New Britain herald., 1917-06-09
GIRL FINED $l5 FUR
 RECKLESS DRIVING
High School Pupil Also Under Age Specified by Statute

Caustically characterized by Prose- cutting Attorney George w. Klett for seemingly planned evasion of truth in testimony relative to evidence con- nected with the accident in question. as we'll as charged with illegally oper- taing a motor vehicle, Sylvia Alex. aged IS years, . year under the are limit provided by statute. daughter of Harry Alex, furniture dealer of 873 Main street. tudent in the New Britain High schools frsshman class was fined $16 and costs by Judge James T. Meslxill, in police court today for reckless driving and violation of the motor vehicle statutes. She waa rep- resented by Attorney A. A. Greenbsrg. Bonds for an appeal were fixed at $100.
 Considered to be but the first pros ecution against one of the alleged minors operating motor vehicles about tho city in defiance of the statutes. the action against Miss Alex was brought upon complaint of Mrs. o. K. Hager, ticket seller, and her daughter, Olive Hager, operator of motoScycle in expert demonstrations at the mo- tordrome in connections with the ex- hibitions of the Greater Sheesley Shows' at the Stanley street carnival. Herself an expert operator of motor vehicles. Miss Hager testified that the accused operated an automobile at Main and Myrtle streets Nbout 6 o'clock Thursday night in reckless manner, endangering herself and her sister-in Jaw, tearing Q three cornered gash in her costly skirt and cauaing her to leap on the front platform of a trolley car to avoid be- ing run down while Mrs. Hager made a speedy trip to the curb in order to avoid similar results.
 Responding to close cross -examina- tions by Prosecuting Attorney Klett. the accused admitted to be but IS years of age. this being substantiated by City Clerk Alfred N. Thompson and certified municipal records and said she has been running an auto mobile, at times. for the past i've months. This admission was sub- stantiated by her father.
 Tn passing judgment, Judge Mes- kill said there was no doubt that the accused was guilty and called atten- tion to the right of ordinary people in
 
 fare. The main defense of the accused and her witnesses was that the horn was properly sounded to give notice of the automobiles approach. They apparently considered this to be tho cause for the street to be cleared for the passage of their automob ! The complainants. said they left %hA IA<A ArAA vnyof VN0p for . car to- take them to the scene of the carnival. when the accused. her father and one or more others seated themselves in the automobile. which was immediately started with the accused at the wheel. According to Miss Hager, she had to jump to the front vestibule of . stationery trolley car to avoid being run down and. even then, suffered . badly damaged skirt. Mrs. HaSer. 1t was testified. narrowly escaped by jumping to tho curb.
 The accused was subjected to criti- cal cross-exaYnination by Prosecu- ting Attorney Klett, appeared much confused when confronted with cer- that she saw the complainants walt
 
 ercised the generally accepted right that common people have to stand in the street while waiting for or board ing trolley car. I sounded the horns' she naively informed Attorney Klett. land they did not get out of the way. In fact,' she continued. ''they used bad language to me when they had to hurriedly get out of the way of the automobile"
 Both the accused and her father admitted they were unaware that the operation of a motor vehicle by statutes. Sergeant Theodore Johnson was detailed to investigate the com plaints of Mrs. and Miss Hager, the re- suits of his Investigations causing the summons of the accused into court.
 China Found Not Guilty.
 Sustaining a motion entered by Att torney Patrick F. McDonough for the discharge of his client because of lack of evidence to convict. Joseph China of Berlin was allowed to go and freed from conviction on charges alleging reckless operation of . motor vehicle. namely a truck, on West Main street a week ago. Cross examination by counsel for the defense produced evil dence indicating that China was as much victim of the accident as re- sponsible. 1t was admitted by the state that evidenee developing at the hearing was much different. than that originally furnished Policeman Fred- erick Wagner. an entirely different aspect being given to the case. A truck operated by China collided with g Ford car near West Main and Black Rock avenue a week ago. the lighter car being carried to tho junction of South Burritt street and thrown with much force against an iron pole, considerable damage re- sulting. Today's evidence, according to the ruling made, indicated the re-