The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-01-10
JURY FINDS PETE
KUZMICH GUILTY
First Trial in January
Term Ends With Victory
for the State.
MANY JURORS ABSENT
Country Jurors SnOw-bOund
and Cannot Get into Toxn
in Time.

| Peter Kuzmich, 1877 Market street,
was found guilty of unlawful possess
sion of moonshine by the jury in his
case Monday afternoon. The trial was
the first one of the January term in
the municipal court. With the end Of
the famous contest for the title OF
district attorney, Morris Barnett was
in the prosecutors seat conducting
the case for the state. Edward Ruetz
was assistant for the time being hav-
ing volunteered to be partner to his
former chief until the county board
meets on January 10 and permits Mr..
Barnett to choose a permanent assist
ant.
The Kuzmich case was not one OF
the cut-and-dried cases where the po-
lice have raided a saloon and carried
away liquor as evidence, duly tested
by the chemist and found to have a
certain alcoholic percentage.
Just A Smell There, Eth?
The defense, conducted by Stewart
and Vaudreuil, contended that there
was nothing in the case but a "smell."
The strongest testimony given was that
of Police officer Radatz who testi-
fed that he was served bottle of near
beer and "shot of moon" at the
Kuzmich premises, and that as he
tried to back out of the door with
the moon to save it for evidence the
glass was knocked out of his hand and
the liquor spilled.
! Radatz said the stuff smelled like
moonshine, that he had taken a sip OF
it and that it tasted like moonshine.
The defense sought to break down his
testimony by asking if he had quail
| fled for a position or the police de-
partment as moonshine tester. The
court refused to allow the defendant
to answer.
eve wouldn't allow man to join
the department if he couldn't tell the
difference between moonshine and
cup of water" said the police captain
in an aside.
1t Was A Snappy Case.
Monday was a snappy day in the
municipal court The judge heard the
cases in the police court first and then
moved across the street, opened court
| listened to roll call Of jurors, heard
excuses and read the calendar, al! be-
fore ten o'clock. By ten-thirty there
was g jury in the box ready to listen
| to the testimony in the Kuzmich case.
Monday afternoon, when the jury
| brought in their verdict, the state was
ready to go on with other. cases, but
an adjustment was made of several of
the cases expected to go to trial.
! The case against John Janigian,
charged with assault and battery, was
discharged due to the fact that the
complaining witnesses had moved
away. The defendant agreed to pay
the costs on the dismissal of the case,
and these amounted to as much as the
fine that might have been imposed had
he pleaded guilty to the charge.
Mrs. Schmidt Is Fined.
Mrs. Clemintina Schmidt, who was
on the calendar for trial at this term
on charge of unlawful possession of in
toxicating liquor, came in at the ninth
hour and entered a plea of guilty. She
was fined $500 and costs.
John Rocknowski also disposed Of
his, case, on liquor charge, by plead
ing guilty and was fined $3.50 and
costs.
There are some fifty cases await
ing for trial at this term of court,
among them the state cases against
Thomas Hall, Mrs. Bertha Matthews,
Reon Hillman, Clyde Nolte, DR.. George
E. Thompson, Gerald Rover and others.