The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-03-09
City Will Honor Memory of
Capt. Alvin S. Hunt at
Funeral Service, Saturday


Hunt himself declined a corporalcy.
preferring to remain among the pri-
Yates.
Returning from the Civil War,
Captain Hunt soon took up his resi-
dence in Bridgeport. He was en-
plant Of the Howe Sewing Machine
Co., which occupied a site on the pres
ent premises of the Salts Textile Co..
in Kossuth Street. AS young man,
Captain Hunt took keen interest in
public affairs. He was foreman of the
Engine Co. for 10 years. Gifted with
fine physique, and having a fond
ness for the attire of the fire depart
ment. Captain Hunt in his prime,
CARRIED In the red shirt worn in those
bays by the volunteer f1remen, was q
familiar figure in the life of the city.
Older Bridgeporters readily recall his
picturesque appearance upon all turn
outs of the volunteer firemen. He was
foremost among the firenen whenever
there was work to be done, and equal
ly prominent in the frequent social
events that characterized he earl
Ter days of the fire department.
For three years he was a constable.
During the term of the late John
L. vessels as mayor. in 1881, the
constable who had frequently been
called upon to exercise the policial
prerogative attaching to his office,
was elected patrolman of the po-
lice department. He remained a pa
troiman until June 81. 1892 when he
was promoted to the position of first
sergeant. April 6, 1894 he was made
lieutenant and Aug. %, the next year
he was promoted to the first captain
cy. which post he occupied until his
death.
In his earlier career in the police
department., Captain Hunt figured in
10 80 fSvn MT 30 4.
er Rridgeporters recall readily the
spectacular circumstances attending
the murderer Samuel Laughlin. Cap
tain Hunt and two other members OF
the 'deI,a.l tment, one of them Captain
George H. Arnold, head of the de-
press train running through South
Norwa!k 80 miles an hour, to cap
ture I4aushlin. The prisoher q bar.
tender. had killed, a patron Of 20
cal saloon by striking him on the
head with a bar Of IRON. Captain
Hunt figured in the capture of Chas.
Harris. an Indian outlaw. run down af-
ter more than a month of hiding in
the fields, woods and mountains OF
Sharon, Conn, also the apprehension
of Henry Albert Hurd, a notorious
horse thief; John Ferris, a fearless
burglar; Frederick Wood, notorious
thief, and other criminals whose
names inspired terror two decades
ago.
Mrs. Hattie Mcneil, the widow of
Charles H. Mcneil, brother of Former
Senator Archibald Mcneil, ST., who
was in the coal business here. Cap
tain and Mrs. Hunt resided at the
home of Mrs. Mary A. Hayes, BIZ
Golden Hill street.
Captain Hunts health failed stead
lily for more than a year. He suffer-
ed a complication of ailments, princi-
pally disordered conditions of the kid
news and liver. He was given sever
al leaves of absence for vacations, the
last of which he enjoyed in Nova SEQ
tia, returning last fall, improved in
health. But his associates noticed re-
gretfully that from day to day he con-
tinued to fail. He was obliged to
forsake the desk at police headQuar-
tiers, where as captain he had been
in charge for nearly two decades, sun
day, Jan. 10. Since then he was ul-
der the constant care of his devoted
wife and physicians.
Until i'll health forced him to fore
go his social activities, Captain Hunt
took a prominent part in the affairs
of Elias Howe, Jr., Post, G. A. r., of
which he was a past commander. He
was among the earlier members of
Bridgeport Lodge, B. P. 0. e. and
was a member of Samueal Fl. Harris
Lodge, L. o. 0. F., and of the A. II.
& A. M.
Captain hum IS survived UeSiueS his
widow, by one brother. Ashbel, who
is a police sergeant in Denver, Colo.
Superintendent Birmingham ordered
the flag at police headquarters at
half mast on receipt of the news of
the captains death. Though the an
nouncement was not unexpected. new
ertheless it came as shock to the
captains friends and conf1dents. Supt.
Birmingham had this to say of the
captain's death today:
at is over 80 years since Captain
Hunt and / first became associated
as members of the police department.
We have never had n1isunderstand-
ing in all these years. We have been
intimately associated through the ma
ture of our positions. I have always
had the highest esteem for Captain
Hunts wisdom and judgment. He
was trustworthy, reliable and eff
cient His death has caused grief
through the department. We shall al
y-I, IL ,O,.y,s