The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-02-28
Coppeto Brothers Are Implicated By Alcorn
tuontinued trom PaRe D


 eDecial Prosecutor Alcorn failed fn his attempt to have the 1881 and ies2 adding machine tapes ad- mitted to evidence when Attorney Noxinn II. Peck called the attention 6f the court to the previous admis- rlon in evidence of the 1881 war rants payable registers.
 W He pointed out that the notations nf uayments contained in the pri- ratsly kept Purcell tapes might be contained in the 1881 warrant sheets. epecial Prosecutor Alcorn declined to take the time today to make com l,arisons and was apparently satis- Iled for the present to have the tapes marked for Identification. What Purcell Claims
 Purcell claims that they will show totals of payments made to Coppeto and the Abrigador Digger during assi and 1882. Other records to show the payments are unavailable, ,according to Purcell.
 Following the admission of the 1881 and 1882 sheets for identifica- sfion only, Alcorn submitted in or- der, duplicate checks showing pay slnents of $24, ,323. .25 in 1884 and $2l,- s44Sy50 in 1885. For some reason the wear 1883 was omitted at the time Later another group of l9 checks, Showing payments of $5,94l.00 for slss5 were entered and identified by Purcell.
 He was not certain if the group had been approved by the board of finance.
 7 Another group for 1885 showed payments of $2l ,455.50.
 n Without hesitating for a moment, after the admission and reading of the previous exhibit, Special Prose- cutor Alcorn had Purcell identify another Sheaf of 2S city vouchers, issued in 1886, representing pay ments of $2,034.o0 to the Abrigador Diggers. Each was certified by TT. J. Fleming, and marked as Post ed J. L..
 Also Had Initials McG. !. They also contained the initials ~McG." which according to Purcell, indicates that the payment checks were made out by Miss Betty Mc- @Givney, private secretary to former Controller Leary.
 More vouchers, issued in 1887 in favor of Phil Coppeto, were for total of sl,l58.50, all certified by T. '. Fleming, superintendent ot astreets. These were also marked in fashion similar to the previous group, but also contained the initial ,"B." Purcell said that the initial was one of the George H. Kingsley auditors. Defense counsel objections prevented from saying which one he believed 1t was.
 He couldn't be sure in that case either, whether the checks had been issued with the approval of the 1, board of finance.
 As court adjourned at one o'clock . the state had offered as evidence seven purchase orders issued De- cember IS, ls37 in favor of Coppeto, The total payments represented by . the checks, vouchers and orders, ex- elusive of the December Is, 1887, group, was s54,892.25, - 18th Week
 As the trial convened for the 18th week, the 10th session, today, it was s in an atmosphere denoting the care of the state that the jury be guard 2 ed against the drafts which have : caused much discomfort and illness stn the courtroom during the past several weeks.
 A high barrier had been built on . to the jury box as a draft protection -~and e large electric fan was in op- eratson in the room to keep the air . in circulation.
 z The fan was the source of con- ], siderable trouble, as defense coun- l. sel were forced to strain their ears to catch the testimony of Purcell, .on the stand for the tenth consecu- tive court day today. Many times they were heard to exclain, Your honor, l can't hear the witness because of !. the fan. Please ask him to keep his voice up"
 z. Judge Inglis always complied, and !. at one occasion remarked that it might be necessary to shut the fan of entirely. Ultimately 1t was shut of because of the noise.
 Do you know the defendant Phil : Coppeto?" was the first question asked of Purcell by the states att torney as the trial resumed today after weekend recess.
 "Yes." was the reply.
 "How long have you known Cop z peto?" was the next query. .g i've known him for several D years" was the next reply. Purcell added that the acquaintance was not very strong.
 Abrigador Diggers
 DO you know If he is connected $ with the Abrigador Diggers?" asked : .Alcorn.
 r. Attorney Sidney s. Cassel, coun- sel for the Coppeto brothers ob- jected. "There is no such firm as the Abrigador Diggers", he said, .s'It's Abrigador Digger" . well. in the singular, then," con- | tinued Alcorn.
 : Purcell replied in the affirmative, : and added that Phil Coppeto had ' endorsed checks payable to the : Abrisador Diggers from 1881 to 1887. !. Do you know Ralph Coppeto?" ' asked Alcorn of the witness. Purcell ' answered that he knew him by ' sight.
 . "Only by sightl" exclaimed the : ~prosecutor. On further questioning ! Purcell stated that he knew the . older Coppeto was an attorney, but