License to Loot: New Britain’s Auto Law Offenders Catch a Break

In a shocking display of leniency, six auto law violators faced off against Judge P. Ilays in New Britain’s Police Court on June 14, 1926. Of the six, four were found guilty and handed down hefty fines, while the others walked free, their cases continued to a later date.

At the forefront of the guilty group was Thomas J. Nowlez, a 41-year-old resident of 21 Park Avenue. Nowlez was fined $50 plus costs for operating an automobile without a license. But that wasn’t the only charge he faced. He was also accused of reckless driving, which put Michael J. Migan of 5 S. Main Street in harm’s way. Migan had been struck by Nowlez’s vehicle on a dark night, and miraculously survived.

According to eyewitnesses, Nowlez had been seen leaving his home after a heated argument with his wife. As he sped off on Farmington Avenue, he struck Migan, who was walking home from a nearby residence. Nowlez claimed he had gone only a short distance when the accident occurred, but witnesses disputed this, saying he had been speeding.

The court also heard the case of Ferdinand Geitorsht, a 44-year-old resident of 566 Slater Avenue. Geitorsht was fined $20 for operating a vehicle without a license. Like Nowlez, he had been driving without the proper documentation, and was subsequently caught and brought to justice.

While some may see the lenient sentences as a sign of progress, others may view them as a slap on the wrist. Whatever the case, one thing is clear: New Britain’s auto law violators will think twice before getting behind the wheel without a license.