The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-20
SPEED TRAP IN W0ODBURY IS MOTORISTS CRY
Mt. KiscO, N. Y., Man Pro= tests His Arrest to
 Governor Cross

The charge that Woodbury is a "speed trap" for out-of- town motorists is revived by Irwin Berk, of Mt. Kisco, N. Y, who has written to Gov ernor Wilbur L. Cross to complain about treatment given him by Woodbury con- stables and town officials. Similar charges have been made in the past, one of the most outspoken against Woodbury being Gene Tunney, former worlds heavyweight cham pion. He was arrested and fined for passing stop sign and pro- tested that it was a racket.
 Berk said that he was arrested In Woodbury last Sunday after con- stables claimed that he was going from 50 to 55 miles an hour and had passed several cars. In answer, MT. Berk says that his car has a speed-governor which will not allow it to go at more than 40 miles an hour. The constables told h.m, he said, that other cars went through the town at 35 and 45 miles an hour, and hence he claims he could not have passed them.
 In Court Wednesday
 Berk will be arraigned in town court at Woodbury Wednesday night.
 When he went to a justice of the peace after his arrest Sunday he says, he was told that If he paid a total of $29.10 he would not have to go to trial.
 Letter to Cross
 MT. Berk's letter to Governor Cross follows:
 Sir:
 I would like to call your attention to the traffic situation I ran into while motoring through Connecticut, and at the same time register a complaint against the police depart ment of the town of Woodbury.
 Last Sunday August 14th), while driving with my wife and baby to Broad Brook, I was stopped in Woodbury by Constables Atwood and Richenbach. They claimed that I had passed four cars in succession and had been speeding 50 to 65 miles an hour. I was taken to the court house and detained for more than two hours because I could not furnish a bond of $50, and finally when I told them that they could exercise their alternative by lock- ing me up. they released me on con- dition that I come back to see the justice of the peace that night on my way back to my home in Mt Kisco, New York. This I did, and was told that if I paid the fine Of $14.10, court costs, plus $5, minimum charge for passing cars, plus $10, minimum charge for speeding, that I would not have to stand trial. However, refused, insisting that l was not guilty, and they finally de- cided to drop the speeding charge costs and the $5 for passing cars. and charge me only for the court costs and the $5 for passing cars. Again I stated that I was not guilty and explained to them that my car, a new one, has governor on the carburetor which will not permit it to do more than 40 miles per hour top speed This alone would prevent me from passing other cars as prior to this they all admitted that cars did pass through their town going 35 to 45 miles an hour.
 My case is scheduled for trial on the 24th of August at 8 D. m. My thought in bringing it to your attention is that I am sure that 1t is nothing more than a racket to pick up cars with out-of- town plates. Before I left the office of the constable, another New York car had been stopped, and the driver was being likewise subjected to the same treatment. I wonder If they are making a practice of stopping a number of out t-of-toWn cars that look like ready <money.
 The enclosed article, which will appear in the September issue of The Readers Digest, called Motor Highway Robbery" leads m1 to be- lieve that I am not far wrong in thinking the way I do If I am right, l am sure you will agree that the condition warrants investigation, at least. l feel sure that even though innocent and with definite proof of my innocence on the car itself, when the case goes to trial will be found guilty because of the apparent collision of the police department. Can you suggest any way that I can assure myself of a fair trial and an impartial deci- sion?
 For your information, the con- stable was driving Packard car, probably his own. but during the conversation when I was first stopped, he admitted that he has never paid an income tax of any kind. The thought occurs to me that his job would not pay him a sufficient income to purchase a Packard, but if 1t did he should be able to pay income tax unless his income Is derived from traffic vio- lationS.
 I sincerely hope you will sec the harm such practices are doing the state of Connecticut. Under the circumstances, I feel sure you will undertake 10 do everything in your power to remedy the situation.
 Truly yours,