Sunday, August 4, 2013

Felix Guyette's Legal Troubles

The following is a series of articles published in the Brockton Daily Enterprise between September and October of 1912, detailing Felix Guyette's legal troubles at that time.



Brockton Daily Enterprise
Monday, September 23, 1912
Page 3

ARREST REVEALS STRANGE FACTS

Man Taken for Assault After He Had Battered Door Down.

AFTER GIRL, POLICE CLAIM

Had $821 in Pockets–Had Applied for Marriage License 'Though Wedded.


Felix Guyette, 33, of 85 Taber avenue was arrest shortly after 3 o'clock this morning by Officers Garfield and Barry and was charge in Police court to-day with assault on Herbert I. Wood of 754 Main street, also with assault on Mrs. Cora Wood of the same address. Charges of trespass and disturbance were also preferred against Guyette, in connection with the assaults, and to all four charges pleas of not guilty were entered by Attorney D. J. Sheering. The cases were continued until Monday, Sept. 30, and he was held in $500.
The officers went to the Wood house this morning under orders from Sergeant P. J. McCarthy and they claim Guyette had forced an entrance, breaking the door clear of the hinges in so doing, and that when Mr. and Mrs. Wood attempted remonstrate he assaulted them.
It is claimed by the police that Guyette wanted to reach Miss Minnie McGreggor, who lives at the Woods' home. Miss McGreggor was in the court room this morning and at one time seemed on the verge of hysterics, especially after Guyette's cases had been continued. She claims that Guyette has threatened her with violence.
When Guyette was arrested he had a big roll of bills in his pockets and when the money was counted it was found that his wealth amounted to $821.25.
Although Guyette is a married man a paper was found in his pocket, showing he had made application in Cambridge for a marriage license, on Sept. 18, and that under the customary five-day law, the certificate would be granted to-day, unless objection was entered in the meantime. A Cambridge woman was named in the document. An investigation is to be made by the police on this point.

Brockton Daily Enterprise
Monday, September 23, 1912
Page 3




Brockton Daily Enterprise
Thursday, September 26, 1912
Page 3

HELD IN $400 ON NEW CHARGES

Guyette Said to Have Threatened a Boston Girl.

HAD SUICIDE IN MIND

When Three Policeman Interrupted His Plans.

Felix Guyette, 33, of 53 Taber avenue, this city, who was arrested Wednesday afternoon by Officers Wilson, Bryan and Pickering on warrants charging him with threatening the life of Miss Winona McGreggor, of Boston, also with assaulting her, pleaded not guilty to the complaints in the Boston municipal court this morning, and his cases were continued until Saturday morning, $200 surety being ordered in each.


According to Guyette's mother and sister-in-law, he has been acting strangely. They claim that he discouraged and is not accountable. They found evidences that led them to think that he had attempted suicide. When Officers Wilson, Bryan and Pickering went to the house on Taber avenue they found he had locked himself in his room and turned on the gas. He also had a bottle of chloroform.
The Boston warrants were at that time at the police station, but were not to be served until after the trial of the four Brockton cases against Guyette Saturday. When he was brought to the station, however, the Boston warrants were served on him, and he was taken to Boston Wednesday night.
His mother is heart-broken. She wept bitterly while talking to a reporter.
"I don't know what has come over him," she said. "He was always so good. He lived with his first wife very happily, and they accumulated considerable money. He owned a house on Forest avenue, an also several house lot, besides having money in the bank. When he married his second wife, things began to go wrong, and he lost much of his property."
Inspector Saunders has been investigating the case since the arrest of Guyette Monday morning, while he was attempting to enter the house of Herbert I. Woods, 754 Main street. At that time the police claimed, he was trying to reach Miss Winona McGreggor, who came from Boston with a short time ago. She is the complainant in the Boston warrants, alleging that he threatened her life and assaulted her. The police have learned that Guyette and the McGreggor girl were together at a fair in Northfield, and he is alleged to have forced her to accompany him to this city.
Guyette had $821 in his pockets when arrested, besides the application for a marriage license.

Brockton Daily Enterprise
Thursday, September 26, 1912
Page 3




Brockton Daily Enterprise
Saturday, September 28, 1912
Page 3

BOSTON CASES WERE DISMISSED

Woman Failed to Appear When Guyette Was Called on Complaints.


Felix Guyette, 33, of 53 Taber avenue, appeared in the Boston Municipal court this morning to answer to charges of assault on Winona McGreggor of Cambridge, and for threatening her life. The woman failed to appear and the cases were dismissed for want of prosecution, at the request of Attorney D. J. Sheerin of this city who represented him.

Guyette was arrested here Wednesday afternoon on two warrents sent out from Boston. He appeared in the Boston court Thursday with his attorney, and pleas of not guilty were entered. The complainant was not in court, and for that reason a continuance was ordered.
An attempt was made to locate the McGreggor woman in Cambridge, but the officers were unsuccessful, and when the case was called this morning, Attorney Sheerin asked that the cases be dismissed.
Guyette is to appear in the Brockton Police court Monday morning for hearings on charges of assaulting Herbert I. Woods of 754 Main street, and Mrs. Cora Woods of the same address. He is also charged with disturbance and trespassing. Mr. Sheerin will represent him.

Brockton Daily Enterprise
Saturday, September 28, 1912
Page 3




Brockton Daily Enterprise
September 30, 1912
Page 10

DOUBLE SESSIONS OF POLICE COURT

There Were 75 Separate Complaints Before Two Judges.

17 WERE FOR DRUNKENNESS

Jewelry Valued at $1000 Involved In Larceny Case.


Seventy-five distinct complaints were before the Police court this morning and Judge Lane was called in to assist Judge Reed. Both were kept busy for a goodly portion of the day.

[. . .]

Judge Lane Wouldn't Hear It.
The cases against Felix Guyette, 33, of 53 Taber avenue, charged with assault on Herbert I. Woods and Mrs. Cora Woods of 754 Main street, and also with disturbance and trespass, slated for trial, were continued until Oct. 8. Judge Lane declined to hear the cases, because Guyette was formerly one of his clients.

[. . .]

Brockton Daily Enterprise
September 30, 1912
Page 10




Brockton Daily Enterprise
October 8, 1912
Page 12

HID UNDER BED TO ESCAPE MAN

Girl Was Afraid When Guyette Forced Entrance to House.

WOOD SAVES HIS WIFE

Taber Avenue Man is Fined and Given Jail Sentences.


Felix Guyette, 33, of 53 Taber avenue was found guilty in Police court to-day of assault on Herbert I. Wood of 754 Main street on the morning of Sept. 23; of assault on Mrs. Cora Wood on the same date, and of disturbance and trespassing at the same time and place. He was sentenced to one month in the House of Correction on each of the assault cases and was fined $10 for disturbance and $20 for trespass. He paid the fines and appealed the jail sentences and was held in $200 on each. He was represented by Attorney D. J. Sheerin.
Officer Edward A. Garfield testified that at about 2:30 in the morning of the 23rd, he and Sergeant P. Joseph McCarthy and Officer Fred Barry heard noises coming from the second floor of the New York apartments of Mr. Wood, he found the door had been broken in, and that the casing was torn from the wall. He found Mrs. Wood at the telephone calling the police station, and Mr. Wood was groaning as if in pain.

Girl Hid Under a Bed.
Guyette was in an adjoining room, he said, sitting on the bed, and woman about 25 years of age was on the other side of the bed, clad in her night gown. She told the officer that she had just crawled from under the bed. Guyette told him he had drunk two quarts of liquor that day. He arrested the defendant.
Mr. Wood said Guyette demanded admittance and was refused, at which he broke in the door. He said the defendant struck his wife a glancing blow on the head, inflicting a slight cut. He said he saved her from getting the full force of the blow by throwing her to one side. He said he then grabbed the telephone, but before he could do any talking he had to clinch with Guyette, who attacked him.
On cross examination he said Guyette has since paid for the door, and also paid him $7 for two days work he missed, and also paid Dr. McSweeney $2 for medical attendance. Mrs. Wood offered simular testimony. No defense was offered.

Brockton Daily Enterprise
October 8, 1912
Page 12


Copyright © 2013, David J. McRae

No comments:

Post a Comment