Waterbury Democrat., 1901-04-11
HUNTING FOR HE COPPER
It is Said a Third Party Was on
 a Still Hunt.


 But the Thief Finally Carried Off the
 Honors and the Gopper-The Old
 Saying, ..roo Many Cooks Etc,
 Came True in This Instance-A
 Prominent Lawyer Tells an Inter-
 .esting Story About the Stolen Metal.
 The contention between Deputy Sheriff Rigney and the police regarding their claims to prior discovery of the stolen copper in the brush on the Mer- iden road, iss furnishing some amusc- ment to the manufacturers of brass in this city. 4 lawyer whose business IS for the greater part derived from such corporations, is authority for this statement, and tits the opinion of this lawyer, and he claims to speak from a knowledge of all the facts in this singular affair, that Sheriff Rigney was the first who discovered the cop per in the field near the brook on the NIeriden road.
 According to this lawyer, he himself was aware of the coppers presence where it was found fully ten days be- fore Detective Cahey came upon it. A guard was constantly kept on it, flight and day, rain and shine. This guard saw the police searching around the field the Friday afternoon the metal was found by Detective Cahey and Officer Hickey. The manufacturers had become so annoyed at the per- sistent thefts of large quantities of copper and other metal from their fac tories that they agreed among them selves that Rigney or some other pri- vate officer, as Rigney is to some ex- tent, should be engaged to round up the thieves as soon as possible. Rig ney was therefore engaged and noti- fled of the theft of a large quantity of copper from freight car alongside the Randolph-C Gloves concern. The discovery of the copper in the field on the Meriden road was not made by Rigney. but by one of the manufac- turers themselves who happened to be driving past one afternoon. His at tention was attracted to the conduct of some men in the field and he at once divined that something was up. Accordingly, upon his arrival in town word was sent Rigney, and he after ward verified the manufacturers sus- picions.
 A plan was then arranged It was at this juncture that the lawyer in question was called upon, it being taken for granted that he would fur nish resources whereby results would be quicker and better achieved than any suggestion from them would bring. Upon plans drawn up by him trap was set for the thieves. by which it was expected escape would be impossible. Rigney was engaged because q monetary recompense would De to him greater stimulus to work than any reward the policemen could get. Results not coming after several days waiting and watching, those in terested were becoming impatient. Then it was that Detective -Cahey and Officer Hickey fcame upon the metal. The manufacturers were certain that the desired result would have been secured not later than two days at most after the meeting between the police and the sheriff on the scene of action, and their disappoin tment is ac- cordingly intense.
 The disappearance of tlYe copper un- der the very eyes of Officers Brearton and Tehan is a mystery which the chief-of-p police expects the board of public safety to solve. One of the men who was on guard over the cop per one night said the place was so dark, the brook near by so noisy with the flood and the general conditions such that one could hardly see five feet distant. To hear unless one shouted was difficult on account of the uproar of the elements and the brook. No further developments are expected until the board of public safe- ty meets next Tuesday evening. How ever, according to the lawyer above referred to, the claims regarding the prior discovery of the copper are here in settled