New Britain herald., 1926-08-14
FAMILY SAVES MAN FROM JAIL
ElmVOod Man Has 30 Days
 Suspended by Court

A plea by Judge W. F. Mangan,
 counsel for James R. Murphy of
 Elmwood, saved Murphy from going
 to jail when he pleaded guilty to the
 charge of operating an automobile
 while under the influence of liquor,
 in police court this morning. Mur-
 phy is the first person to escape jail
 after being found guilty on this
 charge in the local court, in a long time.
 Justice H P. Roche imposed a
 fine of s100 and costs and a sentence
 of 30 days in jail, suspended, re-
 marking that he wants it under stood that he is wholly without sympathy for drunken drivers, yet this appears to be a case where in- nocent persons would suffer If the practice of the court in sending con- victed drivers to jail were followed.
 Judge Mangan entered plea of guilty for Murphy.
 Murphy is a family man, of indus trious habits, and with a good rec ord. Last Saturday he drank some cider in Pennington, not knowing it had alcholic properties. He did not go out to celebrate by deliberately becoming intoxicated. He Is the fath- CT of three children and his wife is in a delicate condition. She is in a highly nervous condition because of 1 her husbands predicament, and he has suffered through injuries sus- | tained in the collision that caused his arrest. He will suffer monetary loss bs- cause of hospital treatment and ser | ious damage to his car. The owner of the other car will not suffer any loss, as Murphy's car is fully in- sured
 Judge Mangan said there is no i question that Murphy was intoxicat- ed and it is we'll known that the court has been sentencing intoxicat- ed drivers to jail, but the circum- stances surrounding this case appear to justify suspension of the jail sen- tence.
 Officer Thomas J. Feeney testi- fled that Murphy's car collided with a car driven by Anton O. Nelson of Pennington avenue, this city, at Gillette's corner on Hartford road, about 10 o'clock last Saturday night. Murphy was thrown out and suffer- ed an injury to the head for which he was treated at New Britain Gen. eral hospital. Officer Feeney said Murphy was intoxicated.
 Fined S10
 Joseph Skingor, age 35 years, of 319 Broad street, was fined s5 and costs for breach of the peace and s5 and costs for resistance. He pleaded not guilty and was repre- sented by Attorney Lawrence J. Colon.
 The trouble started over a bon fire that smoked a line of clothes in Mrs. James Fredericks' yard at 325 Broad street last evening Mrs. Fredericks made the complaint to Officer John Rapponotti who in- quired of the Skingor boy who made the fire and the boy said his father did. The officer went to Skingor's store and asked him why he made the fire so near Mrs. Fredericks' clothes, also if he did not know bonfires are prohibited by law between 6 p. m. and a. m.
 After a talk, the officer left and was passing Skingor's store a lit- tie later when Skingor called to him. The officer would not go in the store, so Skingor came out to him. ~
 Officer Rappanotti testified that Skihgor resisted arrest and told him he could not arrest him. He called | the officer vile names, a ''wop" and oher things. The officer told him not to be "a thick Polack" and come along peaceably. Skingor re- fused and scuffle ensued inside the store, during which Skingors | wife and 13 years, old son interfer- ed with the officer, according to | the latter.
 The officers trousers were torn in the scuffle.
 Skingor testified that when the | officer spoke to him about start | ing the fire he went to Mrs. Fred | ericks and apologized, telling her he wished she had spoken to him | about the fire before she complain ed to the officer He asked the of- | ficer the law concerning bonfires | and the officer told him, but later, to be certain, he called the officer | to ask him again.
 The officer arrested him but he l was excited and did not want to go with the officer. The officer at- l tempted to strike him, whereupon Mrs. Skingor interfered. The of- ffcer's trousers were torn on the | door knob, Skingor said.
 Skingor told the officer to tele- phone for the patrol from the | store if he wished to, but he | wouldn't walk to a police box. The officer would not do so, saying he had no money to telephone. Skiing or offered him the money and fin ally Mrs. Skingor telephoned.
 Mrs. Skingor testified that she interfered when the officer raised his nightstick to strike her hus- band.
 Prosecuting Attorney Woods hayed Skingor, calling him "an un- ruly ruffian," who has been in po- lice court many times. The officer was doing his duty and Skingor and his wife attempted to tell him how to do 1t. Skingor had no right to resist and use vile language. When placed under arrest Skingor should have gone with the officer. The off, cer was In full uniform. Skingor, though, would not go. He tried to dictate how the officer should do his duty. Mrs. Skingor, too, took hand in the scuffle by interfering with the officer.
 Attorney Colon replied that while ha has not any information relative