Putnam patriot., 1916-06-09
SUPERIOR COURT
William Brennan Goes to Jail for AS-
 Sault
Martha Wilcox Trustee Awarded S505.
 Sur Against Railroad Company

! Tuesd ay morning for a special session with Judge Milton A. Shumway and ! a jury. The case of Martha K. Wilcox, l trustee, vS the Lawton Mills Company of Plainield, begun in Nilhmantie, was concluded.
 The action grows out of sand and gravel furnished by the plaintiff for use in the construction of A mill of the l defendant company. he material was furnished a sub contractor and a l lien was filed on the mill property. 1 The dispute is over the amount agreed l upon, the plaintiff contending that the contract was for 12 l,2 cents per load of square yard while the defendant 1 says it was for l2 12 cents per load of two square yards. The case went to the jury about o'clock and they brought in a verdict for the plaintiff to recover S503 So.
 Before court convened Judge Shum- way and attorneys went to the farm of Mrs. Mary Jasmine near the little Dam Tavern to view the premises. l George Trottier, who has been oceu- pying the farm as tenant, is about 10 vacate the premises. While he has been occupying the place he has built a number of hen coops and corn crib l Mrs. Jasmine obtained a temporary 1 injunction restraining the lessee from removing these buildings as she claims 1 they have become q part of the realty and belong to her The tenant claims they are personal property and can be removed. The hearing is to determine the matter. The judge reserved his decision.
 When the superior court came in at Putnam Wednesday morning Judge Milton A. Shumway and jury heard the criminal action of state ys William Brennan charged with assault on Pierre Auger, S2, an inmate of the Put nam town farm. The case came on appeal from the Putnam city court.
 Brennan and Auger were both in- mates of the farm on April l1th last when the assault occurred. Auger and Louis Lafiamme, another inmate, testified that about o'clock on the af- ternoop of April l1th they came into a room where defendant was about to build a fire. They remarked that a Brennan picked up a piece of stove wood and struck Auger on the head and then hit him several times with poker.
 pr. Omer LaRue, who was called to attend Auger, testified that he found cut two inches long on the top of his head. The cut opened up the scalp to the skull. Another cut was found over his right eye and a smaller cut on the back of his head.
 Jerome Shippee, keeper Of the farm, and his wife, testified that Auger came out of the house with his head and face covered with blood.
 Brennan was the only witness for the defence. He stated that he was starting the fire when Auger came in and threatened him with the poker and then hit him back of the ear. He admitted hitting Auger with the stick of wood but claimed he acted in self defence He said that Auger posed as being great fighter but that he was not afraid of him. He did not hit him very hard and did not mean to hurt him.
 Counsel agreed to submit the case on the judges charge without argument. The judge took about five minutes to make his charge and the jury was out 15 minutes. A verdict of guilty was rendered and sentence of two months in Jail imposed. Brennan has been in jail since April l2th.
 The second case was a civil action in which Alden A. Filling hast of Daniel son seeks to recover S550 for the des- truction ,of his automobile by train at a crossing of the defendant, the N. Y. N. H 6 H. Railroad Company, at Danielson on the morning of Aug. 9th, 1914.
 Plaintiff claims that he was running slowly as he knew the crossing was a dangerous one and that as he ap- preached the crossing he heard no warning signal of any kind. Owing to 8 defect in the planking on the crossing his automobile engine stalled on the track and he looked up and saw train bearing down upon him. He jumped from the m machine few seconds before the engine struck it.
 The train which struck the automo- bile was 8 special which was taking passengers from the steamship Crown Princess ('eeile, which put back to Bar Harbor after starting for England shortly after the war began. Witnes- ses testified that the train was running about thirty miles an hour and was brought to 8 stop before the eleven cars of which it was composed cleared the crossing. It was also testified to that the crossing signal bell was ringing, as well as the bell on the engine.
 The case was tried 10 the court and decision was reserved.
 At a meeting of the judges of the su. preme and superior courts, held in Hartford, Monday, Charles k. Sesris was reappointed States Attorney for Windham county for B term of two years from July lst. E. NJ. Warner