears no more than eight years, said that for want of food he was com pelled to rake among the dumps and from that refuse to eke what bits of food he could. He claimed owner ship to a pair of pants and a torn shirt. Those were the only pieces of clothing he had on when found by Sheriff Ellwood on Wednesday. Often he said he had to sleep out of doors, of late sleeping in 8 barrel near. the chicken coop.
 It was quite different story reIat- ed by Marok, the accused, and his wife. Marok told the court that he was the father of seventeen children, eight of them living. His first wife died a little over year ago and he remarked. He owns his own home, has seven lots in his own name, pos sesses several horses and cows and company in Bridgeport. He stated that he often purchased clothes for his son. but that the latter would sell the clothes off his back for few pennies. It was the same with his shoes. the father stating that only, one month ago he purchased the lad 6 pair, while it was but four months since the pair before the last. These also, the father stated were sold by the boy for a few cents. There has always been food and a bed waiting for my boy, if he only would come home to them," said the father. The father stated that the youngster would ko off to school in the morn
 ing, but would not come, home for dinner or supper and it would be well into the night when he would show up When he is home he is fed just as, we'll as my other children, '' said the. father. When asked by Prosecuting Attorney C.. H. King why it was he could not controls the boy the father stated that fearing arrest he would not punish the child. The father stated that the boy slept under his roof every night last winter and that the only time the lad had slept in barrel was recently, when he did not come near the house for three days. The>boys step-mother practi-