New Britain Herald Newspaper, September 23, 1921, Page 1

News of the World By Associated Press ESTABLISHED 1870. MAYOR SAYS TIME IS NOT NEW BRITAIN HERALD [~ EW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1921. —TWENTY PAGES OPPORTUNE FOR ORDERING INVESTIGATION OF POLICE \Foreign - - | . At Present Time He | Thinks All Enegery Is FATAL T0 AKRON MAN FINAL BALLOT 18 9 T0 { Needed In Down Murderer Winkle Administration With Dept. Concerning Rumors and Will Act On Positive Information. Running of in Touch Asked this morning If he was con- templating an investigation of the po- lice department in view of the in- creasing number of rumors concern- ing the covering up of liquor traffick- ng, Mayor O. F. Curtis made tht fol- lowing statement: Time Not Ripe Now, “The time is inopportune now for such an Investigation. We want all *he energy in the department now to sraist in cleaning up the matters con- ironting it. There has been no tangible evidence brought forth as yet that would warrang an investigation. How- r, If the time was opportune and suthentic Information furnished the board which would warrant a cl tp, 1 would back it to the limit. If 1 didn't T wouldn't be fit to stay around here. Sergeant Has Eaemies. 1 know that Sergeant Richardson has a lot of enemies. Any man in his position s bound to have. But we can’t act on rumors, alone. " If we did thire would be but few people in the city who would be safe. There has been nothing presented to myself or the commission that would warrant the discharge of Richardson. Have Watched Affairs, “Don't think for a minute though that we haven't been keeping up with conditiona. Since I took office re- ports have been coming to me con- cerning the department, and we haven't been asleep.” The mayor was ked what he meang by the last statement, but he @eclined to reply. It is reported that the commission has discussed the rumors concerning a member of the dapartment on numerous ocessions. ACID, THROWN BY WIFE, She Confesses to Slaying, But Protests She Didn’t Mean to Kill Him. Akron, O., L. Derr, 42 pital today suffering from collapse following her sensational con- fession last night to the throwing of acid into the face of her husband, Al- vin R. Derr, Akron business man, who died from the poisonous fumes. | A charge of murder was entered | against her on the police court docket. Mra. Derr, arrested in her room at home, following funeral services over her husband’s body yesterday after- noon, brok down under questioning t night and shrieked “Yes, I threw Sept Minnie was in the People’s hos- a nervous —Mrs. inhaling »h, God—I didn’t mean to kill him I didn’t mean to kill him!" she moaned and then fell in a faint on the floor. In an adjoining room her four chil- dren heard the screams which marked | the confession. Three of them re- tused to believe their mother was guilty. The fourth, Harry, aged 20 | years, smiled grimly. “Don’'t blame my mother for cutting the telephone wires and locking the door of my room,"” he told officers fol- lowing the confession. *“I did that. But I never would have told ,no mat- t-= %aw much I might have been tor- tured A home made unhappy through her husband’s attentions to other women was the cause for her act, Mrs. Derr confessed “We quarreled after we returned home last Saturday night,” she added “I did not sleep the rest of the night.” The acid was thrown upon Derr as he slept early Sunday morning. Load of “Stills” Turned Over to Federal Men A truck load of “stills,”" wash boil- ers, copper kettles, tubs, cans, ice cream freezers and hundreds of feet of copper tubing, were turned over to the federal authorities this morning by the local police. The load represents the stills taken by the police raiding squada. * IGNORING “HANDS UP” ORDER, PLUCKY MESSENGERS FRUSTRATE HOLDUP MEN N PAUPER Cost of Feeding Spaniards for This Expected to Run LIST GROWING > o 7 Month 2,000, s number of Spanish paupers who have been receiving weekly ra- wons from the storehouse of the board of public works is beginning to .ncrease after having been on the de- ¢line for the past few months. The number is still much lower than In the month of June,when it reached its # igh water mark of 522, this reduc- tion being caused malinly by two res sons, namely, the placing of many on the tobacco flelds, and the deportation oty137 Spaniards, all of whom were receiving city ald. . In April 100 were receiving aid; m May, 400; in June, 52 in July, 1Y 400; and lasy month 200. Figuring an average of $2 per week, which is about the amount given each papper in eatables, the cost of feeding the Spaniads this month Is expected to ran to $2,000. FIRM ADJUDGED SOLVENT Ingersoll Engineering and Constr The “ 3 jon Corp, Owners of Pleasure Beach, Are Able to Pay Their Bills. New Haven, Sept. 23.—The Ingersoll Engineering and Construction Corp., ownery of Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport, was declured to be solvent and able to meet its liabllities by Judge Keeler in superior court today. The issue was for confirmation of temporary receivers and permanent co-receivers and con- tinuance of the business. The action was understood to be that of some cred itors to get an accounting of the affairs of the corporation. The permanent re- celvers will be Fred Plerce of Detrolt for the stockholders and Edmund L. WOolff of the First Bridgeport bank for the creditors. The assets are given as $808,270 and the debts at less than $200,000. A gross profits of $100,000 the past season was claimed. 60 Laborers Start to Work For City Monday Sixty laborers will enter the city's employ Monday morning, requisitions for that number having been recelved at the office of the Municipal Employ- ment service, from the board of pub- lic works. The men will replace the present street gangs. LEAVES HOSPITAL. Mrs. Bernice Sowka has left the New Britain hospital where she was taken Wednesday night o having been struck by an automobile in front of the Y. M. C. A. on Main street. The woman was not badly hurt. One Punches One of Three Robbers, While Compan- ion Holds Fast to Wallet and Blows Police Whistle. New York, Sept. 23.—The pluck of two messengers of the Drovers Bank today blocked an attempted holdup when three armed men attacked them as they were delivering $10,900 to a business house in the vicinity of Third street and Broadway, One of the would- be robbers was captured. The attempted robbery took place in an elevator in a building on University Place, The car had reached the sixth floor and the messengers, Harry M. Sommers and Jack Stein, both about 10 years old, were just stepping out when another passenger drew a pistol and ordered ‘‘hands up.”’ At the same moment two others, waiting on the sixth floor also drew weapons. Instead of complying with the order to surrender, one of the messengers struck his assailant with his fist and the other holding fast to the wallet con- taining the money began blowing a police whistle. The three men fled. At the exit from the bullding one of the fugitives was overpowered and captured by a policeman. He was charg- ed with attempted robbery. WON'T LAY OFF MEN Street Gangs Until Council Appro- pria Funds, Although the funds of the board of public works are running low, the| board does not plan to lay oft street vorkers, City Engineer Joseph D Willlams stated this morning. The raatter of providing more money will taken up by the council at a spec- | al seasion in two week and until| that time, if it becomes necessary, the) money appropriated for other pur- poses will bo used ' STRANGELY ELECTROCUTED Leaning Against Wire Fence | d When Live Wire Falls Against Yo inst a wire fenc 26, his life near here. F on highway construction 1,000 feet from Sept. 23.—Lean- ost A. Palo, lo, employed was posted a blast to warn auto- ists of danger. Stones from the blast broke a high tension wire carrying 30,000 volts and one end fell onto the fence against which Palo was lean- ing. He was instantly electrocuted. Manv fence posts alsu took fire. | Chapman, Harvard BRANDEGEE VOTES FAVORING TREATY Relations Committee Favors Peace Pacts Senator Borah is Only One of Repub- Firmly Against Treaties With Austria and Hungary licans Who Stands and With Germany. ‘Washington, Sept. 23.—Favorable re- port on the peace treaties between the United States and Germany, Austria and Hungary was ordered today by the senate foreign relations committee. Senator Borah, republican, Idaho leader of the fight against the treaty of Versailles, was the only member to SENATOR F. B. BRANDEGEE. vote against reporting the treasies Before reporting the three pacts, committee adopted a reservation quiring that congress pass an act for appointment of an American represen- tative on allied commissions by the president with the advice and consent of the senate. . Another Reservation. Another reservation adopted by the committee presented by Senator Pom- erene, Ohio, provided that protection given the United States government in its propaty interests should apply also to American nationals. The vote on reporting the treaties favorably was 9 to 1, six republicans and three democrats for and Senator Borah against. The republicans voting for the treaties included Brandegee of Connecticut, To Continuc Fight. Senator Borah indicated that he vould carry his fight against ratifica- Lon to the senate floor, where debate is expected to begin within a few uays. The committee voted to have the treaties considered in open session. the re- WANT JITNEY ROUTES Petitions of Four Local Men Will Be Heard Next Thursday Morning at Grammar School Hall. Petitions for four new jitney routes will be heard by the Public Utilities Commission next Thursday at a session to be held in the Grammar School audi- torium at 10 a. m. These hearings will be held in conjunction with a sit- ting on the city's claims for better transportation service here, Fred H. Fancher of 1042 East street, will ask for a license to oper- ate over a route starting at City Hall and ending at Ibelle’s corner, Stanley Quarter. E_ P. French of 666 West Main street,” will ask for a permit to run from Central park to the corner of Broad and Cleveland streets. Bud Miller, whose address is given as the Y. M. C. A., secks a permit to run from Seymour avenue to the Elihu Burritt school. Theodore Wagner of 97 South Burritt street, has petitioned for a li- cense to run from Alden street, near the site of the Polish Printing company to Court street. IS GIVEN SCHOLARSHIP French War Veteran, Blinded in Ac- tion, Awarded Chapman Fellow: a3 Harvard—to Study Law. Cambridge, Mass., Sept. 2 Envin, a young Frenchman, Iy blinded in action during as been awarded the Victor pinan fellowship at Harvard vote of the corporation of the versity, it was announced today is coming to Cambridge to study the Harvard law school. The fellowship is one which be awarded annually to a renchman in memory of Victor E *13, who was killed over Verdun E by uni- He at is to in action while flying IS OFF FOR BUFFALO Champion of Jobless Leaves Sunday For Lake City Where He Intends To | g0 1 Help Men Without Work. —Urbain Ledoux announced to- 3 for Buffalo to follow up there the program he would leave Sunday night 1 started in Boston and New York. ew York he said: “*Everything is going well. Organi- zations are getting their machinery un- der way and the public consciousn is thoroushly awnkened.' he h young | Belief in Police Circles Is That Bench War- rant Has Been Issued by Superior Court— Hurley and Alcorn Take Prisoner Away Late Today. Chief Robert Hurley of the state police called at the local po- lice headquarters this afternoon and took Edward Cotter into cus- tody, bringing him to Hartford where it is expected he will be brought before the Grand Jury in connection with the murder of Louis Winkle. The state police chief arrived shortly 3 o’clock States Hugh Alcorn and after a conference with Chief of Police | William J. Rawlings, he took the prisoner under an order from the after Attorn short at the station with superior court at Hartford, it is said. Th hour-after a statement bv Prose- cuting Attorney Albert A. Green- berg that Cotter would be releas ed this evening. The local boy has not been put to plea under any charge, local authorities ex- plaining that he was being held merely as a material witness. COlY;‘r had just been given the freedom of the cell room and the | police were about to release| the state officials arrived. into private action came within an local him when They immediately conference with Chief Rawlings and | Sergeant Richardson and, with the bare statement that they had an order from the superior court, they demanded Cotter, leaving immedi- ately with him for Hartford. In- formation from Hartford says the officials probably had a bench war- rant, issued by the superior court. The police are maintaining their usual reticence regarding the matter and may be entirely at sea regarding the plans of the state officials. Chief Rawlings states that he has no idea why they took the “material witness” to Hartford. It is quite possible that an inquiry into what Cotter knows about the alleged liquor ring of New Britain will be beld in additions to in- quiries as to his knowledge of the Winkle affair in an attempt to impli- cate local people. Cotter will un- doubtedly get a severe grilling over what ne knows of the entire situation. went Edward Cotter, who has been de- tained at police headquarters since Wednesday afternoon as a material witness in connection with the murder of Louis Winkle will be released this evening, Prc cuting Attorney Albert A. Greenberg stated this afternoon, be- fore he knew of the state police action. Cotter was brought from Bridge- port last Wednesday by Sergeants A. I. Richardson and W. C. Hart after he had surrendered himself to the Park City authorities following a report that he was being looked for in connection with the murder. The young man had disappeared from this city almost simultaneously with the finding of the Winkle body. The murdered man's body was found last Saturday morning in the rear of the J. M. Curtin undertaking parlors on M: street under condi- tions which indicated a murder. (L‘a.lled for the second or third time. SEVEN YEAR OLD SCH OOLGIRL KILLED BY AUTO AT SO. MAIN AND ELLIS STS. Dorothy Kloiber of Cherry Street Victim—Car, Driven By Charles A. Johnson of Hawkins Street. Dorothy Kloiber, seven year old daughter of Rudolph J. Kloiber, of 265 Cherry street, was struck and almost instantly killed by an automo- bile owned by Mrs. D. O. Rogérs of 29 Camp street, this morning while crossing at the intersection ‘of South Main and Ellis streets. The car was driven by Charles A. Johnson of Haw- kins street. In a statement made to the police department immediately after the ac- cident, Johnson said he was driving not faster than 10 miles an hour. He said the Kloiber girl and a compan- ion started across the street, stopped and then, just as he was going by, the Kloiber girl changed her mind and darted across in front of his car. The accident occurred shortly after eight o'clock, the children being on their way to the Northend school. Johnson immediately reported the matter to the police department. At- torney David L. Nair, who witnessed the accident, took the unfortunate girl to the New Britain General hospital where she died in a few minutes. The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock from the home and at 2:30 o’'clock from the People’s church. Rev. A. B. Taylor will offii- clate. CRAZED BY JEALOUSY, WOMAN SHOOTS HER RIVAL AND TAKES HER OWN LIFE to his, to all of which he has given the lie. But Little Real Progress. Although it is a week tonight since the murder was committed, and local police have been working prac- tically day and night on the case, there has been little actual progress made. Statements from the state police, the mayor, the police com- missioner and others to the effect that the police are doing everything that possibly can be done have been made, but every effort to run down clucs only leads to a blank wall The whereabouts of Winkle on the day before he was murdered are shrouded in mystery beyond a cer- tain point. The owner of the mys- terious horse and carriage, which he| is said to have engaged every day for a week prior to the murder, has not been didcovered. No weapon . has been located. The actual place of | the murder has not been agreed upon, although it is an open secret that a Main street saloon is under suspicion. That Winkle was killed by some- one considerably taller than himself or else by someone who stood above him, the police are convinced. What the Police Say. The police state that it would have been impossible for a short man such as Cotter is, to strike a blow hard enough to kill another man. How- ever, this statement must be taken into consideration with the fact that the police do no know what kind of a weapon was used to commit the crime. When asked if the theory that Winkle might have been thrown down the steps from one of the upper floors in any of the buildings near where the body was found, Sergeant Richardson said that phase had been considered and discarded as impossible. A fall such as that would have resulted in broken bones. The police do not say what their theory is, bevond reiterating that they think the motive was robbery, but there does not seem to be any feeling that a cold-blooded murder was pre- meditated. Chums of Cotter’s, men employed in Finnegan's livery, nearby saloon men and those who might have come in contact with either Winkle or Cotter on the day preceding the murder have been called into the police station and questioned several times. This after- noon several more witnesses were re- While admitting that they do not feel as though they had the goods on any- one now, Sergeant Richardson appears to feel a little more optimistic about the eventual result. Although Clemens Kalkowski, saloon keeper. and a man known as “Big Frank” have been closely questionad, the police say they have no intention of arresting them or holding them as material witnesses. (Continued on nineteenth page.) Nothing to Sa “We have nothing to sa) said | Mrs. David Moore, of 28 Prospect street, sister of Cotter. Judging |from =~ Mrs. Moore's attitude and | statements made today, the Cotter family wi becoming somewhat stirred up at the continued holding |of the son and brother. [ Examine More Witnesses. | other witnesses were at the police station this morning and considerable useless evidence has been eliminated from |the information being gathered by |the police. A conference was held | between Chief of Police William J. | Rawlings, Prosecuting Attorney A. |A. Greenbergz. Captain Grace and Sergeants Richardson and Hart on the advisability of releasing Cotter, before mnoon, but they de- cided that circumstances then war- ranted holding him longer. Cotter continues his spirit of bravado in his cell. He whistles and sings, his voice resounding through- | out the entire building. He does | not seem to have the least w ry. He has not changed his statements, |according to Sergeant Richardson, | | although he has been known to have |been confronted with witnesses lwhose statements were contradictory Several examined I HEARINGS ON NEW SEWER Board of Public Rights of Way With Property Own- Works to Discuss ers Next Tuesday. A hearing will be given by the pub- lic works board Tuesday evening on ile rights of way in New Britain nec- ry for the construction of the sewer for the Belvidere section of the city. A report will then be made to ‘he board of compensation and assess- meng and a settlement made with the iocal property holders. The board will «ct as a committee in securing rights of way in Newington. With the exception of two pieces of | property on the north and two on the south ends, the sewer will run through :dopted or proposed streets. THE WEATHER. s | Hartford, Sept. Forecast | for New Britain and vicinity | Fair, cooler tonight; Saturday | f Attempt Made to Save Life ML 5 PRICE THREE CENTS STATE AUTHORITIES TAKE COTTER . DESPITE PROSECUTORS STATEMENT THAT HE WAS TO BE FREED TODAY Chief Of Detectives Calls Charges Ridiculous And Says He Will Welcome Any Probe Into His Conduct As Member Of Detective Force When questioned today o charges being made or infej certain other papers, charg geant A. J. Richardson, ch; detective force, with being with a band of rum runnd cused officially announced charges are ridiculous. $15,000 in One Among other things tY is made that Richardson 000 in one year. He ad this money, but says he stocks and in the purch of the Puritan Lunch rq represented in this deal Wallace. The lunch room after nine months and a of money realized. Anoth whose name has been linked accusations, Sergeant Richardsy is running a farm in Newing of New York Girl Victim By Blood Transfusion. New York, Sept. 23.—Miss Mildred Hanan, daughter of late John H. Han- an, wealthy head of Hanan & Son, shoe manufacturers was shot three times early today as she was emerging from an apartment house in Brooklyn with John S. Borland, an importer. Mrs. Grace Lawes, who fired the shots, then ended her own life by firing a bullet int> ner brain. Miss Hanan, in a hospital, refused to discuss the shooting. According to the police Borland said Mrs. Lawes had stepped out of the shadows as he and Miss Hanan emerged from the apartment where they had been visiting a friend and fired the shots. He attributed the shooting, police said to jealousy ad- mitting that he had quarreled with Mrs. Lawes recently over Miss Hanan. Miss Hanan's condition was report- ed to be critical but not necessarily fatal. One of the bullets took effect in the left breast near the heart, one in the left side and one in the right arm. Borland was unable to explain to the police how Mrs. Lawes learned that he and Miss Hanan were visit- ing in Brooklyn. He said he had gone to Brooklyn yesterday afternoon with Miss Hanan to help her seek a new apartment. The apartment hunting trip he said, ended with a visit to Miss Dorothy Gottschalk, a friend of her family. They left the apartment about 1:25 a. m. he said and encountered Mrs. Lawes as they stepped to the street. She then stood for a moment regard- ing them, Borland said. Then she ut- tered a scream, pressed the muzzle of the pistol against her head and fired. Was Old Time Friend. Mrs. Lawes who is a daughter of Mrs. M. E. Dittmars of San Francisco was a dista.it relative of Miss Hanan’s. For four years she had lived with Miss Hanan and the latter’s mother in an apartment in the exclusive Park avenue district of Manhattan. Two weeks ago she moved to the Hotel Vanderbilt nearby. The police said that she had sent several threat- ening letters recently to Miss Hanan. Leaves Two Sisters. Two letters were found in Mrs. Lawes’ pocketbook. One, addressed to her mother, asked forgiveness for what she had done. The other, ad- dressed to Mrs. Birdie Williams of Manhattar., formerly a nurse in the Hanan household, requested that Mrs. Williams take Mrs. Lawes’ body to San Francisco and have it cremated. Letter to Mother. The letter to Mrs. Lawes’ mother read: “Mrs. M. E. Dittmar, “316 Walnut Street, “‘San Francisco, “Mother Darling: “You never can understand what I have been through here. Don't try to learn. It is past. I am too tired and ill to try to overcome the great obstacles I have placed in my own way. “Too much high life. The pace is too fast and the liquor has driven me crazy, dear. Forgive and forget and remember, pray for my soul. Love to all and think of me as I always say to you, a good, sweet daughter. “Lovingly, Cal. “GRACE.” Note to Nurse. The second letter, addressed to the nurse asked her to notify Walter Dunningten at the otel in this city to take care of her affairs. end home California cremated.” continued the letter. “Make it easy for my darling, sweet mother. Don’t let her know the truth, me to (Continued c¢n Third Page). TO AUCTION OFF FURS, St. Louis, Sept. 23.—Approximately $4,800,000 worth of furs will be sold - * at public auction here September 28 to October 1. Madison Square | that he understands he and friends ar2 planning to manufas a patent medicine, the' nature which he has not been advised. May Demand Retractions. In discussing the charges yesterday, the official under fire intimated that there ought to be some way of ob- taining redress. The statement that “They may have to prove these things,” also was made by Jake Win- Kle, whose name is prominently con= nected with Richardson’s, as an al= leged partner in the bootlegging bus- iness. In a statement this morning, Ser- geant Richardson was asked the fol- lowing questions: “Do you know anything about rum running in general, in the city?” he was asked. But Little Coming in. “If anything is being brought into town, it is being brought in in small quantities. I think there is very little coming in.” “What is the nature of the patent medicine your son is planning to make at his Newington home?” “I do not know. In fact, I dom't even know if it has materialized. Neither do I know at all who is in- terested.” “Who is the chemist?” “I do not know if there is a chem- ist.” Denies Aiding Booze Men. “Is it true that you have tipped off liquor men when a raid was going to be made either by a series of tel- ephone signals, by automobile or otherwise?"” t's ridiculous. Our records here ought to be enough to show what's being done.” “Is it true that you received $250 to keep mum about a load of liquor going into Curry’s saloon on Main street ?” “I never had any personal knowl- edge of booze going into Curry's sa= loon, although Curry or his bar- tender have been convicted two or three times on liquor charges.” “What is your connection with Jake Winkle and is it true that you and Jake are in the booze running busi- ness together?” Regarding Jake Winkle. “Jake Winkle has not been any more a fricnd of mine than he has to anyone else in town. Jake is the kind of a man who would do a kind- ness for anybody and he always has been a friend of the police force. He was one of the first to have an auto- mobile in New Britain and if an offi- cer wanted to go to Meriden or New Haven or any other place on busi- ness, Jake was always ready with his car. Long before prohibition times he was a friend of the police de- partment. (This statement was cor- roborated by Chief of Police Raw- lings, who was present during part of the inter\'ew, as was Prosecuting At- torney Greenberg). “Do you have any knowledga of Jake Winkle being in the rum busi- ness?” “I have never been in Jake Winkle's car to my knowledge when he had any rum in it.” “Do you have any Jake ever doing any business?” ot to the official knowledge of the police department.”” (This state- ment also Chief Rawlings agreed to.) “What do you think of the charges being made by some papers that you and Jake are in the rum running musi- nes; together?"” Outrageous, He Says. is the most ridiculous thing I ever heard brought up against any- body. T think it's outrageous. Every- body knows my boys and nobody can sz they were ever mixed up in any- thing like this. Why, other police- men have automobiles and own their own houses, why don't they pick on knowledge of rum running w1t (Continued on Nineteenth Page.) Y. W. C. A. GIRLS HIKE. The Y. W. C. A. has extended an invitation to the girls of the city to attend a four mile hike to be held tomorrow afternoon. All wishing to be in the party are asked to call at the building at ¥ungerford Court at 2 o'clock in the afternoon. They will come garbed in low heel shoes and fuil skirts. They will also turnish their [ovm lunches. . §