New Britain herald., 1928-09-26
QEF COMMENTS
 )N CRAZY DRIVING
lsctars Operator for Passing < Light in C.ntsr of City

"Crazy driving" Judge H. P. Hbche characterized the handling of aFar last Saturday afternoon by Geo. I&erett Herre. aged 22s, of 45 Rus s$in Road, after hearing the testi- libny of Motorcycle Officer Louis Et Harper and Here's explanation. ia police court today. If you read tke papers you must know that two prominent men were sent to jail on account of the results of driving sim ilar to the way you were acting. You better display some sanity when driv- ing" Tudge said. The charge being one of passing a traffic signal, the fipe was s5 without costs.
 SOfticer Harper testified that Herre dtovs past the light in front of City \ ll about 1885 p. m. Saturday and pssed a car in front of the Con- nrrciaf Trust Co.. building thumb in his nose to the driver. The light aG Washington street being set al ainst traffic. Herre brought his car t6 a stop after. it had passed the white stopping stripe on the pave nEnt.
 Herre pleaded not guilty and asked permission to question Officer liar per as to the condition Of traffic at the time. The officer replied that there was no traffic moving easterly Herre. denied that he had thumbed hia pose at the other driver. but ad- n4tted that he had waved to him as hA was an acquaintance. He had giv- eR Herre . Agnai to pass as he was agput toSaake left turn into drive WY. As for passing the signal. Herre sa&d it was green when he approa ch- eT and although the front wheels of h1 car rolled across the stopping stHpe. he> immediately backed into thu proper position.
 F Hartford Driver Fined S1OO
 George D. Burns. aged 3S. of a56 Capitol avenue, Hartford, was found guilty of the charge of operating an automobile while under the influence of liquor and fine of s1oo and costs was imposed. Judge Roche said it was custo tomary to impose 8 suspended jail sentence in such capes but he took into consideration ali the circumstances and the fact th!t Burns bore a good reputation aAf was of good character.
 eeke6 WsF .Heliberk testified that Re and Supernumerary Officer Ja4ffes -Keffy and William Sullivan investigated an accident in which Burns car figured last Saturday night about S:10 o'clock on West Main street, few hundred feet east of the Midway. Burns was under tho influence of liquor. according to Officers Hellberg and Sullivan, and Lieutenant Bamforth and Sergeant stadlcr. Officer Hellberg talked with him and observed his condition. also ohtaipiAg an admission that he 4nK . few bottles of beer earlier ir9the day. At first he denied hay. in1 had anything of an intoxicating nature to drink. but later admitted it.s according to the officer.
 Burns brother-in-law. an insur- ance underwater in Hartford. testi- fled that he called at the police sta ton between ll:30 and 11:45 o'clock Saturday night and observed that B6rns had been drinking. He ap, peared angry but not drunk.
 Burns. who was represented by AttQEpex s. Polk Waskowitz. testi- fied that lie met some of his buddics at. sGskE1asads Saturday afternoon and6drspkfaq few bottles of beer. Hn served overseas with the Yankee d4tsion during the war and for some tiAee afterwards was under treat m0nt for shell shock and the effects of5gas. Saturday night he was driv- ink on West Main street when an- other car forced him off the highway and his arrest followed. but he was able to drive and the accident would not have happened but for the other drivers carelessness.
 Attoehey Waskowitz claimed a dilcharge. calling Judge Roche's at- te{tion to the good reputation en- joted by Burns and emphasizing the ab&ence from court of the driver Of thu other car. Judge Roche said he w4uld order q continuance if the at- tokney wished to subpoena the other driver. and he also offered 10 reopen thu case tomorrow if the attorney tet additional evidence could be ob- tained.
 Assistant Prosecuting Attorney W. M. Greenstein said Burns was not on trial as to his reputation or charac- ter. but on the charge of drunken driving. and there was sufficient evil dence for a conviction. Judge Roche agSeed, and called Attorney Wasko- wNz's attention 10 the testimony of BNns' brother-in-la law that there was ov.dkssce- of drink noticeable three hours after the arrest.
 According to the police report. Burns car and sedan driven by Stafrislaws BeauIieu of 2o4 Grove street figured in the collision. Beau lieu's macfine was overturned and Burns sedan went into a lot and knocked down two or three small trees.