Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-01-05

at a premium. James Donahue COM
pleted his testimony and was corrob-
| GRATED in his statements by Larsen ana
Rondy. There was a dramatic story
told by William Rathbun as he related
the incidents connected with the attack
| on his home in North Stonington. lie
was able to identify Donahue as one
of the three seen at his home. Gran
dali, he said, he did not see there the
| night of the attack. The indications
are that the trial will consume all of
today.
When court opened Thursday morn
ing James Donahue was recalled to the
stand, and he stated that he was tes
Trying under the direction of his attor
ney, J. J. Desmond. Resuming the story
! OF the escapade he said after they
boarded the car at Preston bridge the
I night of Monday, Dec. is, they went
| to CassadOck Hill. in North StOning
ton, where they all got off. DGnahue
having directed the conductor. Near
| the Rathbun home they found some
| overalls and caps which had been Sc
! GREETED there by Crandall, but they were
not used and were thrown away while
on the trolley car. He identified a cap
| Jumper and overalls. Donahue said he
( had a Colt revolver and Larsen had a
( Hopkins & Allen revolver of 80 caliber.
! CrandalI SAID the cellar door would be
| easy, but if they didn't get in there to
| go to the front door and try, but to
1 get in anyway.
/ After Larsen had tried the cellar
! door and couldn't get in they went to
/ the front door and knocked. A voice
! asked who was there and if it was
/ Willie. To this Donahue replied in
! the negative and Pete or Rondy said
! they wanted something to eat as they
! had been hunting. They We're informed
/ that there was nothing for them.
Had a Big Stick.
Going to a side window, Donahue
! said he smashed the window With a
/ stick which he had broken off in the
! yard, it being four feet long and three
| to four inches thick. The man inside
| Donahue said he asked him what
! Crandall told him to. He said that
| there had been an auction there and
| there was money in the house. Dona-
| due in reply to the man inside said he
was not at the auction. By direction o.
Crandall he asked Mr.. Rathbun to
| throw the money from window
| which was not done. and Douahue fired
| a shot near the sitting room window
| Flashing pocket light into the room
| he said it seemed to be empty. He
/
heller to someone upstairs to get a
gun.
He paid no attention to what Pete
and Larsen did at the front door, but
he heard the breaking of glass and
/ some shots. The club was left near the
| window as soon as he heard the man
inside call to someone upstairs and al
| three hurried away. Pete in the lead
He said he also threatened to burn the
| property if the money was not forth
| coming.
! Cranda1l. said the witness, carried
the overalls and other things to this
wall where they We're hidden. some Of
'hem coming from the DOnahue house
! 1t was about . o'clock when they go
TO the Rathbun house. It was at the
request of Crandall that he asked Ron
dy to go with them Crandall at moor
on the 18th said ne was going to see
Mr. Lillibridge. He testified that ht
had net Crandall here in barbershop.
poolroom and been to his home twice
Tfe said thew started three different
times to do the Job
| Crandall told the witness that HI
would stay here the night of the rob
berry in company with two others so a!
to prove he was not there.
| crandaII Eager for Money.
| James H. Lee of North Stonington, ;
farmer, testified to knowing Crandal
and that he had worked for him. Gran
dali was not at the Rathbun auction
but he was there two days after thu
auction, and Crandall saw some of tn;
money paid to the clerk o the auction
Crandall hod told him he would lik'
plenty of money and had told him ;
year ago that if he had the Rathbul
. { he ho t1-Xy q mr.
go to Canada or to Maine and have
good time He also talked Of owning
an auto.
Harry L. Richmond said that afte
; the auction Crandall said to him at tn
Rathbun house, "Old Billy has a roll o
bills, and if We had it we could go t
Norwich for a good time" Then Rich
mond said to him "Why don't yol
pinch it?" When the witness told tn
accused his mother in-law was dead
Crandall replied rs she?" The da,
following the robbery CrandalL, il
speaking of the affair, said; Il wish
had been there. 1t was probably thos
low niggers from Midtown"
Sheriff and Doctor Testify.
! Deputy Sheriff w. H. Casey told Q
visiting the Rathbun place and f1ndin
the club and the bullet holes. H
showed a bullet he dug out from tn
front hall casing. The front door, h
said, was battered glass broken an
; window smashed. He found cartridge
near the station at Indian Town an
= overalls, in the pocket of which wer
shells. The bullets went through tn
= front door.
: Dr. R. E. Harrington of Midtown ties
: titled to attending Mrs. Rathbun De-
Iii Il "a
in, the front door glass smashed, an
the door broken. He had bullet whic
t he fund in the sitting room.
Pete Gives Testimony.
+ Rondero Enonrizo was next calIet
: he being known as Pete. He said
e was born in Italy, but had lived her
nine years and roomed for three year
at No. 20 Ward street. While fishin
in Wyassup lake he met Crandau las
summer, and they have been friend
since. For seven years the Witnes
u has been employed by Peck & Nc
y Williams, and was working at tn
' | Norwich and Westerly power house o
). Dec. Is. He testified to going to Gran
0 dalTs home He had known Donahu
two years and Larsen but a shOl
time
The witness told of Donahue tal1in
f with him a. couple of minutes at tn
t power house, and he started for horq
4 at i.35, and on Washington square m
g Donahue. and near the barber shop
r encountered Crandall. Getting suppe
# he went to Franklin square, where h
k met DoahUe, Larsen and Crandall.
d barber and another man were wit
d Crandau. The witness got on at II
: square, and Larsen and Donahue (
. the bridge.
V Getting off at Mains Crossing, Dor
|. ahue went to wall and secured IL
1 overaIls and other things, but did NJ
put them on.
Il Arriving at the Rathbun house, Il
: cellar door was tried, but the lock he'll
a Going to the door, coffee was aske
7 for, but We were told there was non
It To Donahues request for a lantern,
n was told there was none tnore. As