The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-21
Diamond Ring, Loaded Revolver, Knives, RazorS, JeWehy and Keye Taken
 From Trap
Backwater Washes Assort- ed Lot of Articles Into Sewer How Prisoners Got Rid of Evidences of Guilt - Loot of Many Crimes Plugged Drain.

Crimes Plugged Drain.
 Plumbers at work at police head
 startling solution of the puzzle of what has been the trouble with the
 drainage facilities in the cell build
 ing.
 Opening a trap. in the drainage pipe
 in the sub-cellar of the cell structure,
 they fished out a mysterious collec-
 tion of jewelry, weapons. purses, keys
 and other articles that the police be-
 1ieve were thrown into the drain
 pipes from time to time by occupants of the cells.
 The refuse was in such shape that
 careful examination was not pos- Isible, but three plumbers who fished ift over with pokers and sticks sue- tceeded In bringing to light a diamond ring that may be worth s100. a gold firing, apparently a wedding ring, sew tgregating 6S cents and other valu- ables.
 The refuse altogether is enough to ssilI a peck measure. Besides that talk en out of the drain pipe another quantity was washed down, when the
 
 and washed through the trap such as had not been fished out by the plumbers.
 George Butler, Patrick Smith and Edward Roth. the plumbers. employees of J. F. Brady & Bros, were sent to headquarters today when it was dis covered that the drainage, instead of leaving the building through the sew. CT system was backing up and bub- .blinE out through a. miniature geyser Fin the back yard.
 They traced the trouble to the main drafnpipe and found the trap was not working. This device is in a remote !: corner of the subcellar even below the famous concrete walled iron dark -ceil' the terrors of which according to traditions are such as to make the most hardened criminal finch.
 Smith removed the cap from the trap, and found the refuse packed in, a solid mass. He dug it out with a poker, and to his surprise found among the first things to greet his eye much corroded pistol. With the aid of candle light he kept fishing the stuff out upon the earthen floor un- til he had cleared the trap so much that the backwater broke through with rush and fcarried off all that remained.
 The three plumbers were amazed at the nature of their find, and in order to better discover what was valuable and what was worthless they got a cardboard box into which they piled the stuff and carried it into the area way at the rear of the building
 Haft a dozen policemen watched them sorting over the stuff. Young Butler made the best find. In the mass of stuff he discerned the glint of jewel, and with a pointed stick he fished out the diamond ring. He examined the ring carefully, then
 t. H no use for such things. Smith tried 1. it on his little finger. found it was | a good it and decided to keep It. A !, few minutes later diamond expert told him the ring might be worth ! s1oo
 The plumbers success induced the 1, policemen to take hand in search 1, ing for the loot. Half dozen men scratching like chickens after worms kept turning the nondescript mass of wet rubbish over and over.
 Here Is what was found:
 Diamond ring.
 Plain gold ring.
 Gold loclket.
 Several chains, running from cheap brass to gold filled.
 Pistol, loaded, 22-calibre, rusted be- yond use.
 Dozens of cartridges, from long rife : ammunition to blanks.
 Several razors, rusted almost beyond ratification.
 Knives of many sorts.
 Rotting purses.
 Bottles.
 Coins, e2 cents.
 Horseshoe nail ring.
 Many varieties of keys.
 It is the custom at police head l quarters to make a search of every l search is at times perfunctory. Ha- bitual drunkards. well known to the police. are usually searched for knives 1 and when this weapon is found, the search ends. But in cases of pick l pockets and the like. a more search ing hunt for discriminating matter is l made
 It is the belief of the police that | this collection. which has been accum- rnulating probably since the building 1 was opened. in 1900 is the result of | the attempt of scores of prisoners from time to time trying to divert | themselves of every thing that might | be regarded as evidence of crime
 The police believe the diamond ring | was stolen, that the prisoner succeed | cd in concealing 1t so cleverly that the search did not bring it to light and | that rather than risk detection, when | once in the cell the criminal got rid | of 1t by tossing it into the drain.
 It is trick of slick criminals to carry pistocks in their socks. In this way the weapon does not appear wis., ible to the casual observer. whereas If 1t were carried in ones hip pocket. Ii would at once become apparent to the skilled eye of the policeman searching for persons carrying con- cealed weapons. That is the explana- ton the police advance for the pres- ence of the pistol in the drain pipe Railroad Commissioner T. B. Ford of this city announced today that he had completed his appointments to the State Board of Civil Engineers. by the appointment of l.. F.. Dabolls of New London, to succeed Engineer Chandler of the same town. The board com- prises four memiters and the appoint II