Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-06-05

An official communique issued Fri
day by Captain John Murray's forces
announces the greatest exploit in local
war" zones for many moons. This
was no less than the capture of For
tress Cutlerski, in the northern sec
ton of the town, with its entire gar
rison of Is Knights of the Road and
all of their equipment and inclina-
tons to work If they were only given
the chance
The first battalion of Putnana's fin
est, Captain Murray commanding and
with Sergeant Patrick Hayes and Pa
trolman Julius Cordier, without aero
ing advanced to the attack, their
forces being rushed forward in an
automobile truck and two touring
cars, which. were later to be used in
bringing in the prisoners of war.
The fortress, which happens to be
hay barn. was surrounded by the
three officers and the chauffeurs of
the cars and entrance gained without
awakening the sleeping captains of
Incidence. When all was ready the
captain signalled the sleepers to
awaken and they did so. a surprised
and blinking lot. Fifteen in num-
Der, not a man of them had a chance
to get away. They were handcuffed
and linked together with a leader,
loaded into the machines and taken to
the ponce station, Where they rather
overcrowded the cells.
The raid on the barn, which has be-
come a notorious hobo camp, was pull
ed off late Thursday night. For sew
eral days reports had been coming in
as to the number of tran1ps that had
congregated at the place and in this
city, where many of them were in the
habit of spending the day, they had
become very much of a nuisance. The
cleanup was decided upon. The Of
ficers happened to hit just the right
time for the raid. Thursday night was
nnseasonab1y cold and the hoboes had
craw1ed into the hay Ono joke rather
earlier than usual. Every man was
sound asleep when the officers ar
rived, so the cleanup was easily made
complete, not a man escaping.
Arraigned in court Friday morning
the prisoners were all charged with
vagrancy. They were brought before
Judge Geissler in groups of threes and
told many stories to explain why they
were in the barn. In every case they
represented themselves as more than
anxious to work, yes, indeedy. but,
you see, work is slack just now and
it is rather difficult to secure employ
ment in the skilled trades that we
represent, etc, etc. Some of them
pleaded guilty to the charge of va
grancy, others tried to evade and then
admitted the charge and still others
pleaded not guilty.
All got Jail sentences, however. the
time imposed by the court varying
according to circumstances, and, in
some degree, to so arrange ether time
as to prevent all of them from being
released in a group.
The list of prisoners and the SEN
fences they received is as follows:
Charles Gosslin 80 days and costs of
5000, which was also the costs in ev-
cry other case: Lawrence Keenan,. 30
days; George Malone, 80 days; Vim
cent Donohue, so days; John King,
80 days; William Daley, 80 days;
Bernard Smith, 40 days; John Nc
Gale, 40 days; Patrick Quigley, 40
days: John WEIGH 80 days; James
Coen, so days; John Galbarth, SO
days; John Gallagher, so days; Leo
Penn, SO days; George Lachapelle, 60
days.
The men ranged in age from 81 to
% years and claimed residence at va
rious points from Cohoes. n. Y, to
Eastport Me. They were a, tough
looking bunch and the city and vicin-
ity will be well rid of them. Some
of them have been begging about the
city and otherwise generally making
nuisance of themselves. 1t cost the
city about SAT to prosecute them, as
to arrests, feeding and other Incl
dentals, but it seems to have been
worth the money. The arrest in Put
nam in the first four days of June
total %
Tramps have been almost as plen-
tiful as cutworIns in this section this
spring and none the more desirable
An amusing incident of the tramps