The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-19
Tramps Batter Hole Through Ceiling of Milford Lock Up and Bridgeport Men Then Rescue Them From. Flames.
Historic Town Hall of Mil ford In Ashes Records Centuries old Still May Be Safe Tn Vaults Amid smouldering Ruins.
cspecia1 to rhe Farrner.o

Milford. Feb. 19.-Three prominent Bridgeport members of the Royal Ar canum-Attorney William W. Bent, A Joseph WfIlfamson, a merchant tailor. and Coleman Hart, figured in the thrill ling rescue of five tranlps in the dis astrous fire that early this morning destroyed Milfordss historic town hall with a. loss estimated at $50, ,0oO, GOV cred by only $d6,o00 insurance. after the trampa, led by Q resourcefu1 farm labored Of giant stature and great physical strength, &had battered a hole through the basement ceiling. and thus escaped fromu the cell tier in which they had been locked for the night building. and they must have perfshad Seaa not fhe three BrfdB spo11ers, watching the progress of the fire, heard their cries of terror and smash ing down 8 door. freed the imprisoned quintet, all of whom had been burned before they were liberated.
 The moving of a cat, the solitary living creature in the building at night-except for the destitute way fa.rers who were given the privilege of sleeping in the town 1ocl1up-hrst reused the sleeping tramps. Their des- perate fight to escape being smothered and burned in the terrific blaze was re- counted to the Milford townspeople this morning as their wounds were dressed.
 
 John Tote, giant Polish farm hand who claims Bridgeport as his home saved the five. Tote with a piece of iron pipe broke a hole through the ceiling of the cell room into the as- sembly room above and through this hole the five made their egress into the hall above. All five were burned but Tote fared worse than his conn rades. Even after Tote had broken a passageway for his companions and FaU hsad cefSf int IaoT above they would have burned to death had not the Bridgeporters got them out MT. Williamson broke down the door to the town clerks office and rushing through a pas sage way under the blazing cupola he and his companions broke down another door and let the Imprisoned men out. MT. Williamson out his hand and broke his hat In his ef- forts.
 formerly lived in Johnson street this city, the others in the bur1ines buiId- ing were Henry Kelly, aged 43, a la- borer of Chester, Pa; Thomas Stan claims to be contractors foreman; Frank Smith, aged 33. of Brooklyn, N. r., and Frank Brtsket, 50, an iti- nerant umbrella mender who claims Providence as his home
 The five walked into Milford last
 
 say they had never seen each other before until one after another they applied for lodging for the night in the town lookup, They were locked up in the cell room in the cellar of the town hall by Janitor Erwin Fox The reason the seIectmen give for locking them up for the night is that it is not safe for such characters as apply for free lodging to be able to @oaTn about the town at will after nightfan. It will be recalled that two tramps who were locked up under similar circumstances in the town hall at Stonington were suffocated in a fire that broke out there.
 As is the custom with such way farers the men removed their over coats and under coats and all but Tote took off their shoes and stockings Smith also removed his trousers. In their struggle to get out ofs the burn ing building alive the men left behind their coats, shoes and stockings and other belongings. Brisket also lost his tools and the kit with which he makes his living by mending urn- breI1as and broken pots and kettles Stanton claims to have lost valuable received from firms by whom he has been employed.
 The men were locked up about 10 o'clock last night Smith who slept fin one of the top hunks in the cell room was awakened about shortly af- ter 12 o'clock by the piteous moving Of the town hall cat which was inn prisoned in the hall above. He tried to fall back to sleep but the cats wall ing continued until Kelly, now fully aroused smel1ed smoke. The crack ling of the flames above his head was
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