Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-08-28
M0REIROUBLEfORC0UTURE
Piuslglg Dstssfts cauIss Hln Off in
 an Automobile.

ucene OI many eXcltinB Slru6SleS, uut 1t remained for Frank H. Couture, proprietor of the Bijou theater on Grand street, Louis H. Leff. q Pitts burg detective, and half dozen members of the local police, including Superintendent Beach, Captain Ban non. Detective Dodds and few other citizens. to be the central figures in an exhibition there this morning which put all others In the shade and will furnish subject for the gos- sips for some time.
 To go back to the beginning, on Wednesday. August 22, Superinten- ! dent Beach received communication from Superintendent Thomas A. Mct Quaide of the Pittsburg police force, in which he stated that he had been informed that. Frank H. Couture of that place was at the Waterbury hos pital undergoing a course of Nreat- ment for appendicitis. If so he want ed him detained here, adding that an officer would be sent on to take care of him. The local detective bureau took up the matter, but found no X trace of the man at the hospital. Then they scurried about in other quarters and finally located him liv- ing with his brother, Fred Couture, at 29 Grand street. He was not at home at the time. but later Detec- tives Dodds and Kennaugh met him in Exchange place and escorted him to the police station, where he made Varv 1jpbt of tho fhiuU and cqtd that if they would let him go he would report at the station as soon as the officer arrived and accompany him to Pittsburg without making any trouble. Superintendent Beach did not take very kindly to the proposi- tion. and seeing that that didn't work he took Attorney McGrath-into his confidence and after consultation the limb of the law advised him to fight. Bonds were fixed at $500. which were furnished by Alexander Vailcourt The case was down for a hearing this morning in the police court and a big crowd was on hand to hear it. When it was called At torney Minor suggested that the pris- oner be discharged as there appeared to be no evidence to warrant his de- tention. and Judge Burpee so or dered.
 At this juncture Detective Leff walked into the corridor of the police station and Couture hurried after him. When he caught up with him he laughed at the idea of the wild goose chase he had after him and then reached him his hand, request ing to shake" The detective ac- cepted the invitation. but instead of letting go after hearty shake he held with all his might and also got a hook on him with the other hand remarking as he did so that he wal under arrest and that he was going to take him to Pittsburg. Couture resisted and then the two men started ! see-sawing match, when Detective Dodds took a hand in the tussle and Couture was hustled into one of the big iron doors where he could set nothing but cells and other trappings for the accommodation of folks who nisbehave.
 In the meantime Fred Couture, tho brother of the prisoner. had hurried put Into the police court and apprised Attorney John F. McGrath of tho Iituation. The attorney accompanied Mr Couture to the scene of the scraI md promptly informed the Pittsburt detective that he was a kidnapper md also told Superintendent Beacf hat this kind of treatment was no m accordance with law. The super mtendent held that he was within ais lines in assisting the officer. VI | vas provided with two bail pieces A and after thinking it over Mir Nc Srath advised Couture not to resist put 10 seek redress In some othel way at the proper time.
 While this discussion was going ol Fred Couture was getting madde Dvery moment and finally bracinl himself In regular pugilistic fashiol le closed his fist and made rusl Dor the Pittsburg detective and woul, nave put him to sleep were 1t not fo he agility of Superintendent Beach sho grappled him on time to proven free for all fight. When the excite nent was at its height and men wer hlling over each other. Captain Ban lon, who had just heard of the rack h, passed out through the corrido with the speed of a colt and withou nquiring what was up he immediate y took a hand In the tussle and afte l good deal of swaying one way an he other, during which 1t was sal ,lows were struck and there were
 nv falls-but the officers positivel leny this-Couture was finally over lowered ,handcuffed and pushed to tn Leayenworth street entrance of tn poIice station, where an automobil md chauffeur were on hand, an vithout much ceremony Couture va rundled into 1t and Detective Le ! pok a seat beside him. Then tn hauffeur footed his horn and tn machine started away with all tn need there was in 1t. The part eaded for New Haven. where sto ras made and the auto was relieve
 | it's load and returned to Water I>J lury. while Len and Couture contir ed on to Pittsburg on the steaI nrs.
 Detective Len came here Saturda
 nd has had his eyes open ever sinc'
 Fe represented that Couture was ou
 n 1000 bail on a charge of pei
 ury. J. c. Bernstine furnished th
 onds and not knowing where Cot
 ure was he got uneasy and appeale
 the courts with the result that th
 sfl pieces were issued. and it al
 ears that the officer was justified 1
 ,tfng his body anywhere D
 sund 1t. especially so long as h
 Id been discharged by the ioc;
 ourt.
 Although the thing vas done T