Putnam patriot., 1920-08-13
JUDGE FINES TWO
 FOR JULY 4 AFFAIR
Probably Last Echo of Holiday Near-Riot Heard Monday
 Morning
Decatur and Favreault Eas, Pay Sli.
 -Cordier Case Nolied

What was probably the last echo from the Fourth of July near-riot eel ebration was heard in the little court across the river at session Monday morning. when David Favreault and Francis Decatur were each fined S5 for being found intoxicated, and $5 for abusing an officer. with Sl actual costs in each case.
 The case of Joseph Cordier was talk en up first. Cordier pleaded not gull ty at the session held July 12 and maintained that he was not out the night of the trouble and stated em- phatically that it was an instance of mistaken identity.
 In suggesting that he nolle the case, Prosecutor Morse said that at the time of the trial there was but one witness and that since that time he had investigated further and could find no corroberating evidence. While he thought the officer who testified to seeing Cordier nj the crowd was tell ing the truth, he. the prosecutor, had reached the conclusion that the off, cer was mistaken and that Cordier was not there. for he had found wit nesses who knew that Gordier was not present.
 In the cases of Favreault and De- catur the prosecutor stated that he thought too much had already been said about the matter. He said the two defendants had pleaded guilty and if they had not so pleaded they could have been proven guilty. He said that both testified at the court of inquiry and said they were so drunk that they did not remember who they were with that night.
 The prosecutor said that both got drunk voluntarily and thus deprived themselves of their senses. He sad it was little different than formerly. for the men had to seek intoxicants.
 The breach of the peace charge the prosecutor did not take so seriously. He said it was Fourth of July ceie- bration that, when begun, went be- XGH0 all GtacOHttuiC sttfe A'N fee-N- nothing but censure for those who took part in it. He said that abusing an officer was the most serious Of all, for it was interfering with men set up by the municipality to care for the safety and welfare of the citizens. He said the only possible excuse was the intoxieation of the defendants and that the intoxication was voluntary.
 Judge Geissler said that his ideas coincided with those of the prosecut- ing attorney. He said there was some reason to be lenient on the breach of peace charge. It was Fourth of July celebration that went too far but that there was no direct evidence that the two defendants caused anyone inconvenience and that he would disregard that count.
 In regard to the jntoxication he said that he could see that perhaps that night it was easy to find intoxi- cants and that while the abuse of the officer was doubtless due to the in- toxication it was no excuse. But un- der all of the circumstances he was m clined to be easier and ordered fines of $10 in each case and costs of sl for each.
 The judge said if there was any good feature it was that the two de- fendants owned up to their participa- tion in the affair and were not like some other "skulking towards who thought they would be undetected be- cause their friends would protect htem. q think more of you for 1t. That't all," concluded the court.