Tolland County press., 1883-02-01
Volume 25.

For some time George Avery, 8 Grotor
 grocer. was annoyed by frequent visits
 from burglars at his store during ths night season, the loss of small sums o1
 money from his cash drawer and various
 articles. Of course all due precautions were taken to prevent the recurrence oi these operations, but the burglars kept
 coming just the same, and one night
 about three months ago carried off quite 8
 sum of money. MT. Avery then took the
 matter of their capture into his own hands,
 matured plan, kept his own counsels,
 and proceeded to his work. He first dug
 a hole in the cellar four feet square and eight feet deep, directly under the money
 drawer. He then constructed of boards a
 tile shoot from the floor above to the bot
 tom of the pit, distance of abouteighteen
 feet A hole was then cut through the
 floor in front of the money drawer, and the opening covered with a trap-door hung on hinges, and so arranged that when a mans weight was placed upon it the trap would open downwards, and when the weight was removed the door would fly back to it's position, and be firmly secured by snap catch, thus etfectually sealing the burglar trap. The device was literally 8 dead open and shut. During the day the door was secured, so that neither Mr. Avery nor his clerk would make sudden down the shaft, but at night, when they left the store, all safe guards were removed, and the trap was left ready for business and for game. They had had not long to wait, for on the night of Jan. 2d, Henry Johnson and an accomplice broke into the store. John son, who had been there before, and was familiar with the interior arrangement, went directly to the money drawer, placed his hand on the mob, and second la ter the jaws of the trap unclosed, and the burglar was descending into the dungeon below, with lightning velocity. The door closed noiselessly and securely on it's vic- tim, and was ready for business But Johnson's companion, thoroughly fright ened, lost no time in getting out of the store. Next morning when Mir. Avery opened his store he saw the trap had been sprung, and was confident that there was 3 burglar at the bottom. He did not get excited over the matter, however, and left the fellow to his own reflections for a while. After breakfast he invited some of the neighbors in to see tle trap opened The door was raised, and the party peer ing down the shaft descried in the dim light at the bottom the figure of man seated on the ground. It was alive, and pleasantly called out "When are ye go- in to let me outer this trap ?" MT. Avery told him that there was no hurry, but af- ter while constable was procured and the thief was got out by means of ropes In speaking of the trap, he afterwards said : 'sIt was great surprise to me. I thought was goin' down to the bottom of the earth. struck all in heap it was total darkness. After while I picked myself up and found that was lame, but no bones were broken I felt around the sides and jumped as high as could, but found everything solid I tried to break hole in the sides by kicking, but found it was no use; I thought I might dig under the boards, and for half an hour used my hands with will, and had heaped up pile of dirt back of me nearly as high as my head, when it gave sudden slide, filled up the hole, and gave it up as a bad job" We do not know as Mr. Avery has applied for patent on his burglar trap, but are confident he will meet with no difficulty in securing one if he desires it.