New Britain herald., 1923-10-16
oa.e Aealnsl I.snch orsas

Case Agsiasl Lsaeh Opens
 Immediately on the efehlhs q.
 court. the states attornsy nfeseh h.ea
 the case agaiasi LYneh after me is''ht
 had pleaded guilty to seeeha a1l...ss ..s's
 of selling liquor as the seu'h'asssa .,','
 Ina. af which he is propfle.et'
 nrsyious conviction was ohtaihsa m
 inc southingieH town court on hs, .eember |, 1888. when he was hhsa
 slse,
 Afr. Alesrn referred to the first eonr
 yietion. saving that Lynch was net
 resident of Routhington, but hsa he6h
 nronfietor of the inn for q year nF
 more, After being fined siop Tor HIS
 first offense, Lynch resumed business,
 Mfr. Aleorn said and 'has been more n, less successful" During the sum
 mer. when the authorities carried on a campaign against places reputea 10
 he selling liquor, the bar at The Inn was ordered dismantled and the order was compiled with,
 Heard Inn Was Protected
 "Ns thought that was the end or uu Mir. AIcorn said. "Rut later we heard that llouor was being sold at lhe inn and that the proprietor Was Icing protected. Plans were made 10 raid the place when tho men Who were affording tho protection were preseut. Onieer Hickey and keiieher went 10 the inn last Tuesday AS they entered. one man was in the act or drinking A toast and Lynch was hand ing ont n drink to another man.
 "officer Kelleher saw some people in inc hack room. He was greatly surprIscd because one of them was also mn enforcement officer. He went back to Officer Hickey to report his discovery. When they investigated they found Mills. Covert and beiim sltting around table on which there was a bottle and some glasses. The sight greatly disturbed kelleher. tkel- leber is also an enforcement oflcer.D Officer Hickey proceeded about his business and seized a quantity of liquor as evidence.
 AS a penalty for Lynch. Mir. Acorn | suggested a fine of si.ooo and five months in jail.
 speaks Of Lyncl,s Good Record
 JuuSt Nllildfll J o' counsa, for Lynch, made an impress sivo plea for his client. He said that the legislature had made the penalty for convicted second offender Sl,000 pnd six months in jail. but he did not believe that the legislators intended or expected that the maximum penalty should be imposed on all who were brought before the court. He said that every case should be decided on it's own merits, stating that in the lsristol court. where he presides. this ia customary.
 "Mr. Lynch's all is invested in the Southington Inn." Mir. Malone said No matter what you honor may do. he is through with the hotel business He is going to withdraw. MT. Lynch Is married and has three children. Until he entered the hotel business Inc had very crcditable record. don't think the necessities of the law require your honor to send this man to jail for five months. I suggest that 70 days would be sufficient"
 Attorney Edward B. Reilly of Wat erbury. who appeared for Lynch when l. the court that at that time the evi- dence against Lynch consisted of one bottle of vermouth which had not been opened and very small quan- $ tity of wine. {
 T have known Lynch for a long time" Attorney Reilly said. we are hoth residents of Waterbury He has { 2 ovable wife and three children. His ] only mistake was to go into the hotel business. He will De punished by los ing every dollar he owns in the world. lie is not hardened criminal. Nor is l he bootlegger who has profited largely by his operations l
 Alcorn Speaks Of Corruption.
 In reply, States Attorney Alcorn said; Your honor must appreciate z the fact that Lynch took chance.'"
 To the shame of these three men treferrinG to Mills. Covert and Dehm) 7 md to the shame of the state of Connecticut. they were found in the back room of the inn. The most re- srettable thing today is the corrup- .ion m the enforcement of the pros law. To think that an en- T .orcement officer sits in thc back ! 'oom of hotel drinking, to think | hat state official is there, to think ! nat city official is there is aston fl shing. or course Lynch thought he J vas protected, and as far as the in- luence of these men, political or otherwise, is concerned, he was pro- r ected."
 In pronouncing his finding, Judge Kellogg said that he did not believe he case warranted the extreme pen Q llty nor the nominal penalty. but he a id believe that penalty sufficiently c trong, which would serve as a warn Ii ng to others, should be imposed. He [ hen fined Lynch $500 and sent him a 0 jail for four months. II
 Bench Warrants Issued. D Immediately after the disposal of fl he Lynch case, States Attorney Alcorn said that there were certain amifications which required atten- ion. He asked the court to issue z, 'ench warrants for Mills, Covert and a ,ehm. Judge Kellogg remarked that fe he statute under which Covert and q Dehm were held was an old one c fhich had never been tested. He es- C, ablished Mills bond at s1,ooo. al- rt hough Mir. Alcorn asked for one of m s,5o0.
 MT. Alcorn was asked by the Herald" today to clarify the situa- ion in relation to Covert and Debm. of ie said: They violated the law by tr ntering place where liquor is sold to r Teuutpd to ha soId :, ,,