New Britain herald., 1916-06-03

capable man, but rather to show that civil service will not be what is ex- pected and that influence will continue to be an important factor in making future appointments.
 At the May meeting of the council the question came up of approving the $5,000 contract with the United Electric Light and Water company for the new white way system. Some members, chiefly Councilman OrsOn F. Curtis felt that the matter should be further investigated. Following up this idea the company placed a sam pie light and standard on West Main street but apparently this did not satisfy Councilman Curtis who was instrumental at the adjourned meet ing of the council Wednesday, night in a further postponement Tn re- gard to this matter Councilman Cur tis maintained that he is not an ob- structionist but takes the attitude that the council should not take everything at its face value. He says he is tired Of having contracts all fixed up by the city engineer and board of public works with instructions for the coun- ell to "sign on the dotted line" AS COun Cilman G. M. Landers inferred, the question IS whether or not the council will be any better informed two weeks hence than 1t was a fort night ago. It is somewhat peculiar that lnasmuch as the meeting We'd nesday night was called presumably for the express purpose of either ac- ceplng or rejecting the contract the council should again vote to postpone final action. As a rule the council is willing to abide by the recommen- dation of the board of public works and in this instance the board took the trouble to journey to Waterbury and inspect a similar lighting system there, which met their unanimous ap- proval.
 Reports at police headuarters show that during the month of May there were PA arrests made. After care fully perusing past records, Chief w. J. Rawlings states that this is a rec ord number of arrests, the police de- partment having never taken as many people into custody in a single month before. And yet some people insist that adding ten new policemen to the force is all nonsense.
 During the past week two Turks ap- peared in police court. One was charged with stabbing the other and admitted that he had tried to kill his victim. During the course of his trial he told the udjge that for the past seven years he has always had his knife with him and even slept with it under his pillow. This, ac- cording to the official Turkish court in terpreter is but the transplanting of a native custom to this country. The interpreter who was born in the Sul- tan's domain, states that it is a law of the land that all Turks are permitted to carry a knife or revolver and they all avail themselves of this privilege. On the other hand all Armenians and other Christians in Turkey are strictly forbidden not only to carry weaLon of any nature but also to own them and have them in their homes. Any Christian caught with weapons is i'm medfately subject to a jail or prison sentence The interpreter stated that shortly before he left Turkey a large number of young Armenians in Con- stantinople became imbubed with the preparedness idea and purchased arms which they hid in their homes. The Turkish government, hearing of the plan, sent out searching parties and the arms were taken from the Armen- ians and distributed gratis among the Turks, after which the Christians were punished.