New Britain herald., 1917-01-01
HRT1 TIVE INSANE TTlhlEADy FR lIIHY LYNCH THEM !
WOMEN DE IN FIRE tJAlItll)R lash in SOUTH

Ri - ~ 4sx 4&r IS
Prosecutor s. l;11 Bellows Hotel Ma \
/. she, y b 7aa lg lss
DEFENDANT An bound II 1, OYER,
Jlpsse Messiah Prsters 70 Have sun
sge 81 Court rnseraret, st.tsste.
1s're ESCAPES scathinsly Descrlped
: Ass1nadcquatc in Time Of Necessity.
Under 4 f1rMng Sof probable cause,
Patrick 8. McMahon. theater mag
nate, owner'of much New Britain real
estate and proprietor of~the Hotel
Bronson at Main and East Main
street, ws4s held for the March term
ot*superior court in bonds of 800 by
Jddge James T.. Meskill Gin police
court today for alleged failure to
comply with the statutes covering
fire escapes on buildings used for
hotel purposes. BY agreem Of
counsel, the hearing was confined to
statement of facts and arguments as
to the Interpretation of the statutes
governing fire escapes. No witnesses
We're called. In passing on the case,
Judge Meskill ruled that there is
some question Of doubt as to whether
there is a conflict Of statutes and he
desires to have a superior court judge
interprete the present status.
: Mcmahon was characterized by
Prosecuting Attorney George w.
Klett as one who has been in court
frequently, has ignored notifications
from city boards relative to alleged
violations of state statutes or city
ordinances and appears to care little
for mere fines. He pleaded to have
jail sentence imposed, saying that
fines appear to do absolutely no good
and the only way to make him obey
the law is to send him to Jail. THE
law" he pleaded lis to give him a
term in Hartford Jail. He said that
the accused is sufficiently well off
financially to be little bothered by
having to pay mere fine.
The Hotel Bronson, he argued, is
one Of the worst fire traps that he has
ever seen, in direct violation Of the
wording and intent of the statutes
and place where improvements are
much needed, If guests are to be pro-
tected. The present fire escapes We're
branded as utterly insufficient and he
predicted that in case OF a really Sc
3rious IRE, many guests ~ dAIld sbe
ira ffkesa rat In as4rap. One room
was cited where there Ia no window
the only exit being Into q narrow hail
with window at one terminAR and
a narrow winding stairway NJ the
ether
While conditions were not credited
with having caused the death OF, John
Mccarthy in the fire a week aGo, he
expressed wonderment that there was
not q greater loss of human lfa~ and
expressed the belief that 1t was not
the equipment of the hotel that pre-
vented it. r
No Repairs Made.
His plea was that the present stat
Lutes were intended to cover Just such
instances as these and to adequately
protect hotel guests from fire. A copy
OF the letter sent Mcmahon Jan. IA,
1916 by Building Inspector Arthur N.
Rutherford under registered mail and
the receipt for same was shown. 1t
was shown that Mcmahon. in this not
ifcation, had been directed to remedy
conditions by April IA, Within three
months. Despite frequent inspec-
lions by, Inspector Rutherford and
Fire Chief Robert M. Dame, he ar
gued, nothing has been done. It was
stated that George c. LYONS of New
Haven, salesman for modern fire.
escape equipm ent had called on Nc
Mahon several times in June and July
but had been put off Indefinitely. Ly-
ons had been summoned as a witness.
He contended that Section $3.50 of
the general statutes, providing a. pen
atty of a fine of from 500 to $500,
a Jail sentence with maximum Of six
months, or both, has not been re-
pealed and is still operative in con-
nectionT with violation Of provisions
contai1sed in Sections 2s2s and 2sss
8 Attorney William F. ManganS en-
tered q plea Of ,Aolle contendere, say
Ing chat, by agreement Of rounsel. the
proceedings would be confined to
statement of facttand argument rs to
Interpretation of law. HeiRrsued that
the fire escapes provided bs-sMcMahon
comply with the statutes nosr-in force.
Also that Chapter 239 and 81 Of the
Acts of 1913, Of the Acts Of 1911,
providing. fora f1ne Of 500 to $500
without 4 Jail sentence. has repealed
the section that tstxss an alternative
of tail or additioifssl penalty of Jail
He expressed the belief that his
Glen intended tosromply with the law
and 20 adequately protect Ms guests
from fire. Thatsthe manner I'M which
MCCARTHY met hts death has nothing
to do with the question as to whether
the law has been broken was his con-
tention. 4sa.As
Prosecutor K1ett said that ills not
Ut the, building inspector to speci-
IN as to what fire escapes shall be
Anstal1ed Hrdhe manner Of their in
stsua tioY, atShat the. eauipmeak must
nj ct wiS<AH approval and, IN his
ds.nion, hafin compliance with the