New Britain herald., 1928-01-14
JUDGE WARNS BOY TO MEND HIS WAYS
Youth Convicted Of Robbin6 Gas Meter Find $M D.,

Found guilty of the charge Of theft. Tony Lugli. aged 1s, of n Clark street, was fined tz0 and coets and given a suspended jail sentence of 30 days by Judge M. D. Saxe In police court today, with . fine of a and costs on the charge of operating an automobile without having . Il. cense in his possession. Judge oAxs warned him that he is starting young in life to make . criminal record. and he should resolve to mend his ways or he will be in ser- ious difficulty.
 Mrs. Walter BinEe of 403 Allen street testified that on January (. Lugli called at her home to collect g for furniture concern. after che had requested that . collector be sent. He asked to use the bathroom, she said. and as she suspected his actions, she listened outside the door and heard the rattle of ceins and noise as if the change box was being replaced in the gas meter. When Lugli came out of the bAth- room she accused him of having tempered with the meter, and he denied it. but acted nervous. che said. She reported the incident to the New Britain Gas Light cexa. pany at once.
 Reginald Robinson and John Tut tersall testified that they examiAAA the meter as representatives of tAn gas light company and found thAt although there should have been tA in the cash box, there was but 70 cents. They could not say whether or not the meter had been tamper. ed with.
 Lugli, in his own defense, testi- fled that Mrs. Btnge had paid Atm with $1 bill and eight dimes and four nickelA 70 he counted the money in the bathroom 70 as to be certain there was no mistake. TAis accounted for the jingle Of mensy she heard. he said. He denied that he had told Detective Sergeant El- finger or Officer 'Strolls that hs knew gas meters could bs opened with knives. He had no knife with him the day in question. he saad. and the reason he appeared nervous was that he was innocent of lra Binge's charge and was startled when she made tho accusation. He pleaded guilty to the license count Fined SIS Fur Assaalt | Stephen Prestash. ated S7. Of co Oak street, was fined SIS and cosh for breach of the peace and As- saulting John Kobila- aged 3S. of e Spring street, and judgment was suspended on Kobila, who was slmi- larly charged. Officer Charles WeAre testified that he met Kobila on North street and brought him to the po- lice station but before he could tn- vestigate further. he was sent out on another case. Kobiie WIS weak from loss of blood from | sash In the head, the officer said. O6icer Thomas c. Dolan testified to arrest ing Prestach on complaint, and also arresting Kobila.
 From the testimony of Prestach and Kobila, it seemed that there were several men at Ukrainian Aall on Erwin Place playing pool lAst night and Prestach became embrotl- ed in an argument with the house man" because the latter refused to allow third game near closing time after Prestach had lost two games. kobila became involved in the scuf- fle and was struck on the head. He said pr. Aronson took fivs stitches to close the wound. Prestach denied that he had used . weapon. He ad- mitted having struck Kobila, but claimed self defense. He said he and Kobila were intoxicated. but Kobila denied having had . drink all evening. It was about o'clock in the morning when the fight started.
 Kowalsh Case No1ted Prosecuting Attorney J. c. Woods nolled the charge tf theft of an automobile against 1gnatz Kow- alski. alias Frank Kowalski. aged SS, of 57 Sexton street. He told the court the young man had been osn. tenced to Jail in Massachusetts for violation of the Dyer act In taking . stolen car from Connecticut into Massachusetts in June. 1923. and had been given an additional sen- tence in the state prison for break ing jail, 50 that he has served be- tween four and live years and ap- parently has been sufficiently pan- ished. Attorney F. r. NcDonoWSh represented kowalski. Anthony P. Osteika, aged n, Of 24 Austin street, pleaded not guilty to one count of violation of the ct concerning fraudulent cheeks eAd the case was continued until Wbd. nesday. There is . questtsn wAeeA- CT or not a second count wil be pressed. MT. Woods said. Atteteey Lawrence J. Colon repressats os. | teika.
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