New Britain herald., 1915-04-26
MORPHINE CAUSED
D0WNFALL--kRAkAS
Convicted Murderer Talks Freely to
bamfGrih and kain0Wski.
PRIESTS WATCH Is SURREkI { Red
Local Detective Well Satisfied With
Result of His Trip to Wilmington
Uncovers Additional Evidence
Against Montvid, 1t Is Supposed.

SnCONeIS AuuItlOnal EV1uenCc
Against Montvid, 1t Is Supposed.
Morphine, the narcotic curse of the
age, against which society is waging
a determined warfare, may be direct
IL traced to the downfall of Peter
Krakas, under sentence of death for
the murder of Policeman Tierney in
Wilmington, Delaware, subsequent to
the murder of Rev Joseph Zebris and
Eva Gilmanaitis in this city on Feb
rGary 8. This statement was made to
Detective Sergeant Samuel Bamforth
and Interpreter Malinowski when they
visited the doomed man in the New
Castle County Workhouse where he
is waiting for May IA, the day set for
his execution.
Bsmforth ENTIRELY Satisfied
Detective Bamforth arrived home
from Wilmington last night and to-
day expressed himself as entirely sat
isf1ed with the result of his trip. He
said he went down as result of
some new and important information
that has come into the hands of
SIdIo Attorney huSn NI. <AiSoi Ii anu
although he says he secured the in
formation he went after, he is not
at liberty to divulge its nature at the
present time.
Blames Morphine Habit.
In talking about himself, Krakas
told Sergeant Bamforth that morphine
is responsible for his plight, He de-
clared that Immediately after his re-
lease from prison in Massachusetts
last November he used large guam
titles of drugs. He says he Used NOR
phine and smoked opium until his
senses were dulled and he did not
know what he did. Regarding the
murder of Policeman Tierney the con-
victed man said he has not the slight
est knowledge, as he did it while un-
der the influence of dope. .t
The Wilmington authorities, how
ever, do not think that Krakas is a
confirmed dope fiend. Since his in
generation there he has not had any
drugs at all, although he has talked
about it many times. Sergeant BAN
forth says Krakas treated him civilly
and talked freely. He was informed
that his erstwhile friend, Montvid,
had been brought back to Connecticut
to- stand trial for the murder in this
city, but he exhibited absolutely no
interest in the information, simply
struggling his shoulders. He also
showed but little interest in his own
fate. They're going to kill me-" he
said to the local officer, but the
thoughts of death seemed to have but
little terror for him.
Secures Priests Watch.
Regarding the watch belonging to
Father Zebris that was found on
krakas when he was arrested, Ser
seant Bamforth said he had no
trouble at all in securing it. He
brought it back with him last night
and turned it over to States Attorney
Aicorn today. The only difficulty in
getting the timepiece, he said. was
that he had to pay the pawnbroker
SIS for it's redemption.
The question over the jewelry, he
explained, was whether or not he
should be given some articles that
were stolen by Krakas from a Taun-
ton Mass, jeweler. Finally the Will
1nington police turned the articles
over to him and when this state has
finished with them he is to turn them
over to the rightful owners.
May Have Robbed Church.
This morning Detective Bamforth
and Alex j. Brouillard. a detective
from Brockton, Mass, had a long in
terview over tae identity or Krakas
and Montvid. A Catholic church in
Brockton was robbed in December
-914 and from the information fur
nished the detective by the local
s:euth he is of the firm opinion that
the men under arrest are guilty of
that crime