Norwich bulletin., 1912-08-19
AUTO BURGLARS AT WESTERLY
Frightened Of By Caretaker Marot Fathers Vacation House-Death of Chester A. Chapman Civil War SoL dier Who Enlisted From MontvIle- Southwest Storm Holds Back Excursion Boats.

Vile Marie, the retreat and recrea- tive home of the Marist priests of the United States, Is located on the Watch
 Iill road, near River Bend cemetery. At present 1t is occupied by the two housekeepers and the caretaker of the premises, Charles Devaney, who lives in a small building on the premises. The place was visited by burglars early Saturday morning. There was an exchange of shots by the caretaker and the burglars. Nothing was stolen from the premises perhaps for the reason that there was nothing of real value to that particular grade of thieves in the house. The two women had been to Westerly and left the rec tory of Rev. Peter McOscar for Villa Marie on a late car. When they ar rived the caretaker went to his home, but soon after the women informed him that there was someone in the house. Gun in hand, he went out and saw a man crouching in the bushes, and the contents of the little 16-calibre gun were fired at him. The fellow ran and the caretaker pursued for a short distance toward the Watch Hill road. He was unable to fire another shot, as some of the mechanism of the lit- tla gun was lost in the chase. When the man reached the highway he fired three shots from a revolver in the direction of Vile Marie. but without damage. He then jumped into an au- tomobile that was waiting and De- vaney heard the machine start at high speed in the direction of Watch Hill.
 A telephone message sent to police headquarters in Westerly was receiv- oA ct just 12.15 while Sergeant West ths only one at the station, was eat ing lunch. He hurried out of the sta ton and met team just returning to the Swan stable. This team was inn pressed into service, rushed into Dix on square, where Policeman Mitchell got into the carriage, and the two off cers with the driver were hurried to Villa Marie, arriving there within ff- teen minutes after the telephone mes- sage was received.
 A thorough search of the house and premises was made and the officers discovered that entrance had been eff fected by raising a window on the riv- erside of the house that opened into the chapel The burglars, for the po- lice know that there were two of them, made tAeir escape by the same route. The whole house had been thoroughly ransscked, bureau drawers opened and contents strewn about. but so far as could be learned, nothing was taken from the house. The rooms occupied by priests when at the home are scan tily but comfortably furnished and there Is nothing to entioe the visita- ton of burglars. It is presumed that the attractive appearance of Villa Ma rie Is what invited their attention.
 The police found the tracks of two men underneath the open window, also in the driveway leading to the main road and the tracks of an automobile that had stopped and restarted a short distance down the road in the direction of the Pleasant View junction.
 The footprints were made by shoes that had new rubber heels as the holes in the rubber were plainly visible and the other prints were made by shoes having high heels. This showed the presence of two men, which connected with the automobile demonstrates that the enterprising burglars that are a. burg1ng hereabou travel in an auto mobile, and are undoubtedly the same who visited the residence of Herman Dock and the two cottagers ct Watch Fill and may be the same who robbed the Ramon and Peters stores two weeks ago. While searching about the pYeulisAs the officers found the part