New Britain herald., 1926-10-28
POLICE AGAIN CHARGED
 WITH THIRD DEGREE
Lawyer Says He Believes They Use Coercive
 Measures

The ghost of the Bordinaro case stalked through the police court room this morning during the trial of Elias Panish of 295 Lasalle street, an alleged bottle toter, when Attor- ney David L. Nair. defense counsel, told Justice Henry P. Roche, who was on the bench. that he does not doubt that the police use force to wiring confessions from prisoners.
 In the Bordinaro case, the charge was made that the police committed an assau in an attempt to compel the accused man to make certain admissions. Panish. who was never arrested prior to last Saturday night. testified that Officer Feeney clcnch- ed his fist and glowered at him in the detective bureau, frightening him into an admission that he had been selling liquor
 Supernumerary Officer Huck testi- fled that he watched Panish at ball at Ullrainian hall on Erwin Place last Saturday night and saw him go into a toilet with a few other men. When the officer entered, Panish was holding a tilted bottle and the off cer deduced that liquor had been served. He arrested him.
 Officer Feeney testified that Pan- ish admitted at police headquarters that he was selling liquor for 20 cents drink.
 Attorney Nair objected to allow ing Officer Feeney to testify as to the conversation because the officer had not told Pani-h he need not in criminate himse.i. Justice Roche overruled the objection.
 Detective Sergeant Ellinger testi- fled that Panish denied the charge, but after a few minutes conversa- ton, admitted that he had sold li- Nair made the game objection to this testimony on tLe same ground and was again ,rruled.
 The men who were with Panish sell liquor to anyone at the dance. Panish, in his own defense. testified that the men board at his home and he was Setting 'em up" when Offi- cer Huck came in. eforl he poured the drink the officer took the bottle from him.
 At police headquarters Officer Feeney and another officer took him into a room and asked him if he had sold liquor.
 He said he had not sold it. They spoke loudly and looked threatening ly and frightened him. he said. He had heard that the police make practice of beating men who do not adn!t charges nd a short time ago he heard a prisoner was badly beat en in the police station. He saw Officer Feeney clench his fist and this frightened him even more than their tone of voice, so he told them he was selling the liquor to avoid beating.
 Prosecuting Attorney Woods said there is no question of Panish's guilt. He went to the dance and sold liquor from bottle. He ad- mitted his guilt to Sergeant Ellinger and Officer Feeney and he should be found guilty, Woods said.
 Attorney Nair asked for dis charge on the ground that the state has failed to prove the charge be- yond a reasonable doubt.
 Panish was frightened in the po- lice station. He is 54 years of ago and has lived in New Britain 22 years. Never before has he been arrested and he naturally would be frightened when he found himself alone with two policemen, especial ly after the newspapers last week the tactics employed by the police to obtain admissions from prisoner.
 T have no doubt that the police, In some cases, beat up prisoners"