Salt Lake Telegram | 1949-05-20 | Page 8 | 3rd Veteran Found in 'Debtor Jail'

Grateful State I 3rd Veteran Found in I i F 1 r Debtor Jail I i l RUTLAND Vt May 20 liP P f Three army combat veterans of oC f World War Var II were in Vermont Jails Friday v with little hope of ot early release because they were H unable to satisfy court judgments i t in automobile accident cases J I Most recently confined is Fre Free Free- rick Brick L L. Lapan 34 of Marshfield t i whose wife and three children now 1 I ar arg supported by public funds He HeI i iI I was vas jailed May 2 in Montpelier t r when unable to meet a judgment judg judg- I ment i One of the two other veterans I who could theoretically serve a lifetime declined Friday to consider consider con con- 1 sider ider taking a 1 poor debtors debtor's oath 1 to gain freedom Refuses Oath t I Edward J J. J Shea counsel for t. t 1 Ralph J J. J Fugatt 29 former Springfield Mass bless newspaperman said Raid his client had ruled against taking the oath Fugatt Fus-att and Bernard J. J Smith 23 of Fair Haven Vt have been t I confined to the county jail for fors s about two months They were sent there for alleged i f i I failure to pay civil court judgments judg- judg t I ments of more than 2000 each in separate cases arising from automobile automobile automobile auto auto- mobile accidents Shea intends t to o test the constitutionality I of the law under which i the men are imprisoned Philip i Phelps counsel for Smith said sald he hei was convinced only a a. legislative act changing the law could free I the men Legal authorities reported that under the old century-old law it is possible to hold the men in jail for life but life but not probable While veterans' veterans organizations of ot Massachusetts and Vermont pondered pondered pondered pon pon- dered moves to free them Fugatt t and Smith wh while le away their time 1 playing cards reading and playing playing paying play pay ing catch in a room Faith in Public They said a in ina a Joi Joint t interview Thursday night that they are placing most of ot their faith arth in the public When people see that a thing is unjust or unfair they said they will do something about it Maybe this will make them wake up to toJ the fact that have an antique and J dangerous law in to Vermont Fugatt a combat veteran and former German prisoner said he was unable to pay the judgment because he is broke Smith re refused refused refused re- re fused to allow his father to mortgage mortgage mortgage mort mort- gage his home to satisfy the debt he owes Fugatt's wife wiCe and the infant son eon he has never seen left Springfield Springfield Spring Spring- field b by automobile Friday to visit him The The baby was Wa born after his father was jailed Mrs Fugatt's sister Miss Mary Regan accompanied them