New Britain Herald Newspaper, March 31, 1925, Page 1

News of the World By Associated Press ——————— e ESTABLISHED 1870 SUNDAY 5 BY HOUSE BY Its Passage Follows Hour And Half of Debate — Alling And Rackliffe In Favor of Measure. e State Capitol, Hartford, March 31. —Following a debate of an hour ang } a half the Sunday sports bill wu} passed in the house today by a vote | of 123 to 108, Both sessions of house and senate were broken up by long debates and | most of the business for the day was postponed. Debate Starts at Once The Sunday sports bill was taken up in the house at noon. House Lead- er Alling moved passage of the bm:1 after a brief explanation of its pro- | visions. Mrs. Fenniman of Nauga- tuck opposed the measure, reading a prepared apgech in which she de- plored “an attempt to {naugurate the commercial Sunday.” Mr. Bell of Sallsbury disagreed with his colleagues and strenuously | opposed thebill. Other laws notably gambling laws were violated, he said, but that does not necessitate repealing the laws, He denfed public sentiment was back of the bill, He said increasing interest had led “big business” ;to commercialize sports, adding that money interests of base- ball were back of the bill. Mr. Durant of Guilford favored the bill, declaring ‘“we want an American’ Sunday” not a commer- clalized or continental Bunday. Mr. Lincoln of Ashford read sta- tistics on lack of rellgious training. Mr. Hoyt of Néw Haven said there was .overwhelming sentiment for Sunday baseball in every city and large town. He denfed baseball mag- nates were behind the measure, Mr, Talcott of Vernon agreed that more toleration was needed. Mr. Brins- made said the bill was “‘unwise, un- falr and unnecessary.’ Mr. Avertll warned against exist-| ence of laws not popular as danger- ous to the welfars of the country. Mr. Russell of Middletown moved | that the vote be by roll call and the ! motlon -was carried. Miss Cheney of Manchester moved for an amend- ment to allow persons working on Sunday undér the new law to have a day off during the week, but she withdrew it on objection. Local Men Favor It. | Representatives B. W. Alling and F. 0. Rackliffe of New Britain, Rep- resentative El. W. Pape of Newing- ton, and Representative Kimmel of Plainville were among those who voted in favor of the bill. Representative Francis Deeming of Berlin voted with the opposition, FIRE RAVAGES TOWN Business Center of Groton, Vermont, is Virtually Wiped Out—Ioss is About $100,000. Groton, Vt.,, March 81.—A fire of unknown origin early today wiped out the business center of this little community with a loss estimated at $100,000. ° Because of the mlmost impassable conditions of the roads, fire apparatus from Woodeville, N. H,, and South Tyegate reached the village too late to save the buildings. Dynamite was used to check the spread of the fire, | The Opera block, a two story buflding of wood comstruction, and housing the post office, the town jail, and several business places, was de- | stroyed with a harness shop and | barn in the rear. The fire spread to an adjoining three tenement bullding which was also destroyed. ‘Two other housese were badly dam- aged. A hand chemlcal and water pails were the only means available for fightign the fire before the arrival of help from other towns. | through the chest. ‘qdoq APV aymg JnogeIuo SFURIS BILL GETS 123-108 VOTE Girl Babies Killed If Food Runs Short New York, Mrch 31, — Knud Rasmussen, Arctic explorer and student of Eskimo customs, ar- rived in New York today on the steamship Aurania, on his way to Ottawa, where he will report to the Canadian government on the killing by Eskimos of girl habies in the upper Hudson Bay country, He sald the custom originated In the difficulty of securing food for large families, “If there 1is not provender enough, they kill the babies 4m. mediately atter birth by smoth- ering them,” said Mr, Rasrnussen. “If a girl baby, prior to birth, is pledged in marriage, the mother will preserve it. If not, the fnfant Is killed. Boy bables have a greater value and are seldom, if ever killed.” MOTHER MURDERS HER DAUGHTER, SON DYING Somerville, N J.,, Woman Also Tries Suicide—. Likely to Liv Somerville, N, J, March 31.— Branch, four miles from here, was shot and killed instantly and her brother James, 14, is expected to die from two bullet wopnds In the head and chest, as the result of an attack Fupon them by thelr mother whils they slept early today. The mother, who is belleved to have been tem- porarily insane, i{s not expected to| recover at the Somerville hosplta]‘ from three bullets which she then | fired into her left side. | Mr. Sheridan, who went into the | cellar at 6:30 a. m., related that he heard the shots but when he arrived | upstalrs he found his daughter dead in bed, his son mortally wounded in | his bed in an adjoining room and his | wife on the floor unconscious. The | empty revolver which had been kept | in the home, was on the floor near | her. The daughter, who was a student in Somerville High school, | had been shot in the temple and The boy had two | wounds in about the eame plaees. | Both the son and his mother were | brought to the Somervilia hospltal | where physicians said the yhad no hope for the recovery of either, al- though Mrs. Sheridan had regained consciousness. One other person, Mrs. Sheridan's aged and invalid mother, was in the home. | Sheriden s 52 and Mrs. Sheridan is 41, | SETTLEMENT HOLDS UP TRIAL OF COL, ULLMAN, \ Efforts Being Made Today to Adjust Matters and Stop Action New TYork, March 31.—Negotia- tions for settlement of the suit for | $150,000, brought in supreme court | by Florence Reddington, profession- | al nurse, against Isaac M. Ullman, | corset manufacturer and a republi- can leader of New Haven, Conn., de- layed resumption of the trial today The jury was excused until 2 p. m. Miss Reddington charged that Col- | onel Ullman broke his promise mi marry her and that he was sho| father of her four year child. When court opened Justice Guy excused the jury for an hour and no explanation was offered. Later, when the jury was further excused until Crofts Owner of Property Used by W. J. Sweeney With the filing of two deeds at the | office of City Clerk A. L. Thompson | today it became known that the Sweeney block on Main street, hum‘ by the late John F. Sweeney and | often referred to as the most valu- able plece of business property in the elty carrying no encumberances, is the property of Edmund Crolts of North Adams, Mass., and for about | four years Mr. Sweeney had held| only a contract for life use and oc- cupanc: The same condition was true of the Sweeney property at the corner| this afternoon the justice and clerk of the court said they had been in- formed that negotiations looking to a settlement were under way. Ullman, his brother Louls Uliman, and several friends were in court. Uliman declined to discuss the mat- | ter, saying that information | would have to come from his coun- sel. | Miss Reddington was not in court | any Democrfitsito Prepare For Active Compaign A meeting of the democratic town committee and democrats In general of Church and Falrview streets|wiil be held tomorrow evening at 830 which, like the Main street property, | o'clock at headquarters in United passed into Crofts’ hands May 4, building.’ Campaign plans will be 1921. Revenue stamps affixed to the [discussed. The tlekets will be com- deeds show a cash consideration of [pieted at that time ms there are now | 827,000, Crofta is Sweeney's nephew |several vacancles which, by rules of | and is residuary jegatee under the [the party, the town comniittee is | Sweensy will. |authorized to i1 | HARTNETT T0 FACE HIGH COURT TRIAL Motorman of Wrecked Car Bound Over in $1,000 Bonds FOR CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE Attorney Mangan Protests Against Admission of Fyidence—Man Ob- Grounds, Motorman result of the trolley wreck at corner of Stanley was bound over to the court under $1,000 bonds by Judge was reopened over the protest torney Joseph G. Woods asked to be allowed to introduce evidence which | he had omitted when the case was tried last Wednesday. According to the statutes the state must show the,loss of a life or the fracture of a limb in a case such as this, and although he had such eyidence at hand last week, Prose- cutor Woods falled to bring it out, confining himself to the car was being driven at an ex- cessive rate of speed when it jumped the rails. Judge Mangan was prompt case, but Judge Hungerford granted the prosecutor a continuance until | Helen Sherldan, 17, daughter of Ed | this morning. win A, Sheridan, & farmer at North | Mangan Calls it “Terrible” After the moflon for reopening had been made, Judge Mangan said there was no legitimate reason for {1t and that it would be “terrible" if ! the state was aillowed to bolster up ite case after the defense had picked the flaws in it, stating that no de- fending attorney would come into court under such conditions. Judge Hungerford commented that it was a quite important and very technical matter, but reopened the case after quoting authority for such action. Dr. Milton L. Marsh of 178 Lin- coln street was called by the state and testified that Mrs. E. Bertha Battey of 578 Stanley street, had sustained a fractured radius of the right arm in the accident. Mr: Battey, her arm still in a cast, cor- roborated this and sald she was still undergoing treatment. Thomas W. Crosby of 584 Stanley (Continued on Page 16) jects to Vaccination on Rcl!gimls! Robert T. Hartnett, | charged with criminal neglect as a |slon have decided to ignore the ac- the [tion of the common council in or- and Chestnut |dering the recalling of permits fs- streets on the night of February 12, |sued Miss Julla Naples and Mrs. superior | Anna Lee for two family houses on Willlam C, Hungerford in the local |following the last session of | police court this morning. The case i‘:ommon council. of Judge William 1°. Mangan, counsel |quarters that cases like the Hart for Hartnett, when Prosecuting At. |Strect matters are not covered by showing that | to take advantage of thjs and point | it out after the state had rested its | NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 12. EIH N ADMITS BEIN ND WILLING AID OF CHAPMAN BUILDING CO. DEFIES GOUNGY Reluses Withdrawal of Naples and Leg Permits CLAIHS HEARING TLLEGAL |Common Council Authorized Hear Remonstrants Only in Cases Where Permit Has Been Denied Is Claim, to Members of the building commis- Hart street, which order was issued the It has been claimed in certain | existing ordinances and the appel- lants who received a public hearing |before the common ceuncil were {not privileged to have their griev. {ance heard before that body had the {law been properly interpreted. | Since the hearing was not according {to law, according to their claims, they cannot govern themselves by |its finding, it i3 argued. Although a copy of the common | council's order for the recall of the permits has been recelved at the loffice of the bullding commission |no action is being taken. Corpora- |tion Counsel John H. Kirkham will ibe consulted shortly. | The building commission, in ac- cordance with ordinance, advertised | receipt of applications for permits | to build two family houses on Hart | street and received a remonstrance | requiring the calling of a public hearing. At the hearing several | property owners went en record as | opposed. The bullding commission claims a 75 per cent representation | was not opposed and on that ac- {count the tommission jssued per- | mits, Owners of other properties | nearby appealed to the common | council and the case was heard last week. | The ordinance covering such cases provides for the manner of applying for permits, advertising, |filing of remonstrances, hearings, ete., and direots: “If at said hear- |ing, seventy-five per cent of sald owners in person, or by thelr ac- 'credited agents, within sald five | hundred feet distances, object to the | granting of the permit asked for, ‘ (Continued on Page 16) i 50 GERMAN SOLDIERS DROWN AS PONTOON BRIDGE FALLS Tragedy »Occurs During:POUZZNER IS SLATED Maneuvers and Men Were Burdened With Full Field Equipment— Death List Likely to Be Increased. By The Associated Press. Detmold, Germany, March 81.— Fifty members of the German reichswelhr weré drowned in the river Weser this morning when & bridge belng constructed by ploneers reichswehr manoeuyres, collapsed. The victims were part of a column marohing in tull field equipment which attempted to use the temporary structure, Death List Incomplete More than 100 soldiers were pre- cipitated into the river wWhen the pontoon bridge gave way, and the mate of fifty drowned may be exceeded. The men thrown into in connection with the first est - FOR PROSECUTOR'S J0B | Pormer Iocal Man Likely to Be- l come Assistant City Atorney | In New Haven | New Haven, March 31.—1In a fore- | the water had to struggle against the ! of their heavy equipment, feared that the inability rs of them to free them- es from it might greatly increase the death list. The pontoon bridge which falled to sustain the marching column of infantry was constructed over the upper Weser at the point where it joins the rivers Werra and Fulda, between the towns of Hausberge and | Wertheim Roll fs Called A large contingent of various reichswelir units, engaged in §eld | practice gince the early morning, was tered over a wide area and when accident occurred the officers in | command immedidtely ordered a roll call in an effort to learn the identity of the victims, the number of whom had not been established at a late hour. Among the mising is one officer, The accident is believed to have been due to the overloading of ene of the pontoons. | cast of changes in the city court | when Eugene F. Farley and Sheri- dan T, Whitaker take their seats as judges, July 1 the Journal Courler today eaid that Charles Marcy Robinson will be made clty attorney, Benjamin D. Winner, son-in-law of F. W. Orr, first assistant city attor- | ney, Daniel Pouzzner, second assist- ant,-and Mrs. Frances L. Roth, third assistant. The present city attorney | fe Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Winner is| first assistant. 1t Mrs. Roth takes office she will be the first woman as- | t atorney in the state and will have charge of cases of women, Other changes in the court staff | will be made. Mr. Robinson is the son of State oferce Silas A. Robinson of Middle- town Lawyer Pouzzner is the son of Mr. and Mrs. I. Pouzzner of Church street, this city, and formerly lived here. He was graduated from the local High achool and Syracuse uni- | versity and was for several years on the Herald staff. CHICOPEE STRIKE OVER Chicopee, Mass, March 31. — Definite assurance was given today that the strike of employes of the Dwight Mfg. Co. cotton mills, now in its tenth week, would end tomor- row. THE WEATHER —— For New Britain and wicinity: Unsettled tonight and Wed- nesday with probably occa- sional showers; not much change in temperature. | * | TEEN PAGES Admits Being Willing Burglar WALTER E. SHEAN STATE HAS PISTOL CHAPMAN IS SAID TO HAVE HAD HERE (Spectal to the Herald,) Muncfe, Tnd, March $1.—The | prosecutfoll in the trial of Gerald | Chapman at Hartford, Conn., for the murder of Policeman James Skelly of New Britain on October 12 is said to be about to play it ace. According to Information obtalned here, the gun Chapman is alleged to have used when Skelly was shot | Is in the hands of authorities and ! Wwill be produced when the time ar- rives, if the prosecution thinks it | ' necessary. | In the courtroom at Hartford and carefully guarded from inquisitive tongues is W. . Boyd, Chapman's cellmate in Muncie, Boyd was under arrest as a suspect in a murder case, | The story of his brief acquaintance Wwith Chapman is said to be one of the high lights of the case, Just before Boyd was released, it | Is said, Chapman told him he would meet & man on the street who would | make himself known, He was dl- rected to accompany the man to Chapman's car and in a certain | pocket he would find a revolver, He | was to take the revolver and give it to the strunger. | “Be sure to follow out instruc- tlons,” Chapman is said to have warned Boyd,” because if the police get that gun they can make a lot of trouble for me in New Britain, | Comecte? 'HEARS MOTHER SING When Boyd was released and | breathed the air of freedom after | being in the shadow of death, he | HYM E decided he would not mix up in any | L affairs which might get him into | further trouble. So instead of fol- | lowing directions, he told the police . BOYD 4, J of his conversation with Chapman. L. C. Voke Listens to They went to the automobile and YT o got the gun, reported to be of the Her Voice From same calibro as a bullet which was | ichi removed from Skelly's body. | Michigan CRCLISTS AREKILLED |, = e o v vt o STS ARERILLED | oo e of eneog of 1,000 miles Two Meet Death at Danvers When | 0T8anist Sunday nigh Their Motorcycle Crashes Into | After t} ried to his Rear End of Standigg Truck. ned the dia Danvers, Mass, March $1.—Ru- | [2°%VIn8 86t to calch st : pert Killam of Lyhn and a com- e 2 panion as yet unidentified were kill- cd early today when their cycle crashed into the rear ruck on the Andover turnpi this town. The truck had beer on the road unattended while two men who had been driving it went to Pe for gasoline. Horace Desilets and Owen Vanselette of Lynn were arrested when the police learned that they had taken the truck without permission of the owner and' had no licenses. |4 ry co ege, bd motor Engineer Falls Into River and Is Drowned Ithaca, N. Y., March 31.—Frank A. Regan of South Waverly, a Le- high Valley railroad engineer, before dawn today stepped from his gine as it stood on a bridge over yuga Inlet, slipped into the water | & }‘;:M' 1,‘,"‘,fl‘, i ok and was drowned. Gl Regan was shifting cars in the SHOT BY HIS FRIEND vards. As his engine meared the| New Canaan Mar Tinice bridges it broke loose from the cars | Warren, 46, who was shot by Ben- and the engineer stopped to find the | jamy Mouzan, trouble. When he stepped from the | day in the Stamford r cab he fellinto the icy water and loner Phelan will ma p o although he was a powerful swim- men were friends is said mer in the ¥ able to r darkness. The body covered an hour later, h safety was re- Mouzan was ¥ |er and it was discharged G BURGLAR \together in Warren's home | Average Bufly Circulation For vt 157191 | March 28th , PRICE THREE CENTS Abandons Role of Innocent Dupe and Says His Purpose Was to Get all the Money He Could—TForced to Sign - - Name and Confesses He Lied— Groehl Exposes Trail of Worthless | Checks—Links Witness With Underworld Crooks POLICE TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT RESCUE OF CHAPMAN (Special to The Herald) Hartford, March 31.—Unleashing a ecrushing attack in which he confused the witness several times, Frederick J. Groehl, chief counsel for Gerald Chapman, accused of the mur- der of Policernan James Skelly in New Britain on October 12, 1924, today subjected Walter E. Shean to a sledge hammer cross-examination of his direct testimony offered yesterday. On the witness stand yesterday, Shean pictured himself as a pawn of Chapman in the burglary at the Davidson & Leven- thal store, where Skelly was fatally shot. He posed as an in- nocent participant. Today Groehl succeeded in getting from Shean the statement: “I went into the burglary to get all the money I could out of it.” Turning to Shean’s other activities, Groehl brought out that the Springfield man had frequently issued checks for large amounts and had signed fictitious names to them. He also connected him with several members of the underworld, among them George Brown, a “peterhlower,” or safe cracker, who is now in Atlanta prison, and Walter E. Carrigan, a fugi- tive from justice, with whom the witness is accused of de- fsxzjugn)gg Nicholas Baker, a Springfield restaurant man, out of ,000. Admits He Lied . Groehl was doubtful when Shean denied that he had signed his name to one of the checks the lawyer was questioning him about. Producing pen and ink, Groehl made him sign his name and the figures on the check several times. Not until then did Shean break down and admit that the signature was his. Shean was flustered at several points in his testimonay when Groehl hounded him. At one time Groehl accused Shean of lying “before I had the 2oods on you.” Gmehvl accpsed Shean of being one of the band which rob- bed the Wyomissing, Pa., bank of $180,000 in bonds, but this the witness denfed. Additional Guard For Chapman Additional precautions were taken today to guard Chapman. As he sped from Wethersfield prison to the county court building, a number of | state policemen rode on motoreycles | at the side of the automobile in which he was riding. When he ar- glances to be directed toward Chap- !man but the latter looked at him | without wavering. Shean was nervous and answered questions hesitatingly. One of the checks Ghoehl produe- rivd at the court house ho was in | Soserh Maserars "o il gname of boudle frons. The authorities - are | July 15, 1924, Shean had previously taking no chances with Chapman's |saiq that he had not seen Marshall pals staging an attempted rescue. |for three years when he was offered The prisoners’ pen in the court room |$100,000 in stolen bonds. | where Chapman remains for a min- | It ‘was obviously Groehl's purposs ute or two before the session of to show that Shean and Marshall | court was Lalf filled with policemen. |were identical and that the check attachment on the $4,000 ¥n ‘had been cashed by a Mrs. Cunning- and $3,000 in Liberty bonds fham, a maid at the Somerset hotel, pman when he was ar- |New York. It developed that she Indiana, was at- had called on Shean while he was | tached today by the federal govern- |in fail and pointed him out as the [ ment es partial compensation: for man who had given her the check. the $2,400,000 in bonds which Chap- |She knew Shean as Marshall, she man stole in New York city. said. Spectators Vouched For | Groehl's questions grew bitterer as h found on ( | rested at Muncie, ca In keeping with the policy to take |the gruelling cross-examination pro- every pre on against Chapman's |ceeded, accusing Shean in one in- cscape, the authorities today en- ;stance of leaving a wide trail of ! 1 a rule that every person en- ng the court bullding must be Lawyers, members of ving enthauce Everyone else worthless checks “for your poor father to settle.” Shean, it develop- |ed, was an active horse race patron and had many friends among race | followers. utside, i Admits Bogus Checks 1 street door les s locked owed to pass. Various checks brought to Shean's e attention were admitted by him to TR have been passed in Cincinnati, Buf- = f falo and New York by men acting for him, Shean doggedly denied that he re- ceived a share of the procceds eof many bogus checks cashed in various parts of the east and middle west, Groehl th ntified a letter ad- tdressed to “my dear Mrs. Cunning- and signed “Joseph Marshall, ral delivery, Springfield.” He ¢ witness write the words in ter for the comparison of the ndwritings. ‘Didn’t you write that letter?" de- manded Groe! “No” was t in the trial today ch than ever before, crowd around the building was 1 a number of people who curried to the roof ing on Trumbull they remained through- ould not f'a low: k str t where Women Eat Lunch In Court T of women who managed & answer. ed patiently awaiting the s fon of court And Ar~>rn| you Marshall?" asked e Meeeitdia o ¢ The handwriting examples were S e a;q alad s ,’ ';, put into evidence, = sty g "m‘ Shean denled any knowledge of = i S b 1 the Fnatt ose mentioned wag |C/AIMS that the signature of a man named Mahon, treasurer of his ade vertising agency, and whose signme Harry Groehlibrourht Ax i i1 br Hir—::fim ture was necessary for validation, il T i had been forged to a number of the checks. Mahon now is treasurer of the Springfleld Eastern league basebail |club of which Arthur Shean, the wite ness's brother is the owner. Groehl And Alcorn In Tilt % Calls Shean Haven For Crooks a 1 insisted was t h crooks as soon | Shean ven for as they finished prison senten He | o 1 that they went to Spring-| The state prosecutor, Hugh M. Ale ean, who laid out |cornm, refused to permit Groehl teo He claimed that |see a copy of Shean's post-arrest Sh connected with |statement unless Groehl agreed te ro past eight years |offer all of it in evidence. Groehl 1 ingly to Shean's |protested, and Alcorn admitted ¢ fath de good finan- Was true, that the statemept epme n's escapa it Not once did Shean allow his| (Continued on Second Page] '4 :