“Two Refuse To Work Get 30 Days in Jail,” Toronto Star. January 19, 1932. Page 2.
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House of Industry Residents Balk at Allotted Tasks Again To-Day
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Ten inebriates faced Magistrate Tinker in early court to-day. All technical first offenders, with one exception, they were remanded for sentence. The exception was Albert Walsh, who occupied a nice in Magistrate Tinker’s retentive memory. Walsh was fined $10 or 10 days.
Yesterday, House of Industry temporary residents appeared in court, facing accusations that they refused to work. To-day the house again had a couple of representatives for the same reason.
Charges as a vagrant, John Bazan who had $4 in his pockets, flatly refused to do his allotted task, saying he was sick, according to evidence. Accused was snet to jail for 30 days. Ivan Martengo entered the grocery department of the institution, and there, according to an official, ‘seemed to be telling the other men not to work.’ Accused argued he was a room worker, and not a grocery department worker, after which the bench sent him to jail for 30 days.
John Crowley and W. J. Collins, vagrants, convicted of begging from door to door, were also given 30 days apiece.
Say 305 Tons Stolen
When Alfred Davis and Ernest W. Knight were called to answer a charge of stealing 305 tons of zinc dross, the property of the Superior Zinc Corporation of Philadephia, valued at $12,700, J. C. McRuer, K.C., and R. S. Robertson, K.C., protested when the crown applied for yet another remand on the grounds that Herbert J. Maroney, complainant, had gone to the hospital to undergo a minor operation.
‘‘I wish to point out that the great unfairness of a criminal charge of this nature being allowed to drag on and on,’ protested Mr. McRuer. ‘These are business men, they own a property valued at $175,000, with a mortgage thereon of $100,000. Since these proceedings have been initiated the banks have closed down on them and the mortgages are beginning to press for payment. They are able to do nothing to reconstruct their business and are forced to sit inactive while their whole fortune dwindles away.’
Judge Coastworth expressed his intention of definitely going on with the criminal charge to-morrow.
Woman Collapses
A woman screamed, fell and was carried outside, in the final phases of the trial of James McKenzie, and Lawrence Forsythe, charged with the theft of the bag of Dr. Charles Fenwick valued with its contents at $106. McKenzie was also charged with having drugs.
Detectives McAllister and Sullivan told of the finding of the drugs in McKenzie’s room, together with the doctor’s instruments, and of McKenzie’s subsequent confession, which implicated Forsythe. A conviction was registered and Mr. Gibson commenced to detail the records of the accused men, in each case a formidable one.
As the crown recalled the long years, McKenzie had spent in penitentiary and reformatory, his wife screamed.
‘I will pass sentence to-morrow,’ said Judge Coatsworth with a glance of compassion as the woman was carried from the court.
Urges Negligence Charge
‘The appropriate charge when any person is injured is a charge of criminal negligence,’ said Judge Coatsworth when a pretty little girl told the court how she had been injured by an automobile driven by Samuel Caldwell. ‘This was a pure accident.’ stated defence counsel.
‘When cars are injured it is one thing. With persons it is another. What compensation has he offered?’ ‘Nothing, sir.’
‘There you are. People driving cars, no money. I wonder what it has cost this little girl’s parents. He comes here pleading poverty and he has been allowed to take his car away. I wonder the police letting him have it. They must be much more careful after this.’
‘I find him guilty,’ decided Judge Coatsworth. ‘There will have to be some compensation; we are willing to show every consideration to people from the States, but they cannot come over here, injure people and then get their cars and go back. He will be fined $200 and costs or 30 days.’
Caldwell, at the summons rail, was placed in the dock and conducted to the cells, pending production of his fine.
Must Make Restitution
‘I want to see these people get their money. I will put him on probation for a year. Payments must be made very month and the whole thing must be cleared within a year,’ decided Judge Coatsworth, after a conviction on two counts for theft and fraud had been registered against George C. Fleming.
The charges involved certain transactions with regard to automobiles, . C. Elgie, appearing for the accused. Mrs. Fleming made an eloquent plea on behalf of her husband, asserting that their life had been happy until now.
Protests Finger-Printing
‘Why should I be arrested? Why have I been treated as a criminal? I have been finger-printed,’ said Jacob Kevyinets, dramatically holding up both hands. ‘Because your wife swore out a warrant,’ replied the bench.
This incident was a sequel to the dismissal of a theft charge, preferred against Kovyinets on his wife’s information, arising out of the complaint that the accused retained a cheque given him by the lady’s father in payment of a note. The bench ruled the cheque was undoubtedly accused’s property and that there was no foundation whatever for the charge laid.
‘This a family matter,’ said Judge Coatsworth, ‘we can do nothing about it here.’
Rosedale Youth Remanded
Charge with theft of a quantity of gasoline and a battery from the automobile of Mrs. M. Lumbers, a neighbor, Douglas F. Gordon, student, of Crescent Rd., was remanded for trial till January 22.
The accused youth was arrested by Detective Gadd last evening. The police allege that Gordon has been in the habit of driving his parent’s automobile, a large machine with gas eating proclivities. Being short of the necessary funds to secure enough fuel to satisfy its insatiable maw, and being eager to take it out, he entered complainant’s garage and stole both gasoline and battery, they declare. Following to-day’s remand, the youth was admitted to $200 bail.
