The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-06-11

hearing statements of the n boys that they have always bridge without causing trouble to anybody. He advised them against future gatherings on street corners however.
 Alibls offered
 Two of the boys arrested by pa- tyolman Karpelman offered to prove tliat they were not in the vicinity Og the West End last night and an- other turned out to be youth who was In court as bondsman for Ward
 William Billy" Overton, IS, of 26 Robbins street star three-letter athIete who is to be graduated from Wilby high school next week, one of the eight arrested in court this morning stated that there was ab- solutely no provocation for the are rest of Ward last night. ] He said that he and another youth, Vincent McGrath of 8 Cor nelius avenue, who was not in court today, met Ward in front of Oscars restaurant on Watertown avenue near West Main street, where Ward had eaten his supper. The three hadn't been standing there more than Q couple of minutes when Of- 9leer Karpleman pushed him and McGrath aside and stepped on Wards foot, the young athlete tes- { tified.
 Ward objected to this treatment and asked the policeman if he wasn't entitled to half of the side .walk, and the policeman's reply was, "No, want 1t all," according to Overton.
 Young Overton works part time n the police department garage. ward Is employed at a local war yroduction factory.
 He said that Officer Karpleman < grabbed Ward and pulled him to the nearby police box and phoned for the patrol wagon. He said he did not hear Ward swear at Karpelman. ! Ward admitted he swore at the policeman after he had been put in the patrol wagon.
 ik No Justification { Attorney Albert Bronsky, ap- pointed guardian for Ward, a minor, claimed that there was no justifi- cation for the arrest of Ward or for the arrest this morning of the eight otheR boys.
 PaArolrnan Karpleman said he received complaints from store owners at the corner of West Main street and Watertown avenue that they are annoyed by the congrega- ticn of boys who at times use pro- .zane language.
 He said one complaint came from the operator of. . drug store in that vicinaty.
 aWe've never had any trouble with the store owners, they're all friends of ours," said young Over ton. And every other policeman wfao has been on that beat has never ahieoted to our sitting on the 8dgeh he continued.
 patrolman Karplemal1 said he has been on the West End beat since the first of June and has warned khe boys away on several occasions.
 George McGrath, 20, of Cor .neiis1s avenue, who was arrested with the seven others in court this morn Ing said that he was there as bonds- man for Ward. T had nothing to do with the affair, he said. An- thony smiokias, 2l, of 200 Cherry street, milk man, testified that he was working last night and was not lettering in the West End. Robert Foster, 20, of 2S Wilson street, also arrested, said he was visiting with . sister.
 Dramatic Incident
 The other four arrested in a dra- matic interruption of the hearing In the Ward case were: William Will son, 70, of 45 Colley street; Arthur Viega, l9, of S73 West Main street; David Switz, 21, of 67 Highland ave- nue: Edward Teardo, 2l, of 51 Wa tertown avenue.
 Judge Gaffney spoke at length Co each of the boys individually and shook hands with them before they left. He said he was dismiss ing each case in order that none of the boys would have a police record
 He congratulated Overton on his graduation iron. high school and spoke about his record in athletics.
 The eight boys were booked when Patrolman Karpelman stood up while testifying in the Ward case and said, And those eight fel- ows out there in the second row sre members of the same crowd They are always congregating in he same section and causing con- ,laints to be made to me from the merchants"
 Judge Gaf3nsy adjourned court g.1 Patrolman Karpelman placed he eight under arrest.