New Britain herald., 1927-11-29
JUDGE SUSPECTS BOY OF PERJURY
1S Year Old Lad Witness in
 Liquor Selling Case
MANGAN WANTS INQUIRY
Trial of Maicttas and Girl Relative Halted When Youthful Witness Refuses to Sub>tan,iatc story He Told Policeman.

! 13 year old schoolboy, who was caught carrying two glass jugs ot alleged liquor on Lafayette stree, about l1:30 8. u., Sunday, Nov. 20, and who later gave the police Il statement over his signature that h. vas the runner" between a garage and Andrew Maiettas store at 107 Lafayette street. took the witness stand in police. court today to testify in the case Of Maietta and his wife
 Mrs. Concetta Maietta, aged 27. and
 Miss Grace Pinella, aged 1s, rela-
 tive of the Maiettas, the trio having
 been arrested on the charge of vio- lating the liquor law. The boy had
 been on the stand only q few min- utes when 1t was apparent to court officials that he was withholding something, and despite the combined efforts of Assistant Prosecuting At torney w. M. Greenstein and Judge w. F. Mangan, who was on the bench in the absence of Judges Roche and Sake, the boy would not tell a coherent story. mumbling T don't know" and crying.
 "FOund" Liquor M Dump.
 Alter Officer Walter Malona and Sergeant P. J. O'Mara had testified. the boy was again called to the stand, but there was no improve m ent in his attitude and although he admitted he. could read and wrlre he professed ignorance as to whether or nothe had told the truth when he made his statement 10 Sergeants O'Mara and Flynn. He was given newspaper 10 read and he convinced the court that he knew the meaning Of the words in several places. and then he was given his statement and he read 1t. but when asked about his part in the case, he only mumbled that he found the jugs of alleged liquor in "a. dump" on Lafayette street. His father call ed to him from the gallery 10 Say something" but the boy could not be moved.
 Mir. Greenstein's request for a re- cess was granted and when court he asked that contin- uance until Thursday be ordered. tmm ediately. Attorney Thomas r. McDonough, defense counsel, oh- jected on the ground that it was unfair 10 permit the state 10 go part way into a case and, finding there was no evidence. obtain a con- tinuance for the purpose of bolster ing 1t up. He demanded 10 know the reasons for the requested con tinuance.
 Judge Relieves Perjury Committed.
 Judge Mangan. measuring his words, declared that he was con vinced that perjury had been com and be believed Attorney and everyone else who had listened to the testimony shared his conviction. There was reason able inference that subornation of perjury has also been committed, he said. and he felt that continu- ance should be granted for the pur- pose of having the entire matter looked into.
 Tt is a terrible situation" h- said. T want it understood that in Investigating the case. there is 10 he no coercion used on this boy. want the prosecutor to so notify the police. l know Sergeant O'Mara. who appears 10 have charge Of the ,ase, and I realize that he would lot use coercion. Of course, the )oy can be talked 10 reasonably. I nm convinced that he has withheld he truth in this case and we want o find out all about it."
 Officer Malona testified that the ,oy was carrying the jugs In two paper bags, out of an alleyway near ,6 and 90 Lafayette street, and when asked what he had in them, he re- piled nothing" The officer learn- d that the jugs were full and he ook the boy and the jugs 10 the police station.
 Sergeant O'Mara testified that he alked to the boy, who gave him the Sey to Maietta's garage. A search ,f the garage revealed no liquor, put Officer F.. B. Kiely found two ans, one of them partly filled with
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