Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-20

Bill. MT. Smith said he is postmaster at East Killingly and that he has con- ducted a store there and for six years was engaged in fur farming-breeding fur bearing animals. Late last Decem- Der he had seven foxes and 25 skunks. Four of the foxes and Is Skunks dis appeared on the night of December 20- 21. In the early evening of December 20, he had locked up the houses at the fur farm and that all the animals were safe within their enclosures.
 On the morning of the 21st upon visiting the fur animal pens MT. Smith testified that he found a lock twisted off. There was a blood stained club outside one of the buildings and there were splashes. of blood on the ground in the vicinity. Four foxes and 15 skunks were missing. A trail of blood, which MT. Smith followed, led northWard for approximately 800 yards to a barway. There were blood stains on the bars.
 How Skunks Were Taken.
 MT. Smith testified that some of the missing sI.pnks had been dug out of their underground runways, while oth- CTS had been taken from their nests. skunks were killed where they were kept or after they were taken away
 The next day, with James Smith and James Moran, Mr. Smith had again followed the blood trail. which even- tually led to highway, where he claimed, an automobile had been stop ped and that evidence was that this automobile had proceeded northward.
 The following day he reported what he had learned to Constable Louis Bar. stow, East killingly, and search war rants were secured to visit the home of Ralph Tracy. near the Putnam line. The searching party was made up of MT. Smith, MT. Barstow. Frank A. Whipple and M. H. Grimshaw, Atta-. Waugan.
 Fox Peit in Rug.
 In conducting the search at the Tracy home MT. Smith said that he had peered under a low setting chest of drawers in the kitchen and saw rug, rolled up. The rug was pulled out and within it's fold a fox pe1t was found. The pelt had the appearance of having been taken from an animal only recently killed, MT. Smith testi- fled; and further, that. in his opinion, that fox had been cIubbed to death, as there were indications of this, in matted fur and blood. near the head. There were no indications of a sharp instrument being used. Another fox pelt, MT. Smith testified, was found in a cellarway at the Tracy place, this pelt stretched on a board. The pelt seemed, Smith said. from a recently killed fox.
 Found Pelts in Feed Sack.
 MT. Smith also detailed for the court the finding of four skunk belts, these in a feed sack found in the dark loft of an outbuilding, ladder being pro cured to reach the trap door that led into the loft.
 In response to a question from MT. Bill the witness stated his belief that, he thought, the fox belts and skunk pelts found at the Tracy place were from animals that had disappeared from his fur farm. MT. Smith told of the parts other members of the search ing party took in the investigation at Tracy's, including the examination of Tracy's automobile, which the witness said, was found to have blood stains on it's f1oor in the tonneau. The belts and an iron bar and a shovel covered with fresh dirt, were taken away by the officers of the searching party, MT. Smith said, and they were introduced as exhibits. Tracy's arrest followed.
 Defendants Explanation.
 Mir. Bill asked the witness if MT. Tracy had made an explanation as to how the fox and skunk pelts came into his possession and MT. Smith replied that he remembered MT. Tracy re- that he got them near Tor rey hill
 Fur Experts Testimony.
 R. N. Austin, Foster fur expert, testified as to how ranch-raised skunk and fox belts can be identified and