New Britain herald., 1915-06-22
WANTED PROBATION
But CHANGED Mind
Degnan Settles After Court De-
Cides to "Look Him Up"
NIGHT COURT FOR AUTOISTS


Raise Money to Pay His Fine-It
Took Him About Six Seconds After
Justice Ordered Him Locked Up.
Experiencing a change of heart
ton of his case, Joseph Degnan Of
New Britain last evening Withdrew
his plea for probation and suddenly
decided to pay a fine of SIS and costs,
imposed on him by Justice E. p.
Prior before whom he was arraigned
on charges Of drunkenness and
breach of the peace. Justice Prior's
sta tement that he would look up
his record: before deciding whether
TO give him the benefit of probation
seemingly had an unexpected effect
on the accused and he said he would
settle at once. He had considerable
money in his clothes and he paid the
fine and costs, amounting to $3.50.
Degnan was arrested yesterday af-
ternoon by Consta BILE John e. Conlon.
The officer was riding with JAMES
they passed Henry Trum bulls house
they discovered the accused lying on
the ground helplessly drunk. The
auto converted into a police patrol
and Degnan was taken to the lock-
up. -
In court last evening, Grand Juror
NJ. A. Norton charged him with in
toxication and breach of the peace.
After Justice Prior rendered judg-
ment, Degnan made a strong plea for
probation, arguing that he wanted
time to raise the money to pay the
expense of his prosecution. When
Constable Conlon was ordered to take
him back to a cell, pending an in
vestigation by tthe authorities, who
were anxious to learn If he was de-
sewing of a chance the accused
changed his mind and settled.
Autoists Before Night Court.
Night court for autoists is the Ia:
test innovation introduced by JUS
tice A. H. -Condell. The latter or
dered a special session last evening
to hear charges against Carl Harmon
and J. L. O'Brien, both of waterbury,
who had been arrested of OHcer Mar
inc for driving through the town
without having the rear lights on
their machines burning.
After the men were stopped by he
officer Grand Juror Gwillin was com
municated with and he agreed to
having them arraigned without de-
lay. Justice Condell reported at the
Town hall short time later a nd
the men were put to plea.
Both Harmon and O'Brien admitted
that they were guilty of a technical
~s~I- 1ox he 1st
fined each of them 81 and the Of
hcer's fees. Both the justice and
grand juror RENTED their fees.
Increase May Stand.
Having heard no report to the con-
trary from the state board of equal
ization, the officials here are now as,
Stunning that the protest against the
increase of, $4,000 in Plainville's
grand list did not make much Of an
impression on Commissioner Corbin
and his associates and that the raise
will stand.
The action of the board is regarded
here as being very unfair as the
grand list is now too large to satisfy
large number of the taxpayers.
Property has been assessed for its
full valuation and it is generally con-
for as high a. figure as it appears on
the books.
Better. for Passengers.
The change in the location of the
light signal and the stopping station
made by the Connecticut company at
the center in compliance with the
wishes of the selectmen, from the
viewpoint of passengers, is certainly
a big improvement.
People boarding cars at the center
under the new rule have but a short
distance to walk from the curb at the
corner of Whiting street. Heretofore
the cars stopped at point nearly in
front of Gleason's lunch room and
passengers alighting from or board
ing them were in grave danger from
speeding autos.
While the new arrangement min /
imizes the danger to passengers 1t will |
not be of benefit to traffic at this /
point Two cars meeting at the COR
ner block the curve to such an extent /
that motorists have difficulty in driv-
ing by them. The new state law, /
which makes it obligatory for autoists |
to stop their machines at least ten
feet from trolley cars when passen-
gers are entering or leaving the lat
ter, VIII DS VI dsSlSldIlCC III "oin-
ing out this problem and will un-
doubtedly prevent many accidents at
the corner.
Admitted to Bar.
Russell Mink Of Bristol was admit
ted to the New Haven county bar this
morning. The young man will be
graduated from Yale Law school to-
and his examinations in law
were SO successfully passed that he
was made an attorney. He has not
decided where he will begin practice.