The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1889-02-15
THE BURGLARS CAUGHT.
They Enter the Bank, Ruin G.
H.Gay's Safe, Pause in Sandy
Hook and are Arrested in
Waterbury, Tuesday.


Waterbury, Tuesday.
Five weeks ago tonight, burglars en-
tered Mr. II. II. Hawley's store, blew open
his safe with the assistance of tools stol-
en- from Mr. @. III. Gay and made their es-
cape with but little booty. Monday
night, burglars again appeared, entered
i've places, obtained little and were
captured at Waterbury in a few hours.
IL appears that five men boarded the
Housatonic freight train leaving Bridge
port at 8 80 y M, Monday, from whom
Conductor Clarence V. Spencer collected
fare to Botsford. After leaving Bots
ford, however, the men remained ON the
fEaip and refused to pay the additional
TO Newtown. The train did not stop
again until the SifepaGSs crossing, just
below the Hawleyville depot, was reach
ed. Here the. men got of and walked
back TO Newtown, nearly four miles. As
the freight Is not due at Hawleyville UNI
I'll III Is, it must have been at least IL
when Newtown was again reached. En-
tering the depot by the west door, they
rested and warmed themselves; then,
after overhauling package which they
found in the depot, they proceeded to MIR
G. III. Gays shop, which has so often
supplied them with tools. Breaking a
pane of glass from the door on the west
side of the shop, which has not been
used for years, but has thrice been fore
ed open, the burglars entered. Securing
such tools as they required, they left by
the front door, which they pried loose.
Next they went to the office of the
Newtown savings bank, which is in the
same building with Mr. L. +. Hawley's
store, recently burglarized and forced
the outside door by means of Mr. Gays
chisels, Which they used as jimmies. Pass
ing through the wire partition into the
treasurer's room, they attacked the safe.
II was made by Terwilliger & Co. and
the burglar-proof compartment in the
interior Is provided with Holmes time
lock. Holes were drilled into the front
of the door and several charges of pow
der exploded, but the safe withstood
them nobly. Sledge-hammer blows were
rained upon the safe, with no effect and
the burglars, evidently hopeless of gain
ing an entrance, left in despair.
On their return to Mr. Gays shop, they
thoroughly ransacked the place, prying
open every drawer and examining every
compartment of his desk, but finding
nothing. Angry at their failure to Sc
cure valuables of any kind, they attack
ed Mr. Gays Morris & Ireland safe. 1t
was not locked, but the thieves worked
mt the combination until they had shot
the bolts into place. Then, drilling a
hole In the top, into which an air pump
was placed, heavy charge of powder
was drawn In around the door. This,
when fired by the fuse, exerted a tre-
mendous force upon the safe, hurting the
heavy door entirely across the office,
where It struck the side wall so violently
ms to crush and splinter the timbers and
siding, while all the windows were shat.
tered by the conclusion. The recoil fore.
ed the office partition an inch or more
out of plumb ami bench in the adjoin-
Ing room, resting against the PARTITION
was moved several inchea aud the tools
n held thrown TO the door. The side
walls were also cracked. Nothing OF
value was In the safe, except slate on
which accounts amounting to 1925 had
been temporarily placed. This, of course
was smashed and all marks obliterated,
The books were scorched and blackened,
but most of the entries were still legible
Leaving the shop, the quintet walked
rapidly toward the Sandy Hook station
of the New England, stopping, on the
way, to enter the Sandy Hook post Office
and Minott Augur's meat market. Prob
ably they divided and burglarlzed boil
places ut once, for 1t was 4 30 or late
and daylight would soon appear. 4
number of pennies were taken from eacl
on, beef, CLANS, beans, pickles, etc, iron
MIR Augur's market. These doors wer'
simply pried open and no damage done
At the market, the lamp, which was sc
ON the meat table, threw its rays acros
the bridge and river and would have beer
very noticeable, had any one passed.
On the way TO the depot, some of TIN
cans were opened and their contents eat
en-; Mr. Augustus Hough found the part
ly emptied tins on his way TO the Rubber
A car mt the station was entered and sew
eral cans left there. After resting, tn
party started to walk TO Waterbury, bu
! were overtaken, near the Housatonic ri,
err, by freight which they boarded Will
In motion.
MIR Henry Bartholomew, who occupie
the upper part of Mr. Thomas Reilly
house, next to Mr. Gays shop,wa anon
those who heard the crash and jar of til
exploding safe and his first thought was
"That's Gays shop.r From the window
he saw u man standing in the road, Of
posite the shop, from which emerged for
others. All crossed the railroad and di
appeared In the direction of Sandy Hool
MIR Reilly and MIR George Tobey, WI
boards there, were quickly aroused an
they, after a hasty glance at the di
mantled safe and the confused content
OF the shop, spread the alarm. Mr. g. /
Gay was first on the premises, closel
followed by Deputy Sheriff w. III. Clio
or, Constable John III. Blackman,
John G.. Gay, then by Constable jam
Kelly and Landlord M. j. Houliha
Agent g. B.Taylor, whose wife had heal
the explosion at 3 SO u nj, was called /
and he telephoned to the police at Bridg
port, Danbury, Waterbury and Hartfor
A light snow had fallen and 1t W
easy 60 trace the thieves to Sandy Hoo
thence along the railroad to point ne
the river, where they boarded the freigi
A message to Waterbury brought Maj
g.. X. Bannon and Officers James Heal
John Pagan and John Sullivan to the {
pot, where Conductor Bolger inform
them that live men had left the train
mile away. The officers soon found tn,
and, despite the display of heavy reyo
ers, each officer captured man; the III
man escaped. This was at 30, only
few hours after the burglaries had TAX
place and speaks well for the eoura
and efficiency of the Waterbury poll
News of the capture was at once sent
Newtown and Deputy Sheriff Glover a
Landlord Houllhan went to WaterbE
to bring back the prisoners.
Meantime, Mr. q. III. N orthrop, treas
or OF the bank, was aroused at the q
alarm aud quickly examined the bal
lie found that the rooms were full
gunpowder smoke and the alum filling
the safe, which had been Jared out
drilled holes In the safe door. Moth
had been injured, save a couple of boz
which were used to muffie the blows
the sledge. Mr. A. Ockert, who 10 In
cmpioy OF Thomson ~ Co. of New Hal
and who helped bore into The burg
proof vault when the time lock beca
disarranged, about a year ago, was Z
graphed for and soon finished his VIC
The door has been thoroughly repai
and Ii as good as new. No business
done at the bank. Tuesday, but 1t