New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-02-23
FAMILY EXPLOSIONS
FROM TINY SPARKS
1llste StIs Frequently
Start Frol Minor Disagreement

=
Shr6 Frol Minor Disagreement
Il dese not take much to start
trouble In some households. nor Is
much force required to keep
racket moving once 1t II given Its
origin. according to policemen. court
officials and others In the group
having an Official interest In the al
airs Of the hundreds OF men and
women who run afoul OF the law
every year through the medium OF
domestic reefs. New Britain. having
a cosmopolitan population. is said to
produce situations that are upheard
Of in some cities in New England and
elsewhere, whose citizenry does not
include 70 many husbands and wives
OF beliigerent nature. although there
are communities similar to the
Hardware City in this respect. as
psrusal Of the public prints from
time to time indicates
Molehills and Mountains
Some Of the causes OF family
fghts which wind up IN police court
are strange, while many are so
simple that the casual observer
might well be moved to wonder at
the workings OF the minds OF the
principals who would sacrifice their
time, money and even their reputa-
ton and that OF others by giving
public airing to conditions which the
average person ordinarily would
hide at any cost. Welfare workers
frequently come in contact with
cases which are surprisingly easy 10
settle, from outward appearances
vet their qualifications as they un-
fold themselves in the course OF IN
vestixation and inquiry. are SO far
reaching and of such complicated
character as to fairly shrek defiance
Of solution except through the
courts.
The recent case in police court, In
which an assault was preclpitated by
the failure of a husband to give his
wife sufficient room in their bed was
not the most unusual in the history
Of the court, according to observers
whose experience dates back over
number OF years. 1t was not the
most pathetic. either, these author
tiles say, despite the touching sight
Of little girl tearfully relating her
reaction to the fight between her
parents, eliminating when she
slashed her fathers hand with
knife. Hundreds OF other cases are
on record, it is said, that rival this
one in all Its aspects.
Wife Became Marathoner
The husband who, some years ago,
insisted on having his wife pass the
factory In which he was employed.
every time she went down town" in
the afternoon. was put in class by
himself. not alone for the unreason-
ablenese of hts command but also
because Of the excuse he gave for 1T.
His place Of employment was more
than a mile from his home and not
in the direction his wife would Or
t,inarily take to reach the shopping
district, yet he compelled her to
take the roundabout course 80 thai
lie could look out Of a window IN the
factory and see whether or not she
was wearing a new hat and coat
which he had allowed her to buy
with the distinct understanding that
she could wear them only to church
on Sunday.
1t happened that the cause of his
arraignment In court was not con-
nected with his attitude towards her
wearing apparel, but during the In
vestigation into the case, this fea-
ture came out and he did not deny
it. His contention was that the hat
and coat were paid for out of his
earnings and he had the right to die
tate the use to which they could be
put. 1t developed that this was but
one of the restrictions imposed or
her. and the authorities marveled al
her ability to refrain from COM
plant for as long a time as she had
done.
COayersed Only During Quarrel
Another case recalled locally for
its unusual features had to do with
a married couple who lived In three
rooms for more than a year without
exchanging so much as a word ex'
cept when they were quarreling
They had been married more thar
10 years, according to the story I'M
folded to the authorities, before the
husband took to liquor. For seyera
months his wife tolerated his ovel
Indulgence but when he became 81
addicted to the habit that he los
time from his employment and hi!
health began to fail, she remonstrat
ed. That was the beginning. and
whether the end has come yet or no
is not known, for the couple moved
to another city shortly after theil
troubles became public.
It was brought out that the wifi
was never In want for the necessitie
of life, fair portion of the week
earnings being left on shell in tn
kitchen every payday by the hus
DanQ, anu 6O 1dT do CuuI1 NC i'dl liV'
the meals were served amply am
promptly by the wife. Never did sh
accompany him out in the evening
in fact, she usually spent her eve
nings at the home of a relative il
the neighborhood while her husban
patronized a saloon from which h
seldom returned before closing time
The arrest In this case came abou
through the finding of the door lock
ed, by the husband on his retur
from a session over the foamin
bowl. Ugly from drink and almos
ready to drop anywhere, he battere
at the door and kicked the panel
until they gave way. His wife, VIII
claimed to have turned the key in
advertently, called the police for he
protection, fearing she was abou
10 be made the victim of a terribl
assault with all the fury of his per
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