New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-03-12
AMENDED COMPLAINT
mrs. ANGLES CASE
Stamford Woman Pleads Not Guilty
i
After Court Accepts Ii.

Bridgeport, March 2.-Arguments
by counsel over an amendment to the
complaint which charges Mrs Helen
M. Angle with nansla lighter, present
ed at the opening of the superior
court today by State Attorney Homer
B Cummings, occupied a large part Of
the session up to the noon recess. The
state attorney explained that the
amendment was intended to make the
complaint, which accused Mrs Angle
Of causing the death Of Waldo r.
Bal1ou, more complete
The amendment was to insert in the
complaint the words Pushing" and
with certain other instruments to the
Hate attorney unknown To this
latter, strenuous opposition was inter-
posed by counsel for the defense, 1t
being claimed that this constituted
new allegation" and would be pref
udictal to the interests Of the ac-
cused.
Recess for Redraft.
In response to an inquiry by
Judge w. II. Williams Mr.. Cummings
! explained that the state claimed Bal
LOUIS death was caused By a fracture
Of the skull due to the head coming
In contact with q cement landing IL
the sR1ppowan building. and did not
1nteud to make any additional claim
GA The basis of the proposed amend
ment Judge Williams directed the
state attorney to redraft his amend
,nent 20 as to make that point clear,
aud recess was ordered to give him
opportunity to do this. Court came
Ia again about one o'clock and the
fuzzy. which had been out Of the room
all morning, was called in. Recess
was then ordered until two. clock.
II The redraft Of the proposed amendt
ment, It was understood, would be Of.
fered after recess, and it was expected
that there would be further argu-
pents.
e When court resumed, the redraft
az written to conform to the courts
suggestion was submitted and, after
d brief statement by Mr.. Klein, Of
counsel for the defense, that the ar
guments against the previous draft
still held against the redraft, Judge
Williams ruled that the amendment 4
Ne allowed. Mr.. Klein asked for an
adjournment until Monday to give
the defense time to go over the
amended complaint. This was denied
In. The amended complaint was then
read and Mrs. Angle was asked to
plead to it. She pleaded not guilty.
IL Chief Of Police Brennan was then
called to the stand.
y The court rom was crowded during
the afternoon.
@s The amendment included changing
she word "fa gging'' to landing
and added that the accused struck the
deceased with "other instruments to
the state attorney unknown To the
CORNER Judge Downs, OF counsel for
the defense said there was no OBJ
lection. but to the latter there was
most serious objection. To admit it,
he said, would amount to "a denial
of justice to this accused Judge
Downs argued at length that the case
has been tried up to this point on the
allegations previously made, that
nothing had occurred to warrant the
nroposed change, that 1t would re-
suit in Injustice to the accused to
attempt to retry the case on this
new allegation" and that one of the
Witnesses previously. examined was
now out Of the courts jurisdiction.
lie. could conceive Of nothing that
would be more prejudicial to fair,
trial ..E.
- Klein Opposes Amendment.
Jacob B. Klein of counsel for the
defense also argued against It,
Mr. Kelin said that the case had
been on trial for nearly two weeks
and 1T would prejudice the defense to
admit the amendment.
S State Attorney Cummings argued
that the amendment was submitted
before the state had closed it's case,
and was offered in the interests Of a
fair trial.
Arguments Last an Hour.
The arguments lasted nearly an
hour
Judge Williams asked the state
attorney whether 1t was the intention
of the state to claim that the fracture
Of Ballou's skull was caused in any
other way than by contact with the
cement landing at the foot of the
stairs leading from Mrs. Angles
, apartments. The state attorney said
} 1t was not, and the court ordered
recess to permit the state attorney to
redraft the amendment to make that
point clear
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