Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-01-05
Narrowing Tale By William Rathbun
Stood Guard With Loaded Shotgun by Bedside of Wife
Throughout Night of Attack by Norwich Young Men
-Crandall Had Gun Few Days Before-Charge Had
Been Changed Larsen and Rondy Confederate Dona-
hue.

while there heard shooting and saw
shots fired at the front door, where
Laren was. Pete said he cried to them
to stop it, and started for the road,
the others following. There was talk
ing, but he could not tell what was
said, and it became necessary for them
to run in order to catch the car for
home.
Pete said they all had a drink the
night in question. and that he had been
to the Rathbun house once before that
to see CrandalI.
Larsen Tells His Story.
The story told by Arthur c. Larsen
corroborated the others. He said that
he attended Broadway school, but did
not graduate, and later attended the
! Norwich Business college, and two
nights a week worked in a shoe store
He was 16 last October and lives in
Cedar street. He had met Crandall but
! twice, out had met Pete several times,
and knew Donahue about four years.
He testified that he met DoNahoe and
CrandaH near the formers home on
| Dec. Is. Crandall said there had been
an auction in North Stonington and he
suggested that they go down there and
| get the money. The witness said he
! had pshtol. He told of the morning
! trip to the place, and said CrandaIl hid
| the clothes in wall Crandall told
/ them that everything was all right
/ when he met them in the pines that
! the gun had been unloaded and the
money was there. Crandall told Dona-
hue to get Pete to help them, which he
| did, but Pete was not sure he would
go when they left him.
Crandau asked them if they were
ready and if their guns were loaded
wehn he met them on the square on
the night of Dec. Is. Directing them
to go in by way of the cellar and (
Rathhun appeared to put a gun in his
face and demand his money.
Crandall said that Mrs. Rathbun was
easily awakened and 10 60 quietly. He
| directed The fellows to go to his house
| the next day and did not go with them
for fear of being suspected. The wit
ness said he fred one or two shots and
to see into the hallway he pulled down
a curtain where the glass was broken
After that they LEFT the place.
William Rathbun Testifies.
William \. Rathbun. against whom
the attampt at burglary was made, tes-
titled that he is 81 years Of age. He
explained in a detailed way of the ' ISL
and the consequences, a +ale VIII eli
kept the courtroom tIngling with IN
terest
His story was in the main similar t.
that told by the young men, though
from the inside instead of out. He tolC
of the demand for something to eat anC
its refusal and then the boys said:
I'll give you till I count three. and il
you don't drop the money out the win
dow, in we come" There was the ont
| turn I,
Bullets began flying and the sash anC
glass came flying the full length of the
kitchen and half way into the room
where his wife was. They told hin
there We're six in the party and tina
they had come to raid him. Drop tn,
money out of the window, they said, o
there'll be trouble. This they repeated
end then the onslaught.
They also threatened if he did no
crop the money out of the window
that they would burn his barn AM
house would get inside and fix hin
and his wife, and said: You and you
, wife will not live until morning
He stood midway of the room guard
ing the entrance with his gun in hand
He hollered upstairs For Gods sake
John, come down and bring the bull
deg. We've got to use lead" That h
said, seemed to brighten them and the
eft. He declared that he stood at tn
foot of his wife's bed the rest of tn
night with his gun cooked, not know
ing what might happen next. His wifi
was unconscious from the fright.
Mr.. Rathbun testified that there wa
! $500 in cash IN the front room It va
on the sofa, done up in a cloth.
Mr.. Rathbun testified that it wa
, light outside and he recognized Dona
hue as he saw him through the pane
The other two were farther baaE an
he could not distinguish them plainly
He said that Mrs. CrandaI cam
home several days before the auction
and stayed until few days 5efore
Charlie had been down helpf lg a fey
days before, but was not there at tn
auction.
Mr.. Rathbun testified that he ha
used his double barreled shotgun
which was in court. two weeks befor
The affair. He went out AMI shot
rabbit. He loaded it after he used i
= and loaded it heavy He let Cran6a'
I take It the Saturday before the trou d
2 tG go up in the woods to look for
!, -abbit. lie did not hear a shot free
When he examined the gun after tn
! affair he found it was loaded Different
L than he had left it. the charge bain
E only about half and he didn't think
was sufficient to hurt anyone yer
much He thought there was onl
about half the powder and No. 4 she
1 that he used.
g Crandal Not There.
q Mr.. Rathbun felt sure that Cranda
6 was not there the night of the 1St
i as far as he could see. He said Gran
s dali came down during the day an
j the witness was in the cellar Gran
e dali talked with Mrs. Rathbun a fe,
g minutes and then went into the celia
with the witness where some eide
= was transferred from one barrel I
:. another. Crandall said he had bu
n five minutes to get car, and left sud
4 denly. He knew of no opportunit
h that CrandaL had that day to touc
the gun.
Crandall talked about Mr.. Rathbu
selling some Of the apples, potatoe
|, and other supplies he had. He spok
e of Mr.. Lillibridge going down there t
g get an auto truck load, but Mr.. Rath
s bun said he would sell a couple {
6 barrels of apples and a barrel of pic
4 kles, but didn't want to sell any NOR
s but told him that Messrs. Lee an
S Richmond might sell enough to mai
: Up load. Crandall did not see til
6 other two.
n CrandaH said ne must hurry back /
= the city as he wanted to see Mr.. Ii
q ibridge He had job in view, bl
t if he did not get it he would be dow
lie next day. Mr.. Rathbun was Civ
g en- d long cross examination by A
e tOrney Perkins.
e Mr. Rathhun said he drew one of II
I charges in the gun and fired the othe
e The shot did not cover spot in
r, shed board lager than a, cap and a
e of them could be counted He sal
A that his daughter came down thel
h after the affair and Is living wit
e him now.
1t This closed the evidence in the cas-
for the day. court adjourning about
= o'clock until this morning.
n Other Matters Up.
Arthur Molonson of Groton was SCI