Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-10-27
ELRoY KENT, NOTORIOUS CRIMINAL ARRESTED
Broke into Store in addam Escaped from Asylum al
Waterbury, w.t., Only Short Time Ago

Elroy Kent, who is acquiring rapidly
the reputation of being the most des-
perate criminal in Vermont, was taken
into custody in Haddam, Conn, Sunday
afternoon. He is again confined In the
state asylum at Waterbury from which
institution he escaped Aug. IL, and the
hunt for him which has been conducted
in this county and other parts of the
state the past two months Is at an end
On Saturday afternoon Kent broke into
John Moseley's house in Chester, Conn,
and stole a watch, two chains and
revolver. Sheriff Davis Of Haddam was
notified of the burglary and on Sunday
afternoon he saw a suspicious looking
man walking on the track toward the
railroad station. To reach the station
he would have to cross a bridge. Sherih
Davis quickly took advantage of the
situation and told the man, who after
wards proved to be Kent, that the rail-
road company did not allow people to
cross it's bridges. Kent accepted the
sheriffs invitation to go by way Of the
road, and when near the jail on Main
street the sheriff detained him.
In Kents pockets were found the
articles stolen from Mr.. Moseley. They
were identified by Mrs Moseley, who was
in Jail. Kent told Sheriff Davis of his
escape from the Waterbury asylum, and
the sheriff communicated with Sheriff
Tracy of Montpelier, who went to Haddam
Monday, completed the identification and
took Kent back to Waterbury Tuesday,
going through Brattleboro on the 2.25
| train.
Although but 81 years old Kent has
| criminal record covering the past 20 years.
He talks freely about his exploits and
| does not appear to entertain any feeling
| Of regret that he is a confirmed criminal
His home has been in Brookllne and Put
ney, in this county, and in Manchester.
rru III. 80 ..
| OF seven years, when he and another boy
| broke into a house while the family were
| attending church., stole a small stove and
| carried 1t to a log cabin In the woods. In
| July 1896, Kent was caught while at
| tempting to enter the store of b. M.
Adams in Townshend and was sentenced
| to two years in the house of correction.
After completing his sentence he began
working in Williamsville. Soon after
wards A. M Merrifelds store in that vii
lage was burglarized, the railroad station
at Williamsville was broken into and
three 10O0-mile mileage books were stolen,
and In May, 1899, Adams Bloods house In
| Putney was entered and a watch and
repeating rifle were stolen.
Sheriff A w. ]. wilkins of Putney be-
gan work on the Blood burglary with the
idea that Kent was the man wanted. He
traced Kent to Mt. Holly. where he located
the watch and gun, which was proof that
/ ne was on tne TlRnl lie lOuoWtu
Kent to Burlington, and there lost track
of him, but soon afterwards a man was
caught burglarizing store in Milton,
near Burlington, and from the description
| previously given the officers by Sheriff
| wilkins the burglar was identified as
| Kent.
Kent narrowly escaped losing his life
| in the Milton escapade. He was seen to
enter the store and the proprietor was
notified. Three men, one having gun
stood near the store and awaited de-
velopments. When the burglar left the
store he started to run, but the man with
the gun shot him in the back. Five
watches were found in his pockets. Kent
was taken to n hospital in Burlington
and as soon as he recovered he was SEN
fenced to three years is state prison
After serving 26 months, Kent escaped
early in January. 1902.
Immediately after his escape Kent came
to Brattleboro and went to the home OF
his cousins, w. G. Kent and w. B. Kent
During his visit he learned that w. G.
Kent had received a payment Of $50. Or
the night of Jan. 8 he searched w. G.
Kent's clothes, found IS or more and
disappeared. Chief-of-Police Hall, &c
whom the theft was reported, remember
ed having seen man answering Kent's
description going toward the railroad early
in the morning He telegraphed the con.
ductor of the owl" train at Springfield
Mass, and was told that on account of 0
hot box the train stopped at Dummers.
ton and that a man got on there and left
the train at Holyoke, after asking this
way to Manchester.
Knowing that Kent's home was in Man.
chester Chief of Police Hall went there
and found Kent hiding in the cellar Of
his mothers house He was brought t.