The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1906-04-06
The NewtOWn Bee
Newtown. Friday, April q. 1906.
LITCHFIELD COUNTY.
BRIDGEWATEk,

BRIDGEwATEk.
THREE BURGLARIEs IN A MONTH.
The safe in Bridgewater postoffic
was blown open, last Friday night
and the contents stolen. The loss t,
the government in stamps and caSl
was discovered by Postmaster G. N
Hatch little before O'Clock, Satur
day morning. AS he entered tn
store, which is connected with tn
postoffice, he noticed a pile Of hors,
| blankets was missing. One glance in
to the pOStOffice showed him what hat
been done. Without waiting to learr
the extent of the damage he went tt
the telephone to find the wires out
He then crossed the street to Charles
B. ThompSOn's office and gave the
alarm. Deputy Sheriff V. N. Shelton
was notified and was soon on the scene
Mr. Hatch noticed bis driving horse
standing near his horse barn with part
tired, and soon it was discovered that
the wagon was gone from under the
shed near the store. Entrance to the
building was had from the south door
of the store. Tools had been taken
from James A. Orr's blacksmith shop,
one-eighth of mile away, and a finch
bar had been used to pry open the
door, but it resisted.and the bolt in
the lock was bent nearly at right
angles. The shutter was then pried
off and one of the lights in the sash
door was broken and effort made to
unlock the door but in vain, and the
burglar had to crawl in through the
sash of the door. The missing horse
blankets were piled on the safe in the
postotfice. The work in the postoffice
sledge hammer, borrowed from Mr.
Orr'S shop, was used to break off
hinges and dial. /Nitro-glycerine was
used packed with soap. One discharge
brought off the outer door. Two were
required to open the inner door. The
outer door was blown about 10 feet,
and PARTICLES Of soap were pasted on to
everything in range. The floor and
two desks were marred and bruised
but it is surprising how little serious
damage was done to the furniture
near the safe. A palm stood in jar
Of earth about six feet from the front
of the safe on top of desk and was
uniDjured, but much Specked by soap.
The valuables taken were stamps and
cash. Loose stamps, money orders and
papers were lying in confusion in front
OF the safe. The loose stamps, 1c
stamps and small change were not
taken and nothing of consequence was
taken from the store. A new whip,
plenty of blankets, mittens, ETC., were
taken for ride. An oyster opener
was found in front of the store. An
umbrella was taken from inside the
store and left on the front StOOp. 1t
mad evidently been used by the out
side guard. Ethan Allen on his trip
to the creamery with milk saw an
overturned wagon near the residence
of George A. Ives, which be recog-
nized as the store wagon and reported
at the store. 1t was found to be the
one taken from the store. shed. One
theory is that the burglars had the
secured they drove the team as far as
they wished to and then turned it
loose and started it towards home,
the horse turning the wagon over near
the Ives house. Others think the
team was hitched up ready to be used,
but, frightened by the explosion,
ran away without the men, wrecked
the wagon, cleared himself and ran
until tired, finally coming home. One
proof of the latter theory Is that a
piece or two of the harness we're found
further away from the store than the
wagon was. No tools or articles be-
longing to the visitors were left as
clues or mementoes of their visit.
Not satisfied they, try again and
Sunday night or Monday morning, one
Of the south windows of the postoffice
was pried open and an entrance OBJ
tanned and an old safe in the store was
blown open and contents taken. The
amount taken this time is supposed to
be about $500. The registered letters
in Saturday evenings mail were taken
with all stamps and money found.
Tools we're again taken from Mr. Orr's
blacksmith shop. The safe was an old
one but in pretty good condition. The
joints were not tight in this safe as in
the other one SO that nitro-glycerine
could be poured into the crack around
the top Of the door. The discharge
the safe, the bottom of the safe under
the door, being blown out so that the
packing was scattered around; the up
per part was also cracked. The wooden
partitions were splintered but the
books were not seriously injured. Wet
blankets were wrapped around the
safe and window within a foot Of
the safe was mot even cracked. Mr.
Hatch went to New York to spend
Sunday and was notified of the later
burglary early Monday morning. He
arrived home with POStOtfice Inspector
Human at noon. The whole town is
much excited by the lurglaries and
many theories are advanced as to how
it was done ahd how the criminals eS-
capped and as to whether the latter job
hu ho rfinc LNri l..
day nights job, but SO far none OF the
theories have thrown sufficient light
on the case so that any definite clue to
the robbers have been obtained. Sew
eral persons heard the reportsof the
explosions on Friday night and the
time is known to have been about a.
NJ, but persons generally thought the
noise was caused by horses in their
barn. The last explosion which
wrecked the store safe was also about
clock. Kathleen Welton heard a
noise which she thought was picture
falling and noticed the time. These
burglaries naturally recall the occur
renee at the store and postotfice of
of the store was opened by prying off
The shutter, breaking the glass in the
sash door, reaching in and unlocking
the door with the key which was in
the door. A few dollars were found,
but most of the funds were locked in
the safes. Cigars, few watches and
minor articles were missed, but the
value was not great. A candle was
taken from box and lighted to guide
the thieves around. 1t was then sup.
posed to be the work of local talent
who were familiar with the position OF
things in the store. A small amount
of money was then taken from the
stamp drawer in the pOstotfice. Dur
ing that same week Fl. A. Hill'S barr
| WAS nnened two or three NIGHTS. MI