The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-27
Cspcciai to The Farmer1


 evening, came before Judge wakeman yesterday afternoon.
 John Mead. 13; Francis Fox. IS; George Swanberg, IA, and Thomas Dougherty, 15, all of Bridgeport, were charged with assault upon young Peter Hawkins of this town
 The assault charge was the result of sl nold-up, with masks and revolvers, and all the dxfngs generally accorded 10 the western ho,d-up scene by the moving pictures and by dime novels. At 6:30 Sunday evening young flaw kins, in company with Henry Sweeney, was accosted by the four masked highwaymen Young Sweeney ran to bandits placed revolver at Flaw kins, another held his hands behind his back, and another went through his pockets, while the fourth and old est boy of the group stood by and su- perintended the job. The search through Hawkins revealed nothing Of consequence and the boys were at their trouble without avail The next car for Bridgeport was just about due and the quartet boarded it. Mean while Hawkins, thoroughly frightened, had run to his home and his parents notified Prosecuting Attorney King, who in turn sent for Sheriff E lwood, who was on his job without delay Sheriff Ellwood boarded the car the boys were on at Black Rock, and es- corted the four to the Bridgeport sta tion house, where the nights rest be- hind the bars changed their ideas about going. west to live easily on other peoples money.
 When the case was called yesterday afternoon before Judge Wakeman, young Hawkins was the first witness He told at length how badly fright ened he had been, and the net cash gain to the robbers. Young Sweeney was then called, but had not much danger Sheriff Ellwood then told what he knew of the affair after be- ing sent for by Attorney King, Sun day night.
 was then called. Thomas Douehert told how they had come to Fairfield on Sunday afternoon to shoot frogs. He said the revolver belonged to brother of one of the crowd, and tod how Saturday night they had man aged to get hold of some blank cart ridges. During the afternoon the idea of the hold-up came to them, having money, without any gun play. He then told how he stood by and watch ed the other three do the job. Fran cis Fox was the man with the gun, and George Swanberg went through Hawkins pockets while John Mead held his hands back. The same story was told by the other boys in their turn.
 The mother of one of the boys was present and told the court that in her opinion the reading of cheap novels and watching moving picture scenes of western hold-upS was responsible for the boys deed It a'so developed during the hearing that young Mead and Swanberg had been mixed up in a bicycle theft in Bridgeport two years ago. at which time they were placed on probation for six months.
 Judge Wakeman found the four guilty of assault and fined each s1 and costs, amounting to SIPS apiece, giving them short period to pay up, and placed them ali on probation, re- quiring them. to report to Probation Officer King each week.
 John seeIey of State street exten- sion, Fairfield, spent Sunday night in the police station at Bridgeport as the result of a neighborhood quarrel last Tuesday. It seems that the Seeleys keep quite a number of hens, and these hens persist in trespassing upon the back yard of the Tuckash family next door Last Tuesday night little Steve Tuckash, twelve years old. and his younger sister, Nellie, were an- noyed by the Seeley hens and at anyone to drive hens belonging to John Seeley, aged nineteen, is a seri- ous offense, and he straightway start ed to do up the two Tuckash chl- dren. He did them up all right, and they were left with faces and hands badly bruised.
 A warrant was at once sworn out for Seeley. but until Sunday night he
  sheriff succeeded in getting hold of him Sunday evening and lodged him in Bridgeport over night for safe keep Ing. He was produced in court yes- terday before Judge Wakeman. who after patiently listening to a rehearsal of the family's trouble with their the court, amounting to SHIT. See ey was unable to pay, and Sheriff EIlwOod took him back to Bridgeport, this time to the county Jail.
 The other case was before Judge Hitchcock, who found the defendant guilty of assault and fined him $1 and costs, amounting to s1O.5O- Last Thursday the pastor of the colored Baptist church in this town had some words within Deacon Joseph Berry of his church over the non-return of sev- eral amounts alleged to have been col became fncensed at the pastors re- marks and pushed him down stairs. Yesterday. afternoon he was brought to court charged with assault. Berry stated that he was provoked by hav- ing been called a. dog. In order to prove such a statement untrue, Berry also anxious to show the judge the gentle manner in which he threw the minister down stairs, and attempted several times to illustrate upon his honor himself. Judge Hitchcock did not desire to be shown, however, and brought the comedy to a close by find- ing the man guilty.
 The first meeting of the Fairfield Business Mems Association was held last evening and in spite of the bad weather a good sized crowd was pres ent.
 T. s. Hargrove was appointed to confer with officia' s of the New Ha- ven railroad relative to stopping a midday train for the east at this sta ton.
 Thomas Forsyth is also to see the railway and present the association's criticism of affairs in the local freight depot, where it is thought a man should be on duty all day.
 Albert Wyrtzen is to see the post master and try to arrange to have the post office open for half an hour be- fore church time on Sunday morn ings.
 Frank K. McNamara is to confer with Supt. Chapman of the Connecti- cut Go. relative to better transfer ser vice with Fairfield cars at the june tion of State street and Fairfed ave nue, Bridgeport, and John F. Boyle president Of the association. is to keep trr, 1a0Otfaf with Adams