New Britain herald., 1927-12-14
HARTFORD AVENUE
 POOL ROOM CLOSED
Proprietor Is Fined-LaWyer
 and Prosecutor in Clash

"A breeding place for young criminals" was the characterization ot a pool room at % Hartford ave nue, given by Chief W. c. Hart of the police department while notify ing Attorney Thomas r. McDonough that the license granted 10 Albert Martino, aged 50, to conduct the place, would be revoked immediate ly, following Martinos conviction in police court today on the charge Of violation of the liquor law. The chief said he had told Martino when he was given the license about two months ago that revocation would follow conviction. and Martino had assured him that he would not sell liquor. The chief made personal in spectlon of the place a short time ago, he told the attorney, and ob- served large number of young men making a clubroom Of it. Some Of them have served terms in corrcc- tional institutions, while others should put their time 10 better use.
 Martino. who was arrested last Saturday evening by Sergeant r. J. O'Nara, was fined $Go and costs by Judge M, D. Sake, an anaylsis of cider taken by the sergeant having shown it to contain 9.1S per cent al cohol by volume and 7.50 per cent by weight. Sergeant O'Mara testified that he had a search warrant for the pool room and went there about $40 o'clock. observing about 50 young men playing on two pool tables, and three card tables. Martino told him he was selling cided for five cents glass, but denied that he had liquor for sale. The sergeant having been told that liquor was kept in a bottle in a soda case, began to search for lt and Martino hurried picked up case and walked away with it. The sergeant took it from him and found bottle containing a small amount of alleged alcohol, which Martino said he had for his own use. Anoth- CT bottle contained traces of wine. The sergeant took the bottle of al
 
 the cider, being careful to rinse the bottle with water in Martino's pres ence before filling it with cider.
 Sergeant Tcstiics
 Relative to the reputation of the pool room, Sergeant O'Mara said he has seen men of drinking habits go- ing in and out of the place, but he hoe Irf,, ,1rt,, the premises, and he could not say whether they bought cider or liquor. Some Of the young men who were playing have been arrested and con- victed, the sergeant said. Martino told him there was no gambling al- lowed. but the players competed for soft drinks.
 Martino, represented by Attorney NcDonough, said he has had the pool room about two months and has never sold liquor. On Nov. 30. he bought the cider and believed that II was non-i intoxicating He has had difficulty sleeping, he said, and Jo- seph Brocko, aged IS, of 176 West street, gave him the liquor which Sergeant O Mara found, advising him to drink it for his insomnia. He also produced two boxes which he said contained medicine to induce sleep. The wine was brought to the pool room by Joseph DiPace Of 339 High street and was not for sale, Martino said. He denied that men of drink ing habits frequent the place, and he said he has made it a practice not to permit drinking there. He would not have sold the cider had he thought it to be as strong as the analysis showed.
 Brocko testified that he was in the pool room Saturday afternoon and on hearing Martino confding 10 some Of the gang" that he was un- able to sleep, he gave him the al Cohol and told him to drink 1t be- fore going to bed and it would put him to sleep. Asked where he had obtained the alcohol, Brocko replied; That's telling. l got it from a friend" Asked whether or not it would produce sleep, he replied: I'll say it would" DiPace testified that he owned the wine and had asked Martino to hold 1t for him in the pool room.
 Loafers Are Aseailed
 Prosecuting Attorney Woods asked for a conviction, saying Martino and his witnesses had attempted to prac- tiCe deception. Graduates of Che shire" frequent the pool room and Martino sells liquor, bringing it there in small amounts. A delegation of frequenters was in the gallery be- fore court until they were ordered 'to get out and go 10 work" by the prosecuting attorney who told Judge Sake they are "loafcrs." Whether