New Britain herald., 1928-09-25
NEW LIQUOR RULING
 EFFECTIVE IN CITY
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that he has often seen Skonieczny on watch outside the store, while Chan da, with hat and coat off. was be- hind the cigar counter. On August F, from II a. m. to noon. three men came out under the influence of liquor. while on August 21, be- tween 6 and a. m. 15 men were seen by the officer going in. two of whom stopped at the counter and ap- parently made . purchase and came directly out, while the other 13 passed the counter, went into the back room and did not stop on the way out. On July 21. Officer Woods stood at the corner of Washington and Lafayette streets and observed 34 men go in the store from noon to 12:30 o'clock. He also heard about the neighborhood that the smoke shop was a place where liquor was sold.
 Officers Kiely testified that there were 12 men waiting in the store at the time Skonicczny was arrested. In the back room were a number of empty soda bottles covered with dust. Asked by Attorney Thomas F. McDonough who represented Sko- nieczny and Chanda,a as to the con- dition of the cans and other articles on display in court, the officer said he did not know whether they were dusty or not when taken out of the cellar, but he assured the attorney that he had not wiped them off.
 Spoil Business at Noon
 Officer tiebler testified that he was in th3 smoke shop one day re- gently and four men entered and looked around. They spoke in Po- fish to SkoniecZny, who replied in a monosyllable which the officer un- derstood to mean mo" or nothing" Attorney McDonough wanted to know what the officer was doing in the store at noon on September 10 and the officer replied that he and Officer kiely went there ito spoil business for the noon hour"
 Motorcycle Officer David Doty tes- tified that he had observed condi- tions about the smoke shop and twice he had arrested the same man for drunkenness coming away from the place. Officer George Collins testified that he has been on the beat for six months and it was com- mon knowledge that the smoke shop was a place where liquor was sold Attorney McDonough- wanted to know where the officer obtained his information and the officer replied that passersby who engaged in "kid- ding" with the police on the street corners had informed him. You're sure they were not kidding you?' Attorney McDonough asked. "I don't think so," the officer answered.
 Denies Selling Liquor
 Skonieczny testified that he bought the smoke shop about four months ago from Bogdanski and Chanda and neither of the latter has any connection with the business. There is no liquor sold or offered for sale on the premises but good business in cigars, tobacco, cigarettes, etc, is done. The alcohol and other things on display were taken from a cellar that does not belong to the smoke shop, and the reason he pleaded guilty when arraigned in court the morning of his arrest was that he wanted to get out of the court as soon as possible, he said. He denied that he told the officers he had sold liquor for 25 cents drink and that Chanda and Bogdanski paid him $40 q week for his services. He accused the police of "nearly killing him when he was "cornered" in the eel lar entrance. The reason he opens his store early in the morning is to accommodate foundry men" who drop in for their tobaco on the way to work, he said. The back room is used for the sale of soft drinks, and not liquor. he added.
 Chanda, in his turn, denied that he had any connection with the smoke shop. He hangs around' there when he is out of work, and he helps himself to cigars and cigar cites when Skonieczny is out, but he knows about it," he added. His occupation is truck driver, he said, and he works when he has work to do. As for being in the smoke shop without hat or coat on, he said he always dresses in that manner in summer. Asked by Prosecuting At torney Woods as to Bogdanski's whereabouts, Chanda countered, How should I know:"
 Woods Threatens Paddock
 Attorney McDonough contended that the case was weak and Chanda especially had not been connected with the place at all, but Prosecuting Attorney Woods replied that it was the old story of having different pro- prietors to succeed each other as rapidly as convictions were obtain ed. But there won't be any more arrests from this place for a long time, if the United States govern- ment can stop it," he asserted. and declared that he would take lmme- diate paddock proceedings against it..
 Judge Roche said there was no question in his mind about Skon- ieczny's guilt, but in the other case there was not sufficient evidence for a conviction. He recalled his de- ciaration of a few weeks ago that offenders in places having previous reputation such as this place has, would not be considered first of lenders, and for that reason he i'm posed the jail sentence as well as