New Britain Herald Newspaper, March 30, 1925, Page 1

ESTABLISHED 1870 ATWA AS H. . HUMPHREY 15 DEADINSOTH YEAR Pioneer Merchant and Real Estate Dealer Succumbs SERVED ON WATER BOARD Was Public Official for Six Years, Also Serving as Commission Chatrman—Gave 47 Years to Of- fice of Clerk at South Church. NEW BRITAIN, oy ‘pioy) “da( py : qET MM F001jeALN0)) Col. Ullman, G.0.P. Leader, Is Sued For $150,000; Breach Of Promise New York, March 30.—Colonel ed for a delay in the trial, saying | Isaae M. Ullman, New Haven repub- | that a prominent attorney who had { lican leader and corset manufactur- | been expected to act as trial counsel er, was before Supreme Court Jue- | had failed to accept a retainer in brought by Florence Heddington, a | engage another New York lawyer of trained nurse, who charged him | prominence. with breach of promise of marriage, | Former Judge Willlam M., K. Ol. and with being the father of her ' cott, for Colonel Ullman opposed de- four year old son, Agnew. 8he asks lay and Justice Guy marked the case $150,000 damages. | ready. A jury was then selected but Joseph Koletsky, of New Haven, | upoh Mr, Koletsky's pleadings the attorney for Miss Reddington, plead- | trial was put over until tomorrow, SENSATIONAL GEM [SIX POSTAL MEN THEET IN . YORY H. Dayton Humphrey, dean of New Britain's lay churchmen, one of the best known realtors in the state, and a former city officlal died at 12:45 o'clock this morning after several months of failing Smar at pie mome, 205 west Matn Tiiamonds Worth $50,000 to|Restored fo Duty With M R Abras wad active. o e affairs of the South church and in his business up to a few months to $100,000 Taken by Bandits motion for Bach ROBBERY ON NINTH FLOOR Warning Call Sent Out As Yx-,-gnmni Reach Strect and While All Were Said to Have Tricd to In- Police | fluence Legislation at Time of Surround Block, Suspects Are Not| Postal Pay Increase Bill. Captured. Washington, March 30.—~Postmas- . New York, March 30.—Four men today raided the offices of Sobel and Kaleko, diamond brokers of 45 Maiden Lane and escaped with un- set diamonds valued at between $50,000 and $100,000. The robbery was opposite the new federal re- serve bank building. restoration to duty, with demotion of the six postal supervisory officials suspended January 2 for their con- nection with efiorts to influefce legislation at the time of considera- tion ‘of the postal pay increase bill, Peter McGurty, who was superin- tendent of mails at New York, at tice Charles J, Guy today in a suit | that capacity and that he desired to | LOSE THER RANK ACUSED OF LOBBYING ter General New today directed the | CONNECTICUT, MO FINE OF 57,000 1§ LEVIED ON RICKARD \Quimby and Muna Also Are Assessed Similar Amount | ————— (OTHERS ARE FINED 1700 Dempsey's Former Secretary Fined $1,000 and Madison Square Garden | Matchmaker & Like Amount—No Appeals to be Taken, Newark, N, T, Rickard, nationally known fight promoter, today was fined $7,000 by | Federal Judge Bodine for conspiracy | to violate the law prohibiting inter- state transportation of prize fight | films. Rickard and four others were | convicted in federal court in Tren- |ton on March 19. The charge wa: | brought in connection with trans- | portation of the Dempsey-Carpentler | films, | Fred Quimby, New York motion plcture producer, and Jasper C, Mu- ma, Washington and New York newepaper man, were fined $7,000 each. Teddy Hayes, of Los Angel: former secretary to Jack Dempsey, was fined $1,000 and Frank B. Flournoy, Madison Square Garden matchmaker, $1,000, Rickard, Quimby and Muma were fined $5,000 each on the count charg- ing consplracy and $1,000 each on | each of the two counts charging | transportation. Judge Bodine fined Hayes and Flournoy only $1,000 | each as they were held to be em- | ployes of the leaders in the con- | spiracy. No Appeals Likely DAY, MARCH 30, 192 IDENTI March 30.—Tex 'f Average Daily Circulation For Week Ending l 2’ 1 21 March 28th . . 5. -SIXTEEN PAGES. PRICE THREE CENTS F [ES CHAPMAN IT WHO SHOT SKELLY Witnesses Today At Chapman Trial: Groehl Fiercely Attacks Policeman, Broadly Hinting at Desire to Save Own Skin—Witness Admits He Told Merchant He Did Not See Gunman—Liebler Also Under Fire of Lawyer—Guard in and around Court Building Tripled FOUR OTHERS SAY THEY SAW PRISONER (Special to The Herald) ALFRED E. ATWATER Hartford, March 80.—The high spot in the trial of Gerald Chapman, charged with the murder of Policeman James Skelly in New Britain on October 12, 1924, was reached in superior Seats Gone By 8:30 || court today when Policeman Alfred E. Atwater of the New . Britain police department, pointed at the shadow bandit and T declared: “That man there appeared and fired three rapid pecial to the ) ” shots, Hartford, March 20.—The higgest : ; . . crowd that has tried tg gain ad-| Almost immediately former Magistrate Frederick _J. mittance to the Chapman trial was Groehl, chief counsel for the defense, tore into the New Brit- :}'"cr"’r’;:d ‘:"e“r: m}:’\,':yinsh:%l”g;lfll"‘]i‘ ain policeman on cross-examination and mercilessly subjected throng, The spectators® seats hegan | 1M 0 8 grilling which was sensation of the day., to fill up before 8 o’clock, two hours ('“3}“.1 On B“lldm_g Tripled before the hour for opening court. Although no official explanation was forthcoming, the fi’{{ i 0, all available seats were | guard of policemen in and around the court building was Edward L. Johnson, a witness| 1ipled today. The increased guard consists chiefly of Hart- subpoenaed by the defense, was on | 10rd policemen in uniform or plain clothes. It was considered band. Dr. David Waskowitz, a significant that the guard should have been increased by such ;E:\;vhf;h?l?‘wn-\ ‘f:!“;!&rr“l‘{“;;e ffi”;é ‘large numbers on the day when State’s Attorney Alcorn was | etrredn Bix e tather i CraTisa T ready to bring to the front witnesses who positively identified | Shean, a wealthy Springfield, Mass,, | Chapman. CLARENCE LAMPHER Police surround the block and began search for the bandits, The robbers were unmasked. Tt is believed they drove to the place in & elosed automobils, timing their arrival with that of Tevel Kaleko, a member of the firm, who had just returned to the office with two wal- lets filled with precious stones taken, | in accordance with custom, from | Lote Iman, and his brother, Arthur | On his direct testimony, Atwater said that Chapman, de- $4,100 yearly, was réduced to assist-| No appeals from the sentences of ant supérintendent of malls there, at | Rickard and . Muma will be taken $3,500, | Merritt Lane and Walter Van Riper, Jamgs N {irelm, postal.eashier at | thelr counsels, sald, -appeals of the Boston, at 94.100, ‘was reduced to other senténees also are not expect- money order cashier there at $3,700. | ed, it was Andicated. | Peter Wiggle, assistant postmaster, | Judge Bodine referred to the sen- | ;g;’; ’;&252,::921; w]l‘:\s'l_v(]:rfii\fs; “ scending the stairs of the Davidson & Leventhal store in New [Tia gy was John I, Konener a| Britain, where the murder took place, fired three bullets into | department of justice agent, | Skelly and shouted: “Get down or 'l kill you, 'l kill you.” He | | said he recognized Chapman as the gunman because of his prominent cheek bones. This, he admitted, was his only means | of identification. WALTER MALONA |WILL OF J. F. SWEENE Detroit, $4,600, was reduced to as-| tencing as the “last act of a tlr.'\nm‘r slstant superintendent of malls there | enacted four vears ago.” He said he | at §3,500, was faced with a fine point in fixing | | The situation became tense when Groehl accused Atwater nearby safety vanlts. Harvey oM " y M. Tittle, assistant post- Armed Man Enter master, Springfield, Ohlo, $3,300, {alek o his ovhen Kaleko returned {0 S| was reiuced to money order cashier office ahou o'clock two custom- a0 ay g3 000, ers were walting As he spoke to J. J. Field them he placed the wallets of jewels | on a desk, above which was a sign of a protective assoclation promis- |ing a reward for the arrest and con- viction of robbers, Just then four armed men en- itprcd. and ordered “hands up and | not a word!" one of them grabbed | |the wallet of jewels. T other three bound and gagged Kaledo and | his two customers, Frank Amakraut | and Frank Wheeler, and fled | The robbery occurred on the ninth {floor. The men had barely time to three bound and gagged Kaleko and |'his two customers freed themsclves | !and notified the police, ngo when, at the advice of his physicians, he unwillingly retired to his home. Mr. Humphrey was connected with the early business life of this clty as a dealer in dry-goods, hav- ing been assoclated with the late Edmund Swift and F. W. Whittle- sey in the conduct of a Main street store. A natlve of Crawfordsville, In- diana, Mr. Humphrey and his family moved to the east when he was still a boy. They made their home at Warren, Conn. The boy recelved his early education among rural surroundings and later was admit- ted to the Gunnery School at Wash- {ngton, where he completed his training for business. Enters Dry Goods Business Selecting New Britaln as the place where he would seek to make a name for himself in the world of | business, he came here at the age of 16. He secured employment | with Messrs. Swift and Whittlesey. | Rises Four Feet Sunday and This superintendent of to superintendent tion there, at $3,300, was reduced to railway mail service clerk, grade five, at $2,450. Long Srvice Saves Them The postmaster general {n his order said that only the fact that long time, ranging from 18 to 37 years, saved them from dismissal. CONN. RIVER RISING | | Dermott, assistant secretary of the te committee. since dismissed, officials had been In the service a | [Nntenrfl. | “In this case who can say to what extent the government was fnjured ?” | he aeked. “In the states where the | plctures were shown prize fights carried full accounts of them, and | movies taken within the states ca must be meted out.” malls, Lousiville, $3,800, was reduced | Were legal, newspapers and the radio | Main street sta- William Sansom, assistant superin- | be €hown. Nevertheless a federal tendent of dellvery, Chicago, $4,100, | 14w was flouted and punishment | A nominal fine of $1 was set for| | Quimby, Inc, the company that handled the film, because it is now in bankruptey. Daugherty Was Acquitted. sixth defendant, James | Daugherty of Philadelphia, was ac- he Wheeler senatorial committee inves- tigation a year ago, as it was before | this body that a former government | MADE BUT FEW BEQUESTS, of cowardice at a fire in New Britain 18 years ago. Atwater Drops to Knees Judge Groehl asked Atwater why he had not seen the | murderer escape from the store. The policeman replied that ‘!he had dropped to his knees at the second shot. Specified, | “Did you return the fire?” Groehl asked and the answer \dams, | VS iN the_negatu’e. | “Was it because you were lying on your stomach behind a s| counter?” Groehl screamed. ity bl eReuit e “No,” the policeman replied in a weak voice. With of the estate is disposed of in direct|p . Atwater admitted that he had heard that people in New munity chest drive went over the top | bequests Crofts is assured ot prac-| Britain regarded him as a coward. Edmund Crofts Fxpected to Inherit COMMUNITY DRIVE Desired $62,147 Is Raised | With $105 in % Addition Most of Estate—Sums Edmund Crofts of North | Mass., is residuary legatee under th | will of John F. Sweeney which | filed today in probate court, and $185.35 to spare ti com- today for the first time in the his- |t v the entire estate of the de-| “So you dropped to your knees leaving poor Skelly to get tory of New Britain. At tl me | £°8 "f‘ red merchant and realty| the bullet?” Groehl asked. | investor, “That's right,” was the answer. L [ quitted in the trial. The sentencing| im®, the largest sum ever ¢| Mrs. Anna S. Nickerson of Ne : Sy During consideration of the postal | l‘m r}m’r" afnfr R e i; for the combined welfars work of | [ondon is given a bequest of §i During the cross examination, Atwater admitted that he pay and rates bills four of the of- 10X PIac AZer A COME CUURL B the city has been raiscd. | white §15,000 in cash is given a|told a storekeeper on his beat a few days af ; fielals were detailed to assist the | IO O MOUEAY (08 EXPE M R Cheers and applause greeted the | niceo, Anna Crofts, of North Adams, | s g . a Tew days after the shooting joint. committee of the senate and | YCTdlcts for new trials, and fOr &-| yaiement hy President b, W ey e that he had not recognized the murderer. “But I told him house in Ascertaining certaln facts | ¢St Of judgment. The Ty | ton today fhat the desired sum had | Roman B metery at| that to get rid of him,” he added. relating to pay of postal employes, | T8l Was ihe result of one BNEI|peen realized and that ol s s A Re v Lt They dealth with Edward H. Me- | of(N® Procecding brought out of the yce, passed by a sate margin “fund for the ce Atwater's Testimony Contradictory |man who did the shooting, total reported today was $6 ¥ | with a possibllity that a fin e p! Further questioned by Groehl, At- | Heller Tdentified Chapman ety yoars Taler thers was & change According to each of the officials, |\ ont made the testimony which re- | m may bring this amount close to A Gad Grot m?m{q;“d ; ha 1“:&""\0’{1“”"'1[ t0] Henry Heller of New Britain tes- in the business, brought about by| Morning The . Gauge Registered |the postmaster general stated, Me- | ioq 4y the fndictment of the six|® a o ; police aring in New Britaln [Lcd that he and his wife were the retirement of Mr. Swift and | Dermott began asking them for | . on'ny 5 federal grand jury in New- |, L1 largest report m ¥ 80V the deceased, and Julla When they sald that Policeman Sial. | S2NINE in front of the department Humphrey becams assoclated with| Two Feet Highér. [ money almost immediately and was | 1 105 May. [ team during the drive, and in fact| gigter, in an amount deemed suffi- ! S “':,’]; store when the gunman emerged. Mr. Whittlesey as a partner. Later | go.i;ofield, Mass, March 30.-- | persistent and merciless in his de-| ~ mn. agent, Worald C. Holdridge, | ‘_‘“’f{‘“‘_f? B "]’i""l""_ Heo nt to provide for their comfort- o Sw‘_;fl’;{:.j"d’ He identified Chapman and said he he succeeded to the business. Ha |, Cmm’mi;rm SRl s nmhn‘l.s upon them, had testified that in 1921 Muma ap- | xl,\lxr; m fi" \‘ vj» ;..‘ te s roniMary ROIDay | i e e was the n\nn he saw come out, Hel- was successful in the dry-go0ds | g, rove four feet here due to rain| | Delieve this to be true” the' . renyy was the le of a con-| 21‘;,, Vi :'M'l Vorks, TS BRean e sV e e oy e s d s Rwife, Rwith I whom S T fleld for many years. In 1901 he {'-"-’h“_ ~mm‘ stk itio mate postm: T gvx!nr:\! sald, “and ac- | ¢ cy to get ‘ertain high gove ‘fl” 2, H_)‘ \. ' Pl “m-‘m‘ e (e oped when she was 17, was with disposed of his Main street store, | ru onrly today. At Bellows Falls, | €t It as a mitigating circumstance; nt officlals to keep their "’]“C '\ “‘:: ) $10,000; LG o e e o e r“i‘i l‘\f did not see the gunman's selling to Dugald McMillan who 1““ iha watec was 1814 fest abuye ‘.'H"l yet it cannot be held to relleve | (¢ in (g films were dist ‘“ o “, I“:\:vw‘n Y & n of James, Tt Groant Saalfiomithe ace. She had not been subpoenaed later sold the business to its present {them from the just criticism which Muma had told him, Holdridge e as a witness, mean low water, Patrols were ests 2 L A 5 lings, I'red Hausmar lony at this police court he 3roeh not. shak Owner, the Davidion & Leventhal f),;0q nhm"yf' Brattleboro, Vt. A [ their conduct brings upon ~them.|jat he brought the fiim to Wash-| ;8 -,.-1 “v\’w ‘f‘ h Atwater had given t e oot i nocianskeh Hellegs Co. U t 121 | lished abc A e They began to pay money to Me- | et nd showed it at the home|din and Georga H. Dy . dif R He admitted that he had Co. Upon retirement from the dry- | ga1 "o+ vernon, Vt iver reach- ington and d it at the home| ¢z cog oo 1ty different from today 4 = Mr. H | dam & lon i .~ Dermott and continued it until they | or Eaw 3, Mclean, Wi y 4 t v wife to swear falsely te goods field, Mr. Humphrey opened | oq'1y et but dropped slightly after | ! T e of Edward B. McLean, Was! Dyson in g hi , ol ater admitted that his first testl- | her age when they eloped 2n office to deal in real estate and | iqnignt had ‘Hs" him ‘m;’mu sums lnxxr'*- = s 3 Foitrecaroad :‘t‘l_r ”'i\_"“- 1) r ler r [mony was wrong. Dot Sou bt Pe hord instirance. | ht. A4 gating 355, each one of the six (Continued on Page Twelve) P A yack to Edmund Crofts. | The frankly e 3 aubordings As a realtor and Insurance man, | g0 efora March 30.—The Conn- | g & part e D i s i ‘,“ Wy — ST ol o 1¢k ot AoLbutiv .”',m“ il demanded. Mr. Humphrey was perhaps best| ., ' river is risin gagain today,| "It is not believed that they con- BOMB IN AUTOMOBILE give, but th : & 1 1 I got. out/| her the withes LossTllores s d an eighteen foot fresh S ¥ e gold piece fo nt « A sa re- While witn N residents of this city, his activity in ;"rv”d hv:r“‘” men. The present | to McDermott in an effort to corrupt o IS ,.‘,‘1 5 fed Rt fanires wi n e iving testl. those lines having covered a period ‘ri‘u- hnm&n ot rday atisrnoon) ANd members of congress, but the con- 5 !;';\l 1; FROM PARK GOMMISS]ON |water the stand ton \q\ nv)'\\ -1‘1“?“‘1, of practically an entire quarter of a ||| \ulting from an inch of raln | ciusion that they did expect it to buy | Allendale. N. J., Hotel Man Killed | Groehl Grills Licbler b e ")r“:‘:m’ the century, | ¥ formont and New | favor from McDermott as eecrotary > d —_— S auroomy in northern Vermont ar i When He Steps on Self Starter of M. Li ¢ Served Church 47 Years Hampahire,” augmented by melting | of the committeo cannot be avolded. | Member Will Make No Statement— |1 Liebler on Stand For 47 years, Mr. Humphrey gerv- | ¢noy in the north woods. This af they fully realized not only the | piq Motor Car. trolman Li was the fire d the South Congregational Church ;ernnon at 2 o'clock the freshet had | but the fllegality of | | Believed Dissatisfied With ss to be called at the opening soclety as its clerk. He was elected | . .iched a height of 18 feet. their conduct in paylng him money | Allendale, N. J.,, March 30.—John 5 v‘\ 0 s morning. Im- Lo that office in the early days of his A VS is plainly evidenced by thelr own O'Dea, 26, owner of the Manor hotel, | Appropriation LAY 00 media State’s Attorney residence of New Britain and han- WILL ASK FOR BIDS orrespondence which discloses was killed instantly in an explosic s e witness Judge iled the duties so well that he was | Washington, March 30.—Bids for | th .mpts at secrecy of what is believed to have a motion to ex. repeatedly called upon to accept re- | A urihase O‘, hydro-electric power - — — a bomb and which wrecked his mo- | y.¢ oo A . 3 10T i clude witn iring the taking n\ecu:ni ‘A):[hough this ’,,m‘.,. often dp‘.(goppdx ‘l.y s ot DOZEN AUTO TRAGED]ES tor as he stepped on the starter | coiioq $59.64 e resignation of & VeTY of testimony motion was de. m':,nfl“ao, &n::",‘;,’ztb":"r;”;imi"'\:; Muecle Shoals, Alabama, will be in- Lodays . . .| Leon A.'s ! the sioner B. A. Hawle: 1 . 1d an exception noted - B is e | vited by Secretary Weeks. | S The cav stood In'the courtyard atjidrive, ‘was ve : n | this afternoon he a ot QR SaemoTning profitably been applied to his mer. | Vited by p the rear of the hotel all night and a | he arose to t v 1! notice desire s . duty cantlle affairs, Mr. Humphrey be- | Elght Killed On Crossings, Four in |y, one odor of pleric acid lead the | committee bhiTor 15 it ket 1 n a phone :1;"'!“1 it XWS' the fi“-" ‘:’f "“*’i par- | Crashes in and Near Chicago Sun- authorities to express the suspiclon | His voice q 1 with emotion and| Commissioner Hawley P result of shioner to serve his chosen chureh, | 7 . | | that bootlegging enen were Tre-| for a brie ne T t th ! comment upon his ret 1 Atwater, Lam. i‘(‘r‘:oh:lchol:udne::?« to}:er:;;xy;vrr;:‘;e H?TLOfl His L:\zg’(lf;iuta] day. sponsible. O'Dea’s body was badly might be unable 1o proceed told an int v st ¥ itted he had heard that Sk ted for the o ° 3] ¥ n runcs Chicago, March 30.—Twelve per-|mangled. | nh alk he fically thanked | ment 3 PR S : s store. On the ber of the church societies commit- was 8 e ha wars e I R otomoRn p.‘ e osol thats ,I‘ hia tatk : 7 thankediment x 45 an at Mg healiot 20 is s vitved i Patrelnas | One Bad Crook Stole || sons were killed in automobile acel- he explosion was in the front or | Mrs. Howard Pa S W are known to b Malona and Tanpher Testify » LALe up Fatroiman Ma- tee 29 years. | de d near Ch esterd he mot nd he o au-| oh ¢ L lona. His connections in an official way | —0— | dents in and near Chicago yesterday. |the motor end of the car and au-|charge of the city ss; F. R./on the best of terms, is not be-! Patrc n Walter Maiona of New B e ; ¥l < s Eight of the fatalities resulted when |thorities expressed the o n alG , who lald new or-|lieved there has been a disag Arriving at the store the attention with the South church are not dupli- Long Beach, Cal., March i || trains struck automobiles at grade [bomb had ~been connected to the who | ment between them. The commis the police was d to a man “-i‘t‘edt l\.xy -“: v]zl:‘ Fhmfillv";m :?n“i; e T Sl at the 1] crossings. starter. O'Dea had seated himself| ! con- | sloner appeared hefore mbers the corner of Church and Main S Sepe Ot Bttt | Lo Lo kbl it | Robert Harrop, coal -miner, / his|in the macine and stepped on the | tributions; win. | 11 Bowrd’ ot Hbne 1 the witness o it gintlmm i or ) ““l..l"‘" "‘;: n“‘:g,fi""j;“ wife and four children were starter when the explosion followed, | who has t|this vear and urged : - d Shean i . sergeal S *6: " 4N |l\when a Chicago & Alton train st practically blowing him to bits, The i tion to bea the parks at of the “Herald" building. Bee Becomes Water Commissioner || ambuiance was dispatched n || 50 80 IR e T MR e e & S[ittmastec oitich et na ek heltaa ‘ » and Malona arrested Shean, In 1888 Mr. Humphrey &ccepted || pnaste to the Walford home. Itk = ad charge o o f which was af v § Cla 1 drop a brief an appointment to the board of wat- | | Walford was found in bed cursing | "\t o 4 Mo jarry Petts . 3 8 | Repreasntative Fred 0. Rackiifte ana {000, were cut in't Britain, a veteran the tonneau of an automoe er commlissioners. He proved a val- | | the thiet who stolen his || . 0 C sured when Chi | 1| E. W, Irvi R Savor Pao \ \ deseribed b then lean over into the 1able elty official and upon ¢omple- || trousers and th leg otk b dneSiinioned . i SR 1] = 2 . SATON SO tgui paits . i tion of his first term was asked 1o | | which he had left hen {|AUrora and Elgin THE WEATHER sons { Willlam E. | reached fof a statem Hawley is Atwater 8 3 araain as & commissioner. This and | for the night. The ||train struck their —— h Tyl EEERtHbRaally 1 nt s A nr:':‘k xg 8 ,«“—_ }:m“»r‘;l.u other re ointments were accepted | g and trousers later wood, a suburb, For New Britain and vicin- | b I Skelly seco a 1 him tor the gnition and w he retired from office In | nd in an alley not far || Four persons were killed by au- || ity: Unsettied and colder to- | had charg speakers 1 s just ab to & uto and he didn’t have 911 he had served under six may- (| away. The burglar had removed | | tomobiles within the city limits, ?-k \ night; Tucsday fair, man 8 H rector of the tra Nor n heard three s ‘}; no keys to fit the paineiy § [ gl = ey creasing the auto death toll in Cook | — — s out and in s arms. He | - (Continued on Page 10) | - T cou alnce January 1 to 153, | * - - *| (Continued on Page 12 | r. was not asked whether he saw the (Continued on Page 13) a4 N i