New Britain herald., 1915-08-05
STATES ATTORNEY
 PUBLISHES LETTERS
Two Statements Which Have Bearing on New Britain Murder

UUullu6 uA NVA DAAsuAu MuIuV1
 States Attorney Hugh M, Alcorn, on the eve of the execution Of Bernard Montvid for participation in the mur- der of Rev. Joseph zebris and Eva Gilmanaitis in this city on February 8, has given to the press two state ments, one from Montvid to Peter hrakas, who has already been hanged, and the latter's story of his own life.
 A few days before krakas' execu- tion Montvid sent a letter to him by Interpreter Malinowski in which he beseeched him to confess all in regard to the New Britain murder. He also implored him to tell all about the Red Hand society and furthermore ,em- bodied in a paragraph a plea that he would admit that he made him (Montvid) take part Tn the murder by threats to kill him.
 The letter apparently had no effect on the cold-hearted Krakas and even to his death 1t Is said that he would tell nothing definite about the zebris- Gilmanaitis murders but teased the officials by telling them to see Mont vid.
 Krakas story of his own eventful life follows:
 Krakas' Own Story.
 My right name is Peter Kieulenas. I will be "A years old in June, 1915. was born and raised in Lithuania, Russia. came to America in the fall of 1906 and went to Brockton, Mass, and worked in the Cross company's factory where tucks were made, for about one year. Next worked in Ber- rvs shoe factory in Brockton for more than a year and I joined the Shoe and Bootmakers union, a feder- ation in America. I aslso worked in a Lithuanian shoe shop in Brocktop, Mass. I was arrested and convicted for stealing a watch and some money and I served a term of about three years in Charlestown prison. was re- leased from the prison in October, lv14. I went to work in clothing store in Cambridge, Mass, but was only there for a short time. Then I did not work any more, but spent my time in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. I met Montvid first in Taunton, Mass, either late in Decem- Der or early in January, 1915 He had a barber shop there and helped him for time. Later on, I met him again in Boston, Mass, sometime in January in the Lithuanian quarters. We then wer' to Springfield and from there to New Britain. While we were in New Britain, the priest and his housekeep- CT were murdered.
 .Montvid and I went to the priests house. Sunday, and I talked to the priest about getting married and we both went there, Monday evening"" Asked more about the New Britain murder he said: MT. Malinowski, I have told you all that I am going to tell you about the New Britain mur- der, and if you want te known any more about it, go back to Connecticut and ask Montvid." I left Montvid in New Britain and went to Hartford, Conn, and from there I went to New York and stayed there. a few days, then I came to Philadelphia and met Montvid there and we came to Will mington together We were looking for a good place to start barber shop for Lithuanian people. had some stolen jewelry and watches and part of these we pawned in Philadel- pilia, and we were trying to pawn some of 1t in Wilmington when saw Otficer Tierney and the pawnbroker following me. I started to get away, but the first officer caught hold of me and beat me over the head with his club and then I shot him several times and ran away. was too much +. Jyya nn a ft,,,o I shot but was shot twice and then | I was captured.
 A Dope Fiend.
 .'I was user of morphine pills and l had taken several pills on the morn- | ing of the shooting. This made me reckless and careless and I cannot re- | member clearly just what happened on the day of the shooting, but shot the officers because I was trying to avoid being arrested. Montvid and I intended to go on to Baltimore and | pawn some watches there, if we did not get them all pawned in Whining ton Soon after I got out of prison in Massachusetts became a member of a gang of crooks and with them committed a number of larcenies in Massa chusetts, Rhode Island and Con- necticut.
 We got a good deal of money this way but spent it all in high living and drinking. This gang had president named Bill Ginsburg and secretary named Charles Casey, sometimes called Chalk Casey. We met these three men in a hotel in Hartford. We had $2oo which we got in New Brit ain and they had a lot of jewelry.