Republican farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1810-1920, 1918-03-01
REDDING

Redding, Feb. 2S-The findings of
Judge Banks in the Peck and Luttgen
tax cases are regarded by the officials
here as substantially victory for the
town inasmuch as they uphold the
action of the assessors and Board Of
Relief as regards both the appeals
of Laura E. Peck and reduce the val
uation placed by those boards on
Commodore Luttgen's property by
less than So 600. The decision, if
confirmed by the Superior Court, will
throw the costs in the Luttgen suit
on the town while compelling Mrs.
Peck to pay double the costs incurred
from her actions. However, the re-
monstrance entered by her counsel
against confirmation of the report
with an accompanying motion to re-
commit the suits to Judge Banks for
further consideration may result in
changing the situation. The motion
to re-commit is yet to be passed upon
by Judge Maltbie and there exists the
possibility that in the event of its de-
NAL the case may be carried to the
Supreme Court. The ground of At
torney Bowers motion rests on the
contention which he emphasized in
his original complaint and through
out the hearing on the suits, this be-
ing the claim that his clients had
been Disseminated against from the
fact that their property was assessed
at a higher percentage relatively to
its value than was other property in
the town, such alleged discrimina-
ton being SO general as to constitute
a substantial wrong to the plaintiffs.
This claim was supported by the evil
dence of H. G. Mcclellan and Henry A.
Gilbert, appraisal agents represent
ing the plaintiffs and controverted by
appraisal agents called in behalf of
| the town. Now Attorney Bowers
maintains that Judge Banks failed in
his findings to make pronouncement
on this essential issue of inequalities
in the work of the official assessing
bodies. Before the cases went to trial
Senator Peck made the selectmen an
offer of compromise, his conditions
| being a revision of the assessments
in accordance with the figures sub
mitted by his appraisal agents The
proposed revision would have reduc-
| ed the listed valuations by about
| $4,000. His proposition was rejected
by the selectmen after they had dis
cussed it at two meetings.
A call to report for service on
Tuesday of this week which came I'M
expectedly to Frank E. Meehan of
| West Redding was evoked by the
district draft board after all the facts
| in the case had been laid before them
| on his appeal. The case has some pc
culiar features. Mr.. Meehan was re-
| jected on his first examination on ac-
| count of permanent lameness In
making out his QUESTIONABLE return
he failed to report conditions which
would have placed him in the fourth
class and was assigned to the first
| class. Accepted on his second exam
nation as physically fit he was
promptly called. Then he bestirred
himself to obtain exemption and sue
ceeded, one of the points in his favor
being q surgeons certificate of physi-
cal disability granted him by DR..
Smith to exempt him from the state
military enrolment. Eric Lietburg
of Georgetown was called at the same
time as Meehan and left for Camp
Devens yesterday.
Rev. W. H. Tate, pastor of the Con-
gregational church in Georgetown
has decided to enlist with the British
contingent now being recruited in
this country. He was born a British
subject and has never been naturaliz-
ed. James Allen, another Georgetown
resident ard draft subject, is anxious
to get into the service and gave I'D a
good position last fall in order that
he might be free to go when the cal
came. Two have passed him by anC
he is still waiting. The examination
taken at Danbury last week by F. NJ
Rasanan of the Ridge resulted in his
acceptance.
1t is the third or fourth he had
taken in an endeavor to enlist. Gus
Berquist of Sanfordtown has enrolled
with the ship yard workers under the
recent appeal from the government
Mr.. Craig, head of the junior depart
ment of the Sanford school, answered
a call this week from the New Jersey
military authorities. He took a train
ing course at the Plattsburg camp and
was placed on the reserve list as sec
ond lieutenant.
In spite of the unfavoraible weathe1
and travel conditions Grange hall was
well filled at the war rally held or
Wednesday evening of last week by
an earnest audience quickly respon-
sive to the patriotic utterances of the
speakers. These were Judge Gun
bingham of Danbury and Miss F1tz-
gerald of Hartford. The former made
g forcible and stirring address il
which he said that while most people
IL, % IL :
not realize it to the extent they
should or sufficiently take into &C.
count the disastrous consequences t.
this country meant by defeat. Re.
ilease of the German feet would prob.
ably be followed by a dash for ou1
shores and the bombardment of ou1
Atlantic coast cities Our allies wert
!, not yet exhausted, but they were 81
unpleasantly near it that the full
measure of our assistance and tha-
extended as speedily as possible wa
needed to turn the tide in our favor
l All should feel their undivided re
sponsibiity in the crisis and act &C
cordingly. Our sacrifices and acts %
, helpfulness so far were trivial com
| pared to what might be required o.
us and the sooner we faced the sit
, uation with clear vision the better
Miss Fitzgerald spoke mainly of Can
ada's war activities and particular!
t of the important part her women hat
borne in the work. There was excel
| lent singing of patriotic airs to piano
| accompaniment by Mrs. Florenc,
Grause Another web attended wa,
rally was held last evening in George
, town with Judge Candee of NorwaIl
and Miss Olive Reamy of New Canaan
I l.,