New Britain herald., 1916-12-18
SENT TO JAIL FOR
 GIVING BAD CHECK
Southern Person Made Free With
 Store Keepers Goods

Aile ihoss-groWn excuse that the
 check was given to him by a fellow
 workman and he did not know that it
 was phony'' did not save Alfonso
 collins, alias John Williams, lately of
 North Carolina, in police court today.
 Judge James T. Meskill imposing a
 me or $50 and costs with six months Tn Jall. In the characteristic drawl of
 the southland below the Mason and D1xon line, Collins tried to explain
 'nac It was all a mistake, that he was a honest-to-goodness Negro, and meant no harm to the pocketbooks of trusting northern merchants. He was Ieucent when asked relative to the names and addresses of his three companions who, also carrying a SUD- ply or checks, descended upon New Britain Saturday.
 The first announcement that the police had of the visitors was when Mrs Bessie Feingold of Lafayette street came to police headquarters saturday afternoon to complain about some checks that she lad taken in ex- cnange for goods and given sub stantlal amount of change to the don- ors. She estimated that she was out apout $50 and three pairs of rub- bers.
 According to her, Collins and three other Negroes, came to her store. All wanted rubbers and picked out stand ard grade ones too. All had checks, made out on the New Britain Nation al bank, for various amounts and signed With the name of George H. Baldwin, wood and coal dealer of Berlin. They told her that they were employed by Baldwin and he had paid them off by check. But short time had elapsed when MT. Baldwin called up police headquarters and not itified officials there that he had not issued the checks in question and had no Negroes working for him. The hunt was on and policemen on street beats were ordered to be on the look out for the quartet of financiers.
 Policeman William Stroils arrested Collins. As he was taking him to a police box, the prisoner tried to lose another check. It f1uttered to the l sidewalk without being noticed by Strolls. P. F. Durl1in, who happened to be just behind, noticed it and turned 1t over to the authorities
 A little later Harry Goldman, a clerk in Segal's store at 357 Main l street, reported that two Negroes 1 armed with checks had visited the ] store, picked out valuable overcoats ] and then presented the checks and 1 wanted change. He was suspicious 1 and turned to the telephone to call up 1 and see if the pieces of paper really money. While he was elephoning the customers took to ] heir heels and vanished up Main treet in the direction of the railroad rossing.
 Hartford Woman Fined.
 Mrs. Josephine DeMars of 105 Park treet, Hartford, a waitress in the Pure Food restaurant in that city, was entenced to thirty days in jail for in oxication. Charges of street walking md improper conduct about the rail- oad station early yesterday morning were dismissed. Josephine pleaded or a chance because of her children ut her record was against her. She aid that she is twenty-six years old. las six children, the oldest eleven ears One of the witnesses said that ut her up for the night. Sure vill'', he replied and called Police- nan William StrOlls, who acted as bell 1 lop for her to a bunk at police head 1 quarters.
 Horace LeVal1ey was fined $1o with ut costs for violation of the motor l