New Britain herald., 1914-07-15
ATTORNEY QUESTIONS
 RUTHERFORD'S RIGHT
McDoneugh Denies Inspector Is Legally Appointed by Mayer.
MAYOR QuelIY IS OPTIMISTIC

ford on April 2S While Ordinance Says Appointment Shall Be Made
 in May Raises Legal Technicality.
 One of the finest and best points of law ever brought out in the local court occurred today when At torney Patrick F. McDonough, rep- resenting Mrs. Mary Wisk, who Is charged with violating the tenement house law in regard to providing means of egress in case of fire, raised the question of the legality of Arthur N. Rutherford's appointment by Mayor George A. Quigley as building inspector. Judge w. F. Mangan was Aon the bench and as it appeared that MT. Rutherford's testimony was very important to the prosecution of this case he continued the case until to- morrow while he decides whether the point raised by Attorney McDonough is valid
 Charges Against Mrs. Wisk. z Last week Building Inspector (?) Rutherford brought charges against Mrs. Wisk, who conducts a tenement
  ing that she had violated the build- ing ordinance.
 For some time Inspector Ruther- ford had been Investigating conditions in the woman's house and he was satisfied that she had broken the law He charged that there are no fire exits in the building and that the Wisk woman had changed the block from six tenements, for which it was built, to eleven tenements. It was brought out this morning that there are over fifty people housed in the block.
 When the permit to build the place was issued it was for a six tenement structure. It is said that former Building Inspector August Berg strom warned Mrs Wisk not to make any alterations without securing per- mission but, it is charged, she had the block remodeled without consult- ing the authorities There are now said to be eleven tenements of three rooms each and the housing condi- tions are said to be without parallel in the city.
 sse When the case came up last week Mrs. Wisk pleaded not guilty and the case was continued until today so that her lawyer could work up case. That he. has succeeded was clearly s demonstrated today.
 : House Greatly Crowded. s<s Tenants of Mrs. Wisk, with their boarders, were brought into court by the prosecution, among them being the following:
 Steve Damback, lives in three rooms on the first floor and pays $8.6O per month. He lives with his wife and one child and has ono 5boarder.
 Frank Bartoszwecz occupies three rooms on the second floor front for which he pays ss. There are four in his family.
 Joseph Chedzinski has three rooms on the second floor rear, pays $8 1-2, lives with his wife, has one child and two boarders.
 Frank Monander rents three rooms on the first floor front from Mrs. Wisk, pays ST per month and lives alone with his wife. He enumerat- ed six children in his landlady's fam fly.
 Charles Pinkus pays s8 1-2 per month for two rooms in the rear Nof the second floor. He lives with his wife
 Steve Drezk lives on the top floor, renting three rooms at $8 per month from Steve Carvitz, another tenant. Drezk lives with his wife and has four children.
 Carvitz has three rooms and pays S13. He has a wife and two chill dren
 Felix Partowski has five rooms on the top floor in which fifteen people live. For this he pays but $11 1-2 per month.
 Charles c. Slater has two rooms on the first floor, one of which he uses as a wall paper salesroom and the other as a bed room which he occupies some of the time. At other times he lives at his home on Fair view street. For these rooms he pays $6.
 Prosecutor Klett announced that there was one other tenant whom he had been unable to locate.
 Place Has Been Inspected.
 It was because of this very crowded tenant district that Superintendent of Health Dr. T. E.. Reeks had visited the building to inspect it's sanitary conditions and he testified this morn ing that he saw eleven cook stoves there. On the first floor, he said the tenants in the rear have only the back door as way to escape but the front tenants have the front door as well as a door leading into the hall. He also told of the methods of egress upstairs, it appearing that the building was in violation of the tenement house law. Sergeant Bam- forth also testified to the construc- ton of the building in regard to means of escape.
 Questions RNherfords Appointment.
 When Arthur N. Rutherford, who
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