New Britain herald., 1929-02-08

chief said he was In charge of en- forcsment of the liquor law as . ssrgeant in 1920. 1921 and 1923 and estimated that he conducted between 200 and 300 raids during that period. He said he always investigated every reasonable complaint as a police officer and tried to enforce the law to the best of his ability at all times. He said he had sent Sergeant F. J. O'Mara to Gardiner with an offer of compensation for his services az 8 police agent" but Gardiner would not serve. He knew Medley of Well lington street. and he was quite positive that from the attic of Ned ley's home it would be possible to view the back yard of his own pro- perty but impossible to see anything that might transpire in any other part of the premises.
 Did you own three automobiles in 1927. chief?" Judge Mangan asked. No sir" he answered.
 Did you ever have two cars a: the same timer" he was asked.
 We had two cars in our family" the chief answered. explaining that his daughter was . school teacher in Bristol in 1927 and used 2 coupe to go back and forth every day. She bought the coupe for tso."
 Denies Owning Miami Property Did you ever own any property in Miami!" Judge Mangan asked. and the reply was negative.
 Telling about his real estate hold inEs. Chief Hart said his mother gave him . building lot and he erected a three-family house on it, at 50-52 Olive street in 19lt. For some time he occupied one tenement and rented the others. His present home at 32 Roxbury Road is a single house of seven rooms and . sun room. There is a first mortgage oi S7.500 and . second mortgage ol SA10s on tho Olive street property and a first mortgage of S7.0oo and q second mortgage of tl.10s on the
 Roxbury Road property. he said.
 "Chief. have you ever. directly ol indirectly received anything of value
 from . bootlesger?" Judge Mangar
 asked him, and he replied negative
 ly.
 Have you ever had anything t
 do with bootleggers. any dealings ol
 any kind. except to prosecute
 them?" Judge Mangan asked him and he answered in the negative
 again.
 l Calls News Article 'tDamnabae"
 In 1927. the police departmen
 was subjected to an investigation b,
 federal officers, the chief said. ant
 he knew they reported no ground
 for the charges made in Gardiner
 letter. Chairman Chamberlain of thu
 police board brought him face t
 face with Gardiner relative to ale
 cations. tho chief said when Juds
 Mangan asked him if he had bee,
 brought before tho board" Asket how he felt about the investigations
 Chief Hart said 'very badly" Aske,
 how he felt when he read tn
 story" in the Bridgeport Herald. h replied. "very badly" especiall when he saw the reference to hi , wife and daughter. Tt was dam nable." he said. with feeling. What has been the attitude 0 the people of New Britain toward you since this story was published { f the paper?" Judge Mangan asked. Well. I can say for the most pal
 the people of New Britain have bee
 all right, but I have noticed som | people calling attention to me as o pass, and I know they arc talkin n about what was said in the paper { he replied.
 . Have you been embarrassed bs cause of this?" he was asked, an e he replied that he was embarrasse f considerably.
 r What about your home?" Juda n Mangan asked. and the chief starte r to say that Mrs. Hart has suffere r in a physical way, but Attorne f Monkiewicz objected and Judl ,. Dickenson sustained the objectio '- for the time being. but told Judl s Mangan he could ask 1t today, ar l. in the meantime the court would d. '- iberate aS to whether or not it VI d proper testimony in view of the ia . that the complaint did not set up
 claim for damages for Mrs. Hart. News Story Made Hin III '- Al for the effect of the alleg,
 islander on himself, Chief Hart sa e he was mentally i'll" in May, 1892 o and stayed home few days worr O ing. Questioned by Judge Mangs
 as to his relations with Gardint l. the chief said the first time he m o him Gardiner applied for a perm II to carry . revolver and was refuse :, About 1S months ago. an employe