Waterbury Evening Democrat

IN THE POLICE COURT
Men Accused By Special Officer Were Discharged To-day.

Strange stories were told in the city court to-day in the cases against Daniel Hackett and Thomas Doolin for breach of the peace, and William Nolan for refusing to assist Special Officer Roach in arresting Doolin and Hackett.

The officer testified that about 9 o'clock last Friday evening he was going up Baldwin street and near Pleasant street he saw the accused. As he was passing he heard one of them say, "There the son of a gun goes now." These were not the exact words used. but they furnish an idea of what was said. "I turned back" said the officer. "and Doolin struck me in the side of the head. I told him I was a special policeman, but he said he did not care and he went at me again. I then went for him, and Nolan struck and kicked me and then walked away. There was a light near by and I could have made no mistake in the identity of the men. I got Doolin up near the police alarm box and Officer Cronin came along then.

Officer Cronin said he sent in a call for the police patrol, and fearing a general scrap in the great crowd that had gathered sent Roach and Doolin to the police station. When he came on the scene Roach was sitting on Doolin in the gutter.

Eliza Toole. a dressmaker, said she saw the uproar and considered the men all cowards because they did not interfere. Though she is but a slight young woman she pulled the officer off his prisoner.

Hackett said he was an indifferent spectator. He saw. Officer Cronin put Roach and Doolin in the police patrol. He then went into a nearby saloon and a moment later Roach came in and put him under arrest for refusing to assist him. 'Hackett said he did not hear the officer ask for help. He made no demur to the arrest. but walked off with the officer to the police station. He said it was not true that he saw the light, or that he had seen Doolin.

Doolin's story was the strangest of all. It was to the effect that he was passing up Baldwin street going home after having done some errands for a neighbor (he lives on Ridge street), when the officer saw him and struck at him and pulled him down into the gutter. He did not see Hackett or Nolan. Roach was his foreman at the Chase rolling mills, which he left quite recently. He had no bother with Roach about leaving. He left merely because there was not enough money in the work for him. He never had any trouble with Roach before.

Nolan's story was substantially like the others. He also worked in the Chase rolling mills. but had not trouble with Roach, who was his foreman. He was never more than twenty feet near the crowd and he did not see Roach until he was near the police signal box with Doolin.

The accused were defended by Attorneys Monagan and Lynch, and on the grounds that the evidence against them was insufficient they were discharged.

A few plain drunks were let go, but Thomas McCarthy was given thirty days and Peter Clark was fined $5 for taking a horse without leave from his employers, White & Simmons, the grocers. He had been accustomed to take the horse and he thought it would be all right. Judge Burpee held court.