New Britain herald., 1915-06-29
SHOULD ENFORCE
 LAW REASONABLY
Says Judge Kirkham Regarding Automobile Statute Cases in Court

Luther M. Barnes, charged with driving his automobile past a stand ing trolley car on Main street Saturday afternoon, was found guilty by Judge John H. kirkham in court this morn ing, but Judgment was suspended, the court ruling that while the new auto | mobile law is a good one it should be
 reasonably enforced"
 For almost an hour Prosecutor Klett and Attorney P. F. McDonough, counsel for MT. Barnes, argued on the merits of the case and Traffic Officer Clarence Lamphere, who made the ar rest, was recalled to the witness stand half dozen times in order that one or the other of the lawyers or the judge might reassure themselves on different phases of his previous testi ! moony. ,
 Officer Lamphere testified that late Saturday afternoon the Berlin bound trolley car came to a stop at the Ly- ceum station. He saw MT. Barnes at the corner, twenty or thirty feet be-
 hind and stepped into range to see |if he stopped. The autoist did not
 stop but continued, said the officer, who added that a passenger was com
 pelled to wait until the auto had
 passed before alighting.
 Lawyer McDonough at once at tackled the officers statement and tried to show the court that standing where he did it was impossible for him to see the auto in the rear of the trol- ley car. On this hinged the entire argument which was not definitely set tied until after court had adjourned when Lawyer McDonough, Prosecutor Klett, Chairman E. B. filling of the safety board and Officers Lampherc and Wagner went to the spot where the traffic officer dem onstrated to the satisfaction of all that he could see the incident from his post.
 John Kinney, conductor on the troll ley car, stated that he stood on the 1 rear platform and saw Mr. Barnes pass his car. He also said that yester-
 day MT. Barnes approached him and tried to induce hin to say that he
 had stopped his car MT Barnes. on the other hand, declared that in his talk with Conductor Kinney the lay- ter had told that he saw the auto
 half way past the car before it came to stop. MT. Barnes said he round ed the corner of Main and West Main streets very near the trolley car and when the electric did not come to a stop he was abreast of the rear door so that if he had stopped it would have prevented anybody from getting off .., |. It was on this point that Lawyer McDonough made his argument. He quoted the auto law which states that upon approaching within ten feet of the rear of a standing car an auto-
 mobile must be brought to a full stop, and then asked the question: What is an autoist to do if he is in tic prohibited zone? I contend that if
 an automobiiist is even with trolley
 car when it comes to a stop the driver
 does not have to pull up. He has
 got to be at least ten feet in the rear
 as the law states before he comes
 within it's scope"
 Judge Kirkham said that the evil
 dence showed MT. Barnes to be guilty but that the circumstances rnerited a suspension of Judgment.
 Window Washers Fight. H. Fox, manager of a Hartford win dow cleaning concern who is trying to work up business in this city, was fined ST and costs for assaulting Steve Pettigold, one of his workme at whom he got angry because he was 1 familiar with Jake Wrinkle, a com 1 petitor. Pettigold stated that he left Fox's employ and went to secure em- l ployment at another place when Fox
 met him in a Main street hallway and l punched him. Another window washer gave the same testimony He
 also said that Fox owes him money. l Fox declared that when he first l triad stn do h.ioiy, oco horn yxyiY,fxtc toIa him to keep out, as he was the local l window washer. Yesterday, he said
 he found that Pettigold had not been 1 doing work for which he had been l paid and on investigation he found his I helper and his tools in Wrinkles office. During an argument he claims Petit 1 gold showed him, whereupon he Le- l came excited and punche the com- ] plainant.
 Had Too Much Work.
 Joseph Keller was arrested by Off, I ficer Perry on Main street last night on a charge of drunkenness and an moving people. The officer said Keller
 had been stopping men and swearing l at them and finally insulted three
 women. Officer Theodore Johnson
 said Keller had been hanging around the city all day doing the same thing. Keller said he was on his way to
 Hartford from Waterbury, where he
 had been working.
 Why did you get through in
 Waterbury," asked Prosecutor Klett
 There was too much work he replied.
 When Officer Johnson testified against Keller the accused stood up
 in the pen and shouted:
 T never bothered nobody. That's