New Britain herald., 1924-06-30
LAWYERS WRANGLE
 OVER POLICE AGENT
Warm Debate When t9 Are Pre- sented for Breaking Liquor Law

1 The biggest cleanup of liquor law vioIators in the city since the enact ment of the prohibition law became
 effective resulted in fl defendants be-
 ing haled before Judge Benjamin W.
 AIling in police court this morning on l charges of having a reputation and keeping liquor with intent 10 sell, and | five on charges of frequenting. Seven 1 of the cases were disposed Of and all were found guilty. The case against one man was continued until Thurs day for disposition after the evidence had been presented and the other cases were continued until later dac-s for trial. Penalties ranging from z $50 fine to fines of s2nO with so days jail sentences were imposed on those convicted this morning.
 The court session was a lively one
 and was marked by several alterca-
 tions between attorneys for the de- .fendants and Prosecutor Joseph c.
 Woods over the correct appellation
 that should he applied to the stool
 pigeon par excellence" that was em-
 ployed by the police to secure evil
 dence of sal's aGainGr 'h' defendants.
 Attorney Saul P. WaskowitZ. repre-
 senting one of the defendants. insisted on referring to him al a "vs gabond."
 "criminal." and stool pignon. and was called to task by Judge Alling,
 who told him that the fact that the agent" had been arrested twice. once in Waterbury and once in Watertown for the Waterbury police. did not mean that he was criminal. but it was necessary 10 show that he had been convicted of a crime, which the defens" had not done.
 The testimony brought out that the new agent" of the police has been about the city for over a week secur- ing evidence of sales against alleged 1 Niolators Of the liquor laws. After evidence Of 2 sufficient number Of sales was secured. the police swooped 1 down late Saturday afternoon and, l aiding their homes and places Of i business. placed them under arrest.
 Judge William F. Mangan. repre- senting Atphonso Muro of 2sS La sale street, charged on two counts ot | liquor law violations, opened the at tack against the credibility Of the stool pigeon" and after the evidence l in the case had been presented, he i asked that the court reserve decision until Thursday to enable him to check | up on the story told by the agent"
 The agent" said that his name was George Navickas and that he came here over week ago from New Ha- 'en where he was employed helping his brother at bathing pavilion. Be lore that. NayiCkas said that he was employed in a store in Waterbury for
 hrce years, Judge ManEan alleged
 hat he was a "foater." going from mo place 10 another and picking up chance to make money Judge Man san brought out, after Judge Alng lad overruled an objection hy Pros. 'cntor Woods. that the agent" was aid BIO by the police for each case n which he secured evidence of a iale. He maintained that for this req ton. and because of his past record. le was liable to testify 10 anything as meant money 10 him.
 Testimony was offered that Navic- .as had gone to Muros house with wo policemen and after going into he house without anything in his Iocket. came out with a pint Of liquor
 e had purchased from Nuro. Muro
 cnied that he had ever seen Navickas 'efore or that he ever sold any quor.
 Stanley Z.anski of so Smaliov ! treet vas fined s2ao and sentenced Q i 5 days in iail Navickas testified hat he went 10 Ziranski's house with
 man he met at the railroad station nd had secured liquor there Ziran- ki claimed that at the time Nsyickas [ sstlfed he was at the house purehas- z 1g the liquor, he was upstairs in bod z nd had no knowledge that he was in ' h" house at all Atty. Waskowitz spresented Ziranski and took an ap- cal. bonds Tor which were set al 5nh.
 John Isn1sel of PRS Washington ,