The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-19
(BY A STAFF MEMBER)

We have followed closely the
newspaper accounts Of the after.
math Of the Cocoanut Grove Night
club tragedy Of November % last, IN
Boston, when 40i lives were lost IN
o fire which broke out during q
crowded condition Of the favoritt
resort Of that time, Barnett Wclan-
sky, operator Of the club, has just
been sentenced for q long term, and
Is now an inmate OF the Charleston
state prison.
Welansky's conviction Is Q COM
plete warning to operators OF pub
lie places Of entertainment and
other places Of assembly that they
too, as well, as city and state on
cialS, ore liable for overcrowding.
The Boston case against We'll
ansly was prosecuted by the CON-
bined Efforts Of the Attorney Gen.
eral Robert T. Bushnell and the dis
trtct attorney. II was Bushnell wfsC
moved for sentence, In q long anC
bitter arraignment OF the accused
ana In which 10 personally attacked
certain newspapers Of Boston and
charged that they contributed their
share TO these deaths and the de-
ception that went on, and added
I'VE as officials are supposed to be
afraid Of them"
In our day, we have heard various
prosecutors argue their case, and
state reasons why the def should
be given long term In prison, such
stern prosecutors as Alcorn OF
Hartford, and Alling Of New Haven,
but neither OF them ever outlined
their case In the language Of the
force Of Mr.. Bushnell, and seldom,
II ever, were the newspapers OF
Connecticut ever made the targets
such as pictured In the argument
OF the encouragement.
Read for yourself, because this Is
the most important case ever tried
III New England, and the decision
and words Of the encouragement
we'll wager, will sink into the mind
OF all city enforcing officers, and
make them rather scarey when they
md places Of public assembly.
churches, theater and public halls
somewhat crowded.
Here are few extracts from the
address, TO wit:
Barnett Wciapsky." said he
was the one fourd responsible for
the management and control o!
Cocoanut Grove. SO he's the one
to be held for the wanton and reck-
less disregard Of public safety.
mo matter how many bankers
how many businessmen who are
profiting also, or how many news
papers want 10 come here and wccE
for him, the State has four pur.
poses In sentencing OF criminals
One, the protection Of society. Two
the punishment Of evil deeds. Three
the prevention of other crimes
through fear Of Hike punishment
And four, the reformation of the
criminal.
Laws Not Enforced
He said that the Cccoanut Grove
was q product Of the underworld
and that underworld money built Il
up. He declared there were those
who would like to hush that over
and added: Some Of the newspapers
particularly, have contributed Their
full share TO these deaths and the
deception that went on, and we. al
elective ofiicials, are supposed u
be afraid Of them.
Barnett WeIansky could mo-
alone have created these conditions
Of which lie took advantage Il
make money. He Is q sort OF pred
uct Of these conditions. isn't he
rather than their creator? Il
all the laws that have been passed
and are on the books had beer
enforced, and observed by all Of thu
officials who have powers undcl
them, rather believe this mar
Welansky would not be in the docl
today and 40l people would be alive
People he thought were bh
friends because they let him gel
away with 1t have actually brough
him here"
He said the structure Of society ir
Boston was fun Of holes" which
permitted rackets to operate. He re
terred 70 an argument OF Gala
hans. that there we're officials Wit
could have closed up Welansky'
place at any moment and they didn'
do H." by saying that . violation o
q law on one hand was not exten
uted by @ violation committed o.
| The other hand.
People get accustomed 10 power
, to one state Of things, and believ
that state Of things Is going o.
forever. So e Is with those VIII
make profits from rnckets. And .
6 Is 70 tl1eir bene1ciaFiss sitting q